Madagascar welcomes home skulls of Indigenous warriors taken by French colonial troops 128 years ago

Indigenous Warriors’ Skulls Returned to Madagascar from France

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Madagascar received three skulls of Indigenous warriors returned from France on Tuesday, marking the first use of a 2023 French law regulating the return of human remains to its former colonies.

Historic Return

The skulls, including one believed to be of King Toera who was killed by French troops 128 years ago, were taken during violent clashes in 1897 and brought back to France as trophies. They were kept in a Paris museum alongside hundreds of other human remains from the former French colony.

The skulls were flown to Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, and welcomed in a solemn ceremony by political and military authorities, as well as members of royal families. They were received at the Mausoleum of Avaratr’Ambohitsaina where prominent figures of the state are buried.

Symbolic Gesture

King Toera’s heir, the newly enthroned Sakalava King Harea Georges Kamamy, sprinkled his ancestor’s coffin with water from the sacred Tsiribihina River to “welcome him home.” The coffins will be reburied in Menabe, 800 kilometers from the capital.

Confronting Colonial Legacy

The return of the skulls reflects a broader effort by European countries to confront their colonial legacy, including the theft of cultural artifacts and human remains. France is the only European country to pass a law specifically addressing the restitution of human remains.

Belgium and other countries are also grappling with the issue, with Belgium holding at least 500 human remains from former colonies in its public institutions.

Global Developments

Other African countries, such as Namibia and Zimbabwe, have also pushed for the return of human remains from European institutions. Namibia regained 27 sets of human remains from Germany after more than a decade of negotiations, while Zimbabwe has called for the return of remains of resistance fighters and spiritual leaders.

In Britain, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations published a report calling for the restitution of African human remains collected by British museums.

Conclusion

The return of the Indigenous warriors’ skulls to Madagascar marks a significant step in addressing the colonial legacy and honoring the sacrifices made by those who fought against colonization. It also underscores the importance of confronting the past and working towards reconciliation and restitution.

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