France returns skulls of King Toera and Sakalava leaders to Madagascar after 128 years
The other two skulls belonged to warriors who fought against King Toera of the Sakalava ethnic group, also executed during violent pressure in the Menabe Kingdom in Western Madagascar.
At the end of the 19th century, the French troops suppressed the Sakalava kingdoms as part of Madagascar colonization, which gained independence in 1960 after more than 60 years of colonial administration. During a military campaign in August 1897, the French forces killed King Toera and led him as a trophy, and then carried his skull to Paris, where he was hiding in the National Natural History Museum with many other remains of Madagascar.
Return Process and Ceremony
After advocating by the Madagascar government and the grandchildren of King Toera, France returned to his skulls 128 years after being taken. A common scientific committee confirmed that the skulls belonged to the Sakalava community.
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati described the return as a “historical moment”, and Reuters, Reuters, accepted the loss of previous human dignity in the midst of colonial violence.
Madagascar’s Culture Minister Vollamireant Donna Mara called the event as an “an important moment for the Sakalava community, which represents Madagascar’s” a wound in the heart “. The skulls will visit Madagascar and will be buried on August 30 according to the tradition in Bora (north of the country).
Wider inferences and colonial compensation
The return follows French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to facilitating the return of the African cultural heritage taken under colonialism. The effort to restore works and human ruins is part of a wider movement for confrontation with colonial history and searching for reconciliation. Macron was forgiven for his visit to Madagascar at the beginning of 2025, “our history was written … deeply painful pages”. Similar return movements continue in other old colonial forces, such as England.
FAQ
Q: Why were the skulls taken to France?
A: The French colonial troops were taking King Toera as a trophy during the 1897 edition and taking King Toera’s head. Later, they were kept as part of the Museum of National Natural History Collections, which reflected the practices of the colonial period that violated human dignity.
Q: What symbolizes this return?
A: Return symbolizes the adoption of colonial injustices to improve historical wounds, and the people of Malagasy symbolizes the restoration of cultural dignity, especially for the Sakalava community.
Q: What is the importance of the 2023 French law mentioned?
A: This law facilitates the return of human remains held in French public collections, making it faster and legally aerodynamic for cases such as Madagasy skulls.
