Fifteen Colonial Thefts: A Guide to Looted African Heritage in Museums amplifies these discussions, exploring the history of colonial violence in Africa through the prism of fifteen African belongings – all looted at the height of the imperial era and brought to European museums.
With writers from Europe and Africa, including scientists, museum professionals, artists and activists, the book illuminates the collective trauma and loss of cultural, historical and spiritual knowledge that colonial theft engendered.
Review in The Conversation: Reading each chapter is to penetrate the perverse world of colonial collecting. It is to be made aware of the lies, the arrogant ignorance, the imbecilic certainty of the colonial officer, the collector, the explorer. Each demonstrates that colonisation was about the humiliation and degradation of the human spirit.
