In a poignant reminder of the colonial past, descendants of Zimbabwe’s freedom fighters are urging British institutions to assist in the recovery of their ancestors’ remains, looted during the violent confrontations against British colonial rule in the 1890s. The Natural History Museum in London and the University of Cambridge are at the centre of this call, as families seek the return of skulls believed to belong to their forebears, who bravely resisted colonisation.
A Legacy of Pain
The legacy of the first chimurenga, or uprising, against British settlers still resonates deeply within Zimbabwe. The descendants of these heroes, including Chief Chingaira Makoni, have long held the belief that their ancestors’ skulls are among the thousands of human remains housed in UK institutions. Eight descendants have recently made a formal request to the Natural History Museum and the University of Cambridge, asking for collaboration in locating six specific remains. They have even offered to provide DNA samples to aid the search.
This plea comes on the heels of disheartening statements from both institutions, which in 2022 claimed no identified remains corresponded to the resistance fighters. Such assertions have sparked outrage among descendants and Zimbabwean officials, who view the lack of accountability as a continuation of colonial indifference.
The Demand for Accountability
In letters sent to the museum and the university, the descendants argue that the only way to address the questions surrounding the provenance of these remains is to establish a taskforce composed of experts from both Zimbabwe and the UK. They assert that this initiative is not merely about historical restitution but about confronting the brutalities of colonial violence and acknowledging its ongoing ramifications.
“This is not only about the past,” their letters declare. “It is about whether institutions today are willing to confront colonial violence honestly and repair its enduring harms.” The emotional weight of these words speaks to a collective trauma that has lingered for generations.
Cogen Simbayi Gwasira, a descendant of Chief Makoni, articulated the profound sense of loss felt by his family. “We are very aggrieved as the descendants of those ancestors for the dehumanisation that took place during that period,” he stated. “We feel that the British, and especially the museums in England, should be honest and return those things that they took.”
A Stalled Process
The urgency of this demand is underscored by a freedom of information investigation revealing that UK institutions hold over 11,800 items of human remains from Africa, with the University of Cambridge possessing the largest collection. Despite the Natural History Museum’s trustees voting for the repatriation of Zimbabwean remains in late 2022, advocacy groups have expressed frustration over the lack of tangible progress.
Dr Rudo Sithole, a prominent voice in the movement for repatriation, highlighted the inadequacies in research conducted by UK institutions regarding the origins of their collections. “We are now very worried that not even a single one has been acknowledged to be there,” she commented, reflecting the deep-seated concerns of those advocating for justice.
The Spiritual Cost
For many Zimbabweans, the absence of these ancestral remains has profound spiritual implications. Gwasira explained that ancestral spirits, known as *vadzimu*, play a crucial role in connecting the living with the divine. “We are suffering because until those ancestors return to us then we have no access to the Lord,” he lamented. This connection to history and spirituality is vital to the identity and healing of those affected by the legacy of colonialism.
The plight of Zimbabwean ancestors extends beyond individual families; it represents a broader struggle for recognition and restitution that is echoed across former colonies worldwide. The historical injustices faced by the descendants of the chimurenga heroes serve as a stark reminder of the deep scars left by colonial rule.
Why it Matters
The ongoing struggle for the return of looted human remains is emblematic of a larger call for accountability and reparative justice in the post-colonial era. The demands from Zimbabwean families highlight the need for UK institutions to engage meaningfully with their colonial histories and the moral obligations that arise from them. As the world grapples with its colonial past, the return of these ancestral remains could pave the way for healing not only for Zimbabweans but for all nations seeking to confront the legacies of exploitation and violence.