In February of 1885, King Leopold II of Belgium established the Congo Free State. The purpose of this establishment was to seize the African landmass and its enormously rich resources of rubber and ivory, as the personal possession of the King which led to the eradication of about half of the population due to punishment and malnutrition.
In the Congo Free State, King Leopold II, offered anything but freedom, killing and punishing Congolese people for not harvesting enough rubber and ivory, often amputating hands and feet as punishment for underproduction. It was at the hands of those acting on behalf of the King, who never stepped foot into the region, that lives were lost to enrich those whose motives were supremacy, oppression, and greed. The spoils of this brutality enriched Leopold and created a vast rubber industry.
The greed also led to the pillaging of African culture in addition to depleting its population. It is estimated that about 90% of Africa’s cultural heritage – masks, carvings, art, etc., is believed to be located in Europe, including Belgium.
Edo artist, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, Plaque, mid-16th to 17th century © National Museum of African Art
What happens when a people are separated from their culture? African Americans have over time, created spaces for reconnection to the art and heritage of their African ancestors. As museums across Europe have been repatriating lots of appropriated artifacts back to the African countries from whence they originated, recently, a new perspective has emerged that argues returning may not have the intended positive impact on descendants.
Deadria Farmer-Paellmann leads the organization, Restitution Study Group, which brought a case to the Supreme Court to block the Smithsonian Institution from returning twenty-nine Benin Bronzes from its collection to Nigeria. Farmer-Paellmann has argued that the Benin Bronzes are linked to the descendants of enslaved people brought to the US from the kingdom of Benin and that returning the artifacts to Nigeria denies these Americans the opportunity to experience their culture. Farmer-Paellmann is a descendant of enslaved people brought to the US from the kingdom of Benin.
While the Supreme Court denied the petition filed by Farmer-Peallmann for a writ of certiorari—which essentially means that the petition was for the higher court to review a ruling by the lower court—the plaintiffs, Restitution Study Group, maintain that other legal avenues will be explored to have their concerns heard.
We’ll continue to watch developments in this case. We also continue to be on the lookout for public dialogue around the issue of art repatriation versus access to art and cultural heritage by those historically separated from their lineage and countries of origin.
Comments