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Africa & Its Stolen Heritage: 'These Objects Should Never Have Left Their Homeland'
Africa & Its Stolen Heritage: 'These Objects Should Never Have Left Their Homeland'
Sputnik Africa
Africa & Its Stolen Heritage: 'These Objects Should Never Have Left Their Homeland' 03.08.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-08-03T14:43+0200
2025-08-03T14:43+0200
2025-08-03T16:47+0200
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Africa & Its Stolen Heritage: 'These Objects Should Never Have Left Their Homeland'"As an African, I can obviously only regret the looting and dispersal of the continent's works of art during the European colonial adventure of the 19th and 20th centuries," Hamada Madi Boléro, former Prime Minister of the Comoros, told Sputnik Africa.These objects are not merely art but "carry the soul, spirituality, history, and identity of the people who created them," he said, adding that their presence in Western museums perpetuates a colonial logic due to their illegitimate transfer through violence or extortion.⭕The expert criticized the idea of a "universal museum" advocated by the British Museum, which justifies the preservation of these works in London for an international audience.Africa must be ready to welcome, protect, and showcase its own treasures, Boléro said.He added that progress is being made, citing modern museums like the one dedicated to Black Civilizations in Dakar as proof that Africa is ready to welcome its heritage.Regarding the exhibition of Ukrainian heritage in the United Kingdom, Boléro views it as a political operation: AI-generated image
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Africa & Its Stolen Heritage: 'These Objects Should Never Have Left Their Homeland'
"As an African, I can obviously only regret the looting and dispersal of the continent's works of art during the European colonial adventure of the 19th and 20th centuries," Hamada Madi Boléro, former Prime Minister of the Comoros, told Sputnik Africa.
These objects are not merely art but "carry the soul, spirituality, history, and identity of the people who created them," he said, adding that their presence in Western museums perpetuates a colonial logic due to their illegitimate transfer through violence or extortion.
⭕The expert criticized the idea of a "universal museum" advocated by the British Museum, which justifies the preservation of these works in London for an international audience.
"For us Africans, the neo-colonialism of this supposedly generous way of thinking is quite exasperating."
Africa must be ready to welcome, protect, and showcase its own treasures, Boléro said.
He added that progress is being made, citing modern museums like the one dedicated to Black Civilizations in Dakar as proof that Africa is ready to welcome its heritage.
Regarding the exhibition of Ukrainian heritage in the United Kingdom, Boléro views it as a political operation:
"Since the start of the special operation in 2022, British cultural institutions have 'gone to war' alongside Ukraine on the cultural front."
