France’s Reckoning with Colonial Past
By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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France has begun a significant process of confronting its colonial history. This includes the recent return of human remains to Madagascar. This act marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing efforts to address historical injustices. It also highlights the complexities of cultural restitution.
The return of King Toera’s skull and those of two warriors to Madagascar is a landmark event. It is the first restitution under a new law that simplifies the return of human remains (theheartnewspaper.com). French Prime Minister François Bayrou announced this decision (theartnewspaper.com). French troops took these remains during the seizure of the Indian Ocean island in August 1897 (theartnewspaper.com). King Toera was beheaded during negotiations for his surrender (theartnewspaper.com). The skulls have been held at Paris’s Natural History Museum since 1899 (theartnewspaper.com). This action is the first under a new law adopted in 2023 (theartnewspaper.com). This law simplifies the process for returning human remains (lemonde.fr).
Understanding the Sakalava Community
King Toera was a leader of the Sakalava Kingdom in Madagascar. The Sakalava people are an ethnic group in Madagascar. They are known for their historical kingdoms and resistance to colonial powers. The restitution of King Toera’s skull, along with those of two warriors, addresses a historical injustice. This injustice stems from French colonial violence in 1897 (theartnewspaper.com). French soldiers massacred hundreds of natives and beheaded their leaders, including King Toera (theartnewspaper.com). This occurred during the seizure of the Indian Ocean island (theartnewspaper.com). The skulls were then sent to Paris’s Natural History Museum (theartnewspaper.com).
The 2023 law on human remains simplifies the return process. While the specifics of how it simplifies the process are not detailed, it streamlines what was previously a more complex and legally challenging process for restitution (theartnewspaper.com). This law was necessary to facilitate the return of human remains. These include those of King Toera and the two warriors. They were taken during the colonial era and held in French institutions (theartnewspaper.com).
Colonial Era Context and Impact
The 1897 seizure of Madagascar by France involved military conquest and violence. French soldiers massacred hundreds of natives in the village of Ambiky (theartnewspaper.com). They also beheaded leaders like King Toera (theartnewspaper.com). The subsequent retention of the skulls in a French museum exemplifies the broader impact of French colonialism. This included the appropriation of cultural and human remains (theartnewspaper.com). The ongoing efforts to return these items reflect a contemporary reckoning with this colonial past (rfi.fr).
Pierre Ouzoulias, a Communist senator, stated that “France has not yet finished its process of coming to terms with its colonial past” (rfi.fr). This sentiment underscores the long journey ahead for France. The return of human remains and cultural artifacts is a significant step. It addresses historical injustices and fosters reconciliation. The act of returning the skulls of King Toera and the warriors acknowledges Madagascar’s history and sovereignty. It is a powerful symbol of healing.
New Laws for Art Restitution
The French government is also preparing a new law. This law will fast-track the return of artworks looted during the colonial era (france24.com). This new bill aims to speed up the return of colonial-era artworks to their countries of origin (france24.com). Under current laws, the return of each item in France’s national collection requires individual parliamentary approval (france24.com). This process can take years (theartnewspaper.com).
This proposed law is the third and final part of legislative efforts. It facilitates the return of cultural property (lemonde.fr). Previous laws addressed Nazi-looted art and human remains. Both were approved in 2023 (theartnewspaper.com). The Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac museum in Paris holds the majority of the estimated 90,000 African works in French museums (france24.com). This is according to a 2018 report commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron (lemonde.fr).
Art Restitution Progress
Limited Returns, Significant Steps
Despite recent efforts, France has returned a limited number of artifacts to African nations. Only 27 works have been returned in the past six years (rfi.fr). This includes 26 royal treasures from Dahomey, which were returned to Benin in 2021 (lemonde.fr). A “talking drum” seized by French colonial troops in 1916 was returned to the Ivory Coast earlier this year (france24.com). Since President Macron’s pledge in 2017, France has returned only 30 objects to a handful of African countries (theartnewspaper.com).
The proposed artwork restitution law, if approved, would facilitate the return of cultural goods. It would remove the requirement for individual parliamentary votes for each item. This could increase the pace and scope of returns. The new law for human remains and the proposed bill for colonial-era artworks are designed to streamline the process. The return of King Toera’s skulls is the “first decision of its kind under a new law” (theartnewspaper.com). This suggests that this law will enable more such restitutions in the future.
Key Terms in Restitution
Cultural goods acquired during periods of colonial rule, often through illicit means such as theft, looting, or coercion. These items were taken from their countries of origin, which were deprived of them due to these illicit appropriations.
Artworks obtained through “theft, looting, transfer or donation obtained through coercion or violence, or from a person who was not entitled to dispose of them.”
The Path Forward for Restitution
The French government discussed a bill on July 30, 2025. This bill is designed to speed up the restitution of artworks looted during the colonial era (lemonde.fr). If approved, this law would make it easier to return cultural goods. These goods would be from France’s national collection. They would originate from states that were deprived of them between 1815 and 1972 (lemonde.fr). The current legislation requires individual parliamentary votes for each item. This new law aims to streamline that process (france24.com).
This bill will cover works obtained through “theft, looting, transfer or donation obtained through coercion or violence” (lemonde.fr). It also includes items from a person who was not entitled to dispose of them (lemonde.fr). The return of human remains and cultural artifacts is generally regarded as a significant step. It addresses historical injustices and fosters reconciliation. The broader push for restitution by countries like Benin for “full restitution” indicates a strong desire from African stakeholders to reclaim their heritage (theartnewspaper.com).
Key Milestones in French Restitution Efforts
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.
