The head of a Malagasy king killed by French troops during a colonial-era war has been formally returned to Madagascar. The handover of King Toera's skull - along with two other members of his court - took place at a ceremony at the culture ministry in Paris. The skulls had been brought to France in the late 19th Century and stored at the Museum of Natural History in the French capital. This event marks the first implementation of new legislation aimed at simplifying the repatriation of human remains collected from former colonies.
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati remarked at the ceremony, stating that these skulls were acquired under circumstances that violated human dignity and occurred within a context of colonial violence. In August 1897, French forces, attempting to assert control over Madagascar, killed King Toera and decapitated him, sending his head to Paris.
Following persistent demands from the descendants of King Toera and the Malagasy government, the skull's return has been made possible. While there is currently no DNA evidence to conclusively identify the skull as that of King Toera, a traditional Sakalava spirit medium has affirmed its identity.
The return of these skulls is viewed as a significant gesture by Madagascar's Culture Minister Volamiranty Donna Mara, who expressed that the absence of these remains has left an emotional wound on the nation for over a century. This instance is not the first case of human remains being returned by France, but it is a crucial step under the new legislation aimed at addressing the ramifications of colonialism.
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati remarked at the ceremony, stating that these skulls were acquired under circumstances that violated human dignity and occurred within a context of colonial violence. In August 1897, French forces, attempting to assert control over Madagascar, killed King Toera and decapitated him, sending his head to Paris.
Following persistent demands from the descendants of King Toera and the Malagasy government, the skull's return has been made possible. While there is currently no DNA evidence to conclusively identify the skull as that of King Toera, a traditional Sakalava spirit medium has affirmed its identity.
The return of these skulls is viewed as a significant gesture by Madagascar's Culture Minister Volamiranty Donna Mara, who expressed that the absence of these remains has left an emotional wound on the nation for over a century. This instance is not the first case of human remains being returned by France, but it is a crucial step under the new legislation aimed at addressing the ramifications of colonialism.
