The provenance research found the items were likely collected as discards from African Christian families or purchased from locals, artisans or storekeepers during a period of significant social and political change.
Courtesy David McHugh
In 1895, Khama III travelled to the UK with two other chiefs from the Tswana-speaking regions of southern Africa and Willoughby to petition the British government to maintain Botswana as a protectorate.
The items were gifted to Brighton Museum in 1899.
A team from Brighton & Hove Museums is working with curators at Khama III Memorial Museum to develop the permanent exhibition, which is due to open on 27 May 2026.
