Sarah Baartman was stolen from her people by European colonizers in 1810 and reduced to a freak show act. Her tragic, violent story wouldn’t end, however, until 2002!
That’s because France owned the remains of her body and had her stored in a Paris museum! But South African activists weren’t going to let this stand forever.
You’d think that, with such a horrid history, the French would give her remains back at the first request – with an apology! But you would be wrong.
After President Nelson Mandela made the official request in the 90s, it took years of activism and lobbying from South Africans for the French to finally give Baartman to her native land.
Why was France hesitant? If they let go of Baartman, other countries could also ask for the return of stolen artifacts!
The South African activists didn’t care about those colonizer concerns. They got Baartman back home and a proper funeral was finally done! It was a spiritual relief, because South Africans believe a soul is not put to rest until they are buried in their native land.
It does not matter how long ago slavery and colonialism supposedly ended, we are still seen as commodities by our oppressors. It’s our duty to challenge these disgusting ways of thinking and seek justice – even if it takes 186 years!