The remains of these eight people joined approximately 1,200 other human ancestors in Göttingen, who had been violently killed or removed from their graves during German colonial expeditions in various parts of Oceania and Africa.
The Isanzu community’s relationship to the land has, for centuries, been central to their way of life as agriculturists and farmers. Ancestors play a pivotal role in ensuring the prosperity and well-being of the community, through the land. Traditionally, community members also make pilgrimage to the graves of their ancestors, to share their problems and receive guidance on the way forward.
In 2020, following pressure from diasporic community members, civil society and students, the University of Göttingen initiated the “Sensitive Provenance” Research Project.
In 2022, two Tanzanian scholars travelled to Germany and found that many of the human ancestors had no biographical information, however, using archival documentation they were able to discern that nearly 70 of the human ancestors were from Isanzu, Burunge, Irangi, Turu, Sandawe, and Tindiga. They also noted that most of them had been removed from graveyards.
During a workshop in 2023, the Isanzu Chief, Mzee Ally Gimbi, put forth the community’s restitution demands. They sought the return of the bones of their human ancestors – including Chief Kitentemi and the seven bodyguards – to the community for burial, not to a museum.
But no official plan was put forth for the restitution. This is largely because the Tanzanian government does not currently have a policy framework for the restitution of human ancestors in place.
As it stands, there has been no further move towards restitution.
