France to return bodies of Indigenous people exhibited in colonial ‘human zoos’
Summary
French senators have agreed to return the remains of Indigenous people who were exhibited in colonial-era “human zoos” in Paris to their ancestral lands in French Guiana. This decision addresses a long-standing request from Indigenous communities and recognizes the harm caused by these exhibitions during France’s colonial past.Key Facts
- The French Senate unanimously passed a bill to return the remains of Indigenous people displayed in 19th and early 20th century exhibitions.
- These exhibitions, held between 1877 and 1931 at the Jardin d’acclimatation amusement park in Paris, showed Indigenous people from colonies in “traditional” dress.
- Among those exhibited were 33 children, teenagers, and young adults from the Kalina and Arawak peoples of French Guiana and Suriname.
- Six sets of remains, which had been kept in French museums, will be returned to the Indigenous people’s homeland in French Guiana.
- The bill was supported by lawmakers across the political spectrum including left, right, and center parties.
- The remains were originally taken for anthropological study and have been in public collections for over 130 years.
- Descendants of those exhibited, like Corinne Toka-Devilliers, see the return of remains as restoring dignity and identity to their ancestors.
- The National Assembly is expected to approve the bill following the Senate’s unanimous vote.
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