Although many scholars have regarded Dahomey as the homeland of the Haitian people, this analysis may not withstand rigorous historical and linguistic scrutiny. The Haitian expression "Neg Danhonmen" (blacks from Dahomey) is not primarily an historical reference but a mythical one that looks back to a glorious past and presents itself today as a vehicle of ethical standards and social control. Danhonmen is a symbolic term that reflects the collective consciousness of the Haitian people and evokes the basic concerns and motifs informing Haitian life and values. (WP)