The repatriation of essentially stolen objects to their native cultures is a long-standing debate. Thinking about the legacy of British colonial projects is often isolated to England, but this does not make the National Museum of Scotland exempt from the politics of display. Currently on display are 77 items from Benin, known as the Benin Bronzes. For those unfamiliar with the Punitive Expedition of 1897: the Kingdom of Benin was attacked by British colonial forces who expelled the Oba (King) and looted Benin, taking priceless artworks and valuable objects.
The National Museum’s collection is made up of objects made of cast brass, bronze, carved ivory and wood. Many of the arts are linked to the leaders of Benin, for instance the museum displays a brass hip pendant, taking the form of a leopard head mask that is reflective of the ornaments worn today by Oba Ewuqre II.
One of the most significant pieces of this collection is a commemorative head of an Oba, which holds significant cultural value to the royal city of Benin, and which they would like back.
This head displays the importance of artwork from the Benin royal guilds. The elaborate details of the head piece and the stylised features were created to guide spiritual forces associated with the destiny of the Oba. This stylisation evolved with changes within the kingdom. This head was connected directly with the city of Benin, an ode to the intelligence and power of a former leader—so what is it doing sitting in the National Museum of Scotland?
Taking the Benin Bronzes out of their original contexts, their presence in a British museum shifts the focus from the celebration of the rich ancestral and artistic history of Benin, to the celebration of British colonial conquests. While it is important that we learn about the histories of different cultures, and it is a privilege to have artefacts such as this so easily accessible, they do not belong to us. Institutions across Britain, are responsible for the repatriation of stolen arts.
“Benin bronze” by Francisco Anzola is licensed under CC BY 2.0.