bbc.com
Maasai Heritage Reclaimed
The Maasai people's collaboration with the Pitt Rivers Museum resulted in the reconciliation of sacred artifacts, reviving cultural practices and empowering the community.
French
United Kingdom
AfricaCultural HeritageIndigenous RightsRepatriationColonialismCommunity Empowerment
Pitt Rivers MuseumInsightshareStaples TrustPan African Living Cultures Alliance (Palca)Orkiaama
Samwel NangiriaRuth Sintamei KilusuLaura Van BroekhovenJessica FrankopanLemaron Ole Parit
- How did the Maasai people locate the descendants of the artifact owners?
- The Maasai people used a combination of spiritual rituals, oral history, and collaboration with researchers to identify the descendants of those who owned the artifacts.
- What reconciliation ceremonies took place, and what role did the museum play?
- The repatriation process involved ceremonies at four sites in Kenya and Tanzania, with the museum providing 49 cows to each family as part of the reconciliation tradition.
- What methods did the Pitt Rivers Museum use to trace the origins of the artifacts?
- The Pitt Rivers Museum employed "epistemological equity", acknowledging the Maasai's knowledge systems, and used the oloiboni's (spiritual leader) enkidong (sacred gourd with stones) to identify families linked to specific objects.
- What broader impact did the Living Cultures project have beyond the return of artifacts?
- The Living Cultures project, initiated by the collaboration, not only facilitated the return of artifacts but also revitalized the Orkiaama, a Maasai council of elders, and created the Pan African Living Cultures Alliance (PALCA), promoting Maasai leadership and women's empowerment.
- What was the final decision regarding the artifacts' location, and what conditions were set?
- While the Maasai initially considered requesting the objects' return, they ultimately decided to leave them at the museum to reach a wider audience, but requested improved contextual information and the removal of euphemisms masking the artifacts' violent acquisition.