By Jolezya Adeyemo
One of the key exhibits at the Lusaka National Museum in Zambia is the skull of the Broken Hill Man.
This human fossil was discovered in 1921 in the town of Kabwe, about three hour-drive from Lusaka. It has been described as “the first historically significant human fossil discovered in Africa.”
However, something is amiss with the exhibit. What you’ll find in Lusaka is not the real Broken Hill Man but a replica.
In 1921, Zambia was under British colonial rule and following its discovery, the Broken Hill skull was swiftly transported to the UK and donated to what is now the Natural History Museum in London, where it remains on display to this day.
A call for justice
In early 2023, I visited the National Museum and my passionate guide confidently assured me that the Broken Hill Man, aka the Kabwe Man, would be returned to Zambia that year.
Unfortunately, this has yet to happen. Since 1972, the Zambian government has campaigned for the return of the Broken Hill Man, but these appeals have been unsuccessful so far.
In response to renewed calls from the Zambian government and concerned citizens, UNESCO passed a resolution in 2024 instructing the UK to return the skull, to no avail.
The Broken Hill Man is one of many historical and cultural objects taken from Zambia and other African nations that are now housed in European museums.
These artefacts were not merely collected; they were seized without consent under colonial rule, disregarding their significance to the communities from which they were taken. Today, they remain in institutions that benefit from displaying them, while the countries of origin are deprived of the opportunity to share their own cultural heritage and history with their people – along with the economic benefits that come with it.
A jaw-dropping 500,000 African artefacts can be found in institutions across Europe (and the US). At Musée royal de l’Afrique Centrale, also known as the Africa Museum, alone, 180,000 can be found.
The museum traces its origins to Belgium King Leopold II, who ruthlessly ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo as his private colony and an estimated 10 million Congolese people died under his rule.
In 1897, 267 Congolese men, women, and children were forcibly taken to Belgium and put on display in a ‘human zoo’ to justify colonial rule. The popular exhibition later evolved into what is now the Africa Museum, which stands on the same site. This is just one of many sinister stories behind Europe’s collections of African artefacts.
Digital repatriation and beyond
In recent years, digital repatriation has emerged as a means of restoring some sense of ownership.
For example, the Women’s History Museum of Zambia has begun to digitally archive and preserve Zambian artefacts located in Sweden. The Museum of Ethnography in Sweden, for instance, holds more than 600 artefacts from Zambia.
The Women's History Museum's digital repatriation aims to bridge the cultural knowledge gap by making Zambian cultural objects, long removed from their communities, accessible to Zambians.
These objects include fishing baskets and ceremonial masks, among others. While this initiative is commendable and a step forward, more action is needed. Digital repositories serve a useful purpose but cannot replace the original object, nor can they rectify the historical injustice of theft.
Some argue that these artefacts belong to all of humanity, not just their countries of origin. However, this reasoning is not applied to European artefacts; no one suggests that Greek antiquities or fossils discovered in Europe should be displayed in African museums for the benefit of "humanity."
Some European countries have begun taking steps towards restitution. France, for example, returned 26 artefacts to Benin in 2021, marking a significant step towards acknowledging past wrongs.
However, many more Beninese cultural artefacts remain in France. Furthermore, there are still cases of outright refusal or offers to "loan" stolen objects back to their countries of origin, which is both absurd and disrespectful as one cannot loan what was never theirs to begin with.
A united path to repatriation
The African Union has been actively working to reclaim Africa’s stolen heritage, including through a 2023 collaboration with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that pushed for reparations and the return of cultural artifacts.
Its Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) has also emphasised that repatriation is a key part of addressing historical injustices. Collective action strengthens these efforts—by working together, African nations can apply greater diplomatic and legal pressure than any one country could alone.
Needless to say, the return of cultural and historical objects comes with the responsibility of building suitable infrastructure to house them. The restitution of these objects must be meticulously planned.
Repatriation is not just about returning objects; it is about reclaiming identity, dignity, and history. The return of Africa’s cultural property is long overdue, and it is time for Western institutions to acknowledge that stolen heritage cannot remain behind glass in foreign lands forever.
The author, Jolezya Adeyemo, is a Lusaka-based freelance writer, editorial consultant, and content strategist. Her interests include African history and culture. She has a degree in international relations from the University of Queensland in Australia.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of TRT Afrika.
