the population. Since Dahomey was a significant military power involved in the slave trade, slaves and human sacrifice became crucial aspects of the ceremony. Captives from war and criminals were killed for the deceased kings of Dahomey. During the ceremony, around 500 prisoners would be sacrificed. As many as 4,000 were reported killed in one of these ceremonies in 1727. Most of the victims were sacrificed through decapitation, a tradition widely used by Dahomean kings, and the literal translation for the Fon name for the ceremony Xwetanu is "yearly head business". In later years this ceremony also included the spilling of human blood from the sacrificed. There was also a significant military parade in the ceremonies that further displayed the military might of the kingdom of Dahomey. The Annual Customs also included a prominent structure for discussion and debate about public policy in the kingdom. In this respect, scholar John C. Yoder has argued that the customs "served a political function similar to that of parliaments in Western countries", although still far from the open contests in democracies. The Great Council would convene at the annual customs and bring together important leaders from throughout Dahomey to discuss national policy. The Great Council included a large segment of the population and included women. Debate and discussion would be extensive; low ranking-officials could publicly rebuke high-ranking ones. In the end the king would end the debate by declaring consensus. In addition, when a king died, his successor would have to include a significant ceremony in his honor to finish the funeral rites. Until such sacrifices and ceremonies were performed, it was considered that the new king was not approved by the spirits of the ancestors. Items associated with the Customs are preserved at the Abomey Historical Museum, in the Royal Palaces of Abomey. Schedule By day, according to Yoder. Procession from Cana Private receptions or levées Parade through Great Square, more petitions Historical songs sung by court singers Parade of the king's wealth Distribution of wealth, including slain captives King reviews troops Display of king's wealth More audiences Great Council starts to meet in the mornings Great Council meetings end Troops swear loyalty Mino stage mock battle and slave raid Songs praising the kingdom sung by court singers Gifts given to officials for services Answers given to petitions Officials largely spent their evenings building coalitions of political support. References Events in the