Colonial-Era Human Remains Taken for Research Return to South Africa

The reburial of dozens of repatriated African remains in South Africa reflects a broader reckoning with colonial-era scientific practices and the legacy of racial exploitation embedded in European research institutions.

Remains of at least 63 individuals from the Khoi and San communities were reburied following their return from a European institution, with remains originally removed between 1868 and 1924. Many had been held at The Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow, while others had been kept in South Africa since the 1920s at Iziko Museums.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the practice as part of a system of exploitation tied to pseudoscientific racial theories. “The sale of human remains of Indigenous peoples for study in Europe was rooted in racism and used to advance theories of European racial superiority,” he said.

He added that during “a dark period of scientific racism in the late 18th century and 19th century, many of our people were coerced to leave southern Africa for Europe,” where they became “exotic specimens for exhibition, study and exploitation.”

The remains belonged to communities widely regarded as among the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa, who resisted colonial expansion and suffered killings at the hands of European settlers.

The return followed negotiations initiated in 2022 between South Africa and the University of Glasgow. The process reflects a growing trend across Africa to reclaim human remains and cultural artifacts removed during colonial rule.

Ramaphosa framed the reburial as part of efforts to restore dignity, stating that individuals were “dug up and turned into commodities and specimens, displayed under the cold gaze of pseudoscience.”

The case feeds into wider calls for acknowledgment and reparations. Ramaphosa argued that European states must do more to address historical injustices, including considering compensation for former colonies.

The movement to repatriate remains and artifacts has accelerated in recent years, driven by pressure from African governments and institutions seeking the return of items taken during colonial expansion spanning the 18th to early 20th centuries.