North Africa’s Dispersed Heritage Alice Stevenson describes the history and legacy of the dispersal of objects, archives, photographs and AV-materials from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt from the early 19th century onwards. Discussion is focused upon ascertaining provenance, current locations of artefacts and understanding the networks and agencies in the acquisition of things.
Collecting (East) Africa in the Age of Empire Sarah Longair discusses colonial-era practices of collecting in Africa. With a focus on the British Empire, this chapter highlights the variety of ways – purchase, gifts, looting, confiscation, and exchange – and also discusses the variety of actors involved in these activities, including colonial officers, soldiers, sailors, merchants, missionaries, explorers, doctors, and spouses.
Restitution, Repatriation, and Reparation: Current Debates JC Niala examines the differences between ‘public’ statements and ‘private’ practice. Critically analysing the role of the media, it interrogates the way the voices that get amplified can be a ‘continuation of’ rather than a ‘break from’ colonial legacies. There is an ethical impatience magnified in catchy headlines that doesn’t easily translate into concrete action to change the status quo.
The Ethnicisation of Namibian Human Remains from Germany – ‘Cutting across tribal affiliation’ Vilho Amukwaya Shigwedha: Following Namibia’s independence in 1990, the Namibian parliament tabled a motion calling for the return of hundreds of Namibian human remains in Germany. Against this background, what did the return of human remains from Germany to Namibia mean fo actors in the country? It answers this question through a case study of the lesser heard voices of Oshivambo speaking communities in north-central Namibia and southern Angola who sheltered Herero and Nama people who fled from violence in central and southern Namibia, respectively.
