Indian tribes visit UK museum to bring home ancestors' remains
Carved wooden figures are shown as part of a Naga artefacts display at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, Britain, June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Marissa Davison
OXFORD, England - Tribes from the Indian state of Nagaland have held talks at a museum in Britain to secure the return of ancestral remains taken during the colonial era and put on display for decades.
Skulls and other body parts were often brought from Asia, Africa and elsewhere to Britain and to other former colonial powers, as "trophies", to be traded, displayed or studied.
There are growing calls worldwide for such remains, as well as stolen art, to be returned to their communities as part of a centuries-old movement demanding reparations for colonialism and slavery.
Just last month, skulls of 19 African Americans were returned to New Orleans from Germany to where they were sent for examination by phrenology - the now discredited belief that the shape and size of a head shows mental ability and character, especially when applied to different ethnic groups.
Historians say some of the remains were taken by colonial officers from burial sites and battlefields in Nagaland, where for centuries headhunting was common practice. Others were looted in acts of violence.
The Pitt Rivers Museum, which displays collections from Oxford University, holds the world's largest Naga collection, including thousands of artefacts, 41 human remains, primarily skulls, and 178 objects that contain or may contain human hair.
It removed all remains from public display in 2020, including ancestors of Dolly Kikon, an anthropologist from Nagaland's Lotha-Naga tribe, who teaches at the University of California and who travelled to Oxford last week.
"For the first time, there is a Naga delegation (at the museum) to connect and to reclaim our history, our culture and our belongings," Kikon, 49, told Reuters.
Museum director Laura Van Broekhoven said the timing of the return of the remains was still uncertain due to the bureaucracy involved. The museum is also in talks with other groups to facilitate more items being returned.
The 23 Naga representatives, including elders of several tribes, repeated calls by British lawmakers and campaigners for the government to legislate to protect ancestral remains.
Some European countries, such as the Netherlands, have national policies for the repatriation of human remains.
Opponents of reparations argue that contemporary states and institutions should not be held responsible for their past. Advocates say action is needed to address the legacies, such as systemic and structural racism.
"One way to confront the colonial legacy is for indigenous people to be able to tell our own stories," Kikon said. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Independent Singapore
'No, we don't chew gum': What people really get wrong about Singapore
SINGAPORE: When people think and picture the Lion City, certain stereotypes come to mind: It's part of China, it's impeccably clean to the point of being sterile, and no one dares to chew gum, but talk to long-time residents, and a far more distinct, culturally rich depiction emerges—one that's frequently misjudged or disregarded by those on the outside looking in. A post on Reddit asking, 'What do people who live outside of Singapore misunderstand about Singapore?' triggered a spate of responses from both locals and expats. Their perceptions depicted a fascinating representation of a nation far more encrusted than the trivialities imply. Myth #1: 'Singapore is part of China' This is perhaps the most insistent and erroneous supposition. For many strangers, predominantly those unacquainted with Southeast Asia, Singapore gets lumped in with its much bigger northern neighbour. 'I've had people ask if Singapore is in China,' one netizen wrote, reflecting an annoyance that's become too common. Another added, 'Some Filipinos think Singapore is a Chinese country, people- and culture-wise. When they hear you're Malay, they assume you're from Malaysia.' Chinese Singaporeans undeniably comprise the ethnic mainstream, but that doesn't mean the country is culturally or politically Chinese. Singapore is an autonomous, multi-ethnic city-state, home to a rich combination of Chinese, Eurasian, Malay, Indian, and other communities. Each ethnicity contributes to the national distinctiveness in noticeable and expressive ways. Myth #2: 'Everyone in Singapore speaks Chinese' In Singapore, English is the main language of training, business, and day-to-day communication. 'People outside who have never visited Singapore think everyone here speaks Chinese,' one Redditor noticed. 'Even though people here mostly speak English.' Malay, remarkably, holds the position of national language, a detail that amazes many foreigners. Singapore's national anthem, Majulah Singapura , is chanted in Malay. While the regular Singaporean may not speak the language confidently, it remains an essential element of the nation's heritage. Myth #3: 'It's all glitz, glam, and Crazy Rich Asians' The global success of the movie Crazy Rich Asians brought Singapore onto the world stage—but at a cost. 'I think the movie did more harm than good for the cultural identity of Singapore,' one commenter noted. The film's portrayal of the super-rich select few living an extravagant lifestyle in unspoiled environs left many with the idea that Singapore is an adventure playground for the affluent. The truth? While Singapore is undoubtedly contemporary and industrialised, it's also an authentic place with real people wrestling with socioeconomic issues, just like other people in any other country. Myth #4: 'Singapore is immaculately clean and harshly controlled' Yes, Singapore has a character of being a 'fine city'—both in terms of sanitation and in terms of issuing penalties for littering, jaywalking, and, yes, chewing gum, but as some Redditors pointed out, this repute can be deceptive. 'Only to be surprised when they see people spitting on the sidewalks,' one local remarked. Another added, 'There's rubbish lying around and in the bins—Japanese people tweet about it!' While it's more hygienic than most global cities, Singapore isn't a germ-free paradise. It's a lived-in place, with all the inadequacies, defectiveness, and inconsistencies that come with city life. Myth #5: 'There's a 'Singaporean look'' One of the more understated fallacies revolves around physical looks. 'I've had people say 'you don't look Singaporean' when I tell them where I'm from,' said one Redditor. This postulation originates from an inadequate understanding of what a 'typical' Singaporean looks like, habitually defaulting to Chinese physical attributes. Essentially, Singapore is proudly diverse, and its people mirror that multiplicity. From Indian shrines to Malay celebrations to Chinese New Year carnivals, Singapore's cultural calendar is as wide-ranging as its food and its inhabitants. So, what is Singapore? It's not a slice of China. It's not a monument and not a movie set. It's a multilingual, religiously diverse, multi-ethnic society that harmonises order with sincerity, innovativeness with tradition. It's where learners study in English but sing their national hymn in Malay, where Muslims break fast during Ramadan next to hawkers vending pork noodles, and where street food is a national gem served underneath gigantic high-rise buildings. As one Redditor summed it up: 'I wish they would promote our history and culture more. It's something to be proud of.'
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Sierra Leone chimp refuge shuts doors to tourists to protest deforestation, Lifestyle News
FREETOWN — The eco-lodges and tree-covered footpaths of West Africa's largest chimpanzee refuge have been devoid of tourists for more than two months as its founder stages a protest about rampant deforestation in Sierra Leone. Authorities acknowledge that the country's rich wildlife is threatened by land seizures and illegal logging, but the founder of the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Bala Amarasekaran, says they have not yet done enough about it to convince him to reopen to visitors. "A few months back, we could see the land grabbing and the encroachment coming closer to the sanctuary," Amarasekaran told Reuters at the refuge, which is home to more than 100 mainly orphaned chimps and normally lets guests stay in its lodges. "(Deforestation) is really threatening the sanctuary's existence, because it's too dangerous when people come close to a wildlife preserve like this," said Amarasekaran, who founded the refuge 30 years ago and has led it through crises including civil war and the 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic. Sierra Leone lost approximately 2.17 million hectares (5.36 million acres) of tree cover between 2001 and 2024, representing about 39 per cent of the total in 2000, according to online tracker Global Forest Watch. The Western Area Peninsula, home to the capital Freetown and Tacugama, lost more than 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of tree cover during that same period. Amarasekaran said deforestation in the area was fuelled by "land grabbing" for development. The consequences of rapid deforestation were highlighted by a mudslide on the slopes of Mount Sugar Loaf in 2017 that killed an estimated 1,000 people. A 2019 paper published by the Geological Society of London blamed the incident on a mix of heavy rain, deforested slopes and unchecked construction. It said tree loss had weakened the soil's ability to absorb water and hold together, worsening the mudflow. "It's a serious problem, an existential problem," Sierra Leone's Information Minister Chernor Bah told Reuters. "We regret that the Tacugama authorities have taken the step that they have taken to shut down here, but it's one that we understand." Amarasekaran said President Julius Maada Bio's government had dispatched a task force to conduct some raids on illegal logging operations, but complained about a lack of follow-up operations. Bah said the government was committed to protecting the peninsula's forests. [[nid:720722]]
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Sierra Leone chimp refuge shuts doors to tourists to protest deforestation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FREETOWN - The eco-lodges and tree-covered footpaths of West Africa's largest chimpanzee refuge have been devoid of tourists for more than two months as its founder stages a protest about rampant deforestation in Sierra Leone. Authorities acknowledge that the country's rich wildlife is threatened by land seizures and illegal logging, but the founder of the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Bala Amarasekaran, says they have not yet done enough about it to convince him to reopen to visitors. "A few months back, we could see the land grabbing and the encroachment coming closer to the sanctuary," Amarasekaran told Reuters at the refuge, which is home to more than 100 mainly orphaned chimps and normally lets guests stay in its lodges. "(Deforestation) is really threatening the sanctuary's existence, because it's too dangerous when people come close to a wildlife preserve like this," said Amarasekaran, who founded the refuge 30 years ago and has led it through crises including civil war and the 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic. Sierra Leone lost approximately 2.17 million hectares (5.36 million acres) of tree cover between 2001 and 2024, representing about 39% of the total in 2000, according to online tracker Global Forest Watch. The Western Area Peninsula, home to the capital Freetown and Tacugama, lost more than 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of tree cover during that same period. Amarasekaran said deforestation in the area was fuelled by "land grabbing" for development. The consequences of rapid deforestation were highlighted by a mudslide on the slopes of Mount Sugar Loaf in 2017 that killed an estimated 1,000 people. A 2019 paper published by the Geological Society of London blamed the incident on a mix of heavy rain, deforested slopes and unchecked construction. It said tree loss had weakened the soil's ability to absorb water and hold together, worsening the mudflow. "It's a serious problem, an existential problem," Sierra Leone's Information Minister Chernor Bah told Reuters. "We regret that the Tacugama authorities have taken the step that they have taken to shut down here, but it's one that we understand." Amarasekaran said President Julius Maada Bio's government had dispatched a task force to conduct some raids on illegal logging operations, but complained about a lack of follow-up operations. Bah said the government was committed to protecting the peninsula's forests. REUTERS
