In this article, Jardar Alai explains the issue of stolen African Art in European museums and its effect and impact on the whole of Africa.
Every year, on the banks of Wouri river in Douala Cameroon, locals celebrate the annual Ngondo Water Festival. One of the key artifacts for the festival is missing. That artifact is called the Tangue. It is a wooden figurine with religious and cultural meaning for the locals.
The Tangue has been stolen from its people and is stored in Museum Five Continents in Munich Germany. People in Douala have asked for the artifact’s return over centuries. The whole of Africa has asked for return of their arts that are kept in the European Museums.
When Europe colonized Africa, the European powers stole and plundered Africans and their Artifacts. Africa is the continent with the most lost artifacts because of colonization. The Africans could not practice their traditions and rituals under the colonizers. After the continent was decolonized, the locals started practicing their traditions publicly, but with the absence of their most sacred artifacts . The Africans are trying to get their art back with no avail.
This has created an identity crisis for young Africans because their culture was stolen by Europeans. This is important for making people’s history survive and making Africa completely independent of the effects of colonization.
The Africans still have hopes for getting back their relics. In November 2019 an important artifact for the people of Namibia was returned. That artifact was Hendrik Witbooi (important historical figure) bible. Hopefully, a day will come when every artifact will be returned to Africa.
Sources:
1. Namibia: Dispute over return of the Witbooi Bible Die Welle https://www.dw.com/en/namibia-dispute-over-return-of-the-witbooi-bible/a-47712784
2. Africa's looted art | DW Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RXlVr_15JY
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