Donatien Dibwe dia Mwembu first retraces the general context: their migration, their reception in Western museums where they have become works of art with market value, as well as the long process of their restitution leading to current political and ethical issues.
The author then addresses the place of oral sources in the search for the provenance of these cultural objects.
Finally, two case studies from Belgian collections illustrate this methodology, which aims to establish a dialogue between written and oral sources.
