War trophies inch closer to home
EXPERTS at the National History Museum in London have completed compiling a catalogue of human remains of First Chimurenga war heroes shipped from Zimbabwe during the early colonial years to Europe.
The register now awaits submission to the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe ahead of an anticipated repatriation later this year.
The catalogue, containing archival reports on the origins of individual skulls based on documents used to facilitate the artefacts’ shipping to Britain, will help local experts authenticate the relics by corroborating each item’s documentation with information available locally.
British authorities have communicated to NMMZ that they are preparing to submit their findings next month after going through relevant regulatory procedures.
Over the last few months, British historians were examining historical records at their offices and various other institutions in Britain and South Africa in order to ascertain the skulls’ positive identification and origination.
NMMZ director Dr Godfrey Mahachi told The Sunday Mail last week that Government will authorise DNA tests on the identified artifacts in order to scientifically ascertain their originality.
Skulls of First Chimurenga war heroes believed to include those of Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Chief Mashayamombe Chinengundu of the Mhondoro area and Chief Makoni Chingaira of Rusape who were beheaded by British invasion forces at the height of the war against colonialism are being held on display at some British Museums.
Recently, the NHM forwarded a list of ten human remains originating from Zimbabwe that it is holding on display in London to the NMMZ for authentication and document corroboration by local experts.
The list, The Sunday Mail understands, includes relics such as human remains trophies, possibly belonging to some First Chimurenga resistance leaders who were beheaded by British invasion forces in exchange for hefty rewards by Cecil John Rhodes.
Said Dr Mahachi: “Our colleagues at the National History Museum in London have completed the research they were carrying out and will be forwarding a report of their findings to us early next month.
“They have assured us that the report will be submitted after we had pressured them owing to the delays that we had encountered.
“The researchers were doing archival research, which basically tries to ascertain how the remains ended up in their storage facilities.
“It will be a comprehensive report, it is a very difficult process because it involves going through a lot of historical documentation some of which is scattered across the world in other facilities and museums, including in South Africa.”
Government is negotiating with British authorities to facilitate the release of the skulls and submission of the report marks a major milestone towards the eventual return of the artefacts.
The NMMZ says it is focusing on repatriating skulls that were shipped away between 1890 and 1900.
The remains were shipped to London around 1898, which was at the time the 1st Chimurenga was coming to an end.
During the first Chimurenga, British invasion forces publicly beheaded vanquished “troublesome” resistance movement leaders partly as a means to intimidate locals who were part of the resistance movement.
The decapitated appendages were also used as trophies to collect hefty rewards from colonial authorities.
Chief Mashayamombe was one of the leading figures during the First Chimurenga who had caused ‘problems’ for the whites in the Mhondoro, Norton and Chegutu areas.
A ransom was being paid for his head.
Chief Makoni Chingaira was another one of the leaders in the Rusape area who met his death at the heads of the invading forces.
Records indicate that he was beheaded and his head was taken away.
In 2011, the Namibian government carried out a similar exercise by repatriating dozens of human skulls and skeletons from former coloniser, Germany.