Berlin: In 1900, German colonial officers executed 19 Tanzanian leaders, including Akida Kiwelu, and shipped their skulls to Berlin for scientific study. Thousands of such skulls and ancestral remains stolen from Germany's past colonies are still kept in Berlin museums to this day. In an administrative building in Berlin, Zablon Kiwelu encounters his grandfather's skull for the first time. DNA testing confirmed a genetic match to this skull, held in an anthropological colonial-era collection of thousands of skulls known as the S-Collection. But despite proof of his heritage, Zablon cannot bring his grandfather home for a proper burial.
According to BBC, the situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by descendants of those whose remains were taken during colonial times. Efforts to repatriate these remains often encounter legal, logistical, and political obstacles. The skulls, housed in Berlin's museums, are part of a broader issue involving the restitution of cultural artifacts and human remains to their countries of origin. The S-Collection, in particular, represents a significant number of human remains collected during colonial expeditions, reflecting a grim chapter in history.
The story of Zablon Kiwelu and his grandfather's skull is emblematic of the struggles for justice and recognition faced by many families. Despite the scientific confirmation of lineage, bureaucratic and institutional hurdles prevent the return of these remains for proper ancestral rites. This case adds to the growing pressure on institutions to address the historical injustices of colonial acquisitions and to facilitate the return of human remains to their rightful communities.