Great British Repatriation

In the process of coming to terms with its past, Britain appears to be stuck between appeasing the rest of the world and clinging on to what it previously had. When David Cameron was asked about the return of the heavily disputed Kohinoor Diamond in 2010, he replied by saying, "If you say yes to one you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty." His assumption isn’t completely farfetched, if one nation receives its diamonds, another will request for its crown eventually culminating in Britain having nothing left to give. It begs the question, why should we not just keep the items for ourselves? Surely, we aren’t the only nation to have items which aren’t originally ours?

The Ashanti empire was a dominant force in Western Africa, with a  population of approximately 3 million people and having a land mass greater than the modern day United Kingdom. In the early 19th century, the British army touched down on the West Coast of Africa, eventually ending up in Ashanti territory. Five wars would take place between the British army and the native forces, ultimately ending in the end of the historic kingdom and the region falling under British control. The campaign was brutal, spanning over 70 years and costing thousands of lives. The most famous of the atrocities committed against the Ashanti people occurred in 1874, when the British army forcefully evicted the residents of the capital, Kumasi, before proceeding to blow up the palace and burn the city to the ground.

What I’ve described is just one story born out of the British empire's world-wide pillaging spree. Thousands of foreign sculptures and artefacts from as far east as China are currently under the ownership of the British museum, every one of these carrying cultural, religious and historical importance to their nation of origin. During the 1874 burning of Kumasi, the British army looted the crown jewels from the Ashanti Palace before loading them on ships and sending them back to the British Isles. Once independence from Britain was won in the 1950s (and the Republic of Ghana was formed), this largely insignificant raid would be a cause for international dispute. In January 1974, a century after the items were first taken, Britain received a request from the King of the Asante, Opoku Ware II, for 'return of regalia and other items removed by British forces’. This request was denied in August of that same year as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office considered the return of these items as ‘legally impossible’. This issue was raised again in 2010 and 2023, eventually concluding in a loan settlement lasting a total of 3 years.

The British Museum has found itself in hot water recently regarding its treatment of Ethiopian altar tables, also known as Tabots. In 1868 British forces entered modern Day Ethiopia in an attempt to rescue a group of missionaries who had been captured by Ethiopian emperor Tewodros II. In the end, the British army ended up in a 4-day conflict with the Ethiopian troops. The British were victorious but the looting which ensued would cause controversy for years afterwards. As expected, the British army burned Magdala to the ground, but beforehand they made sure to take any valuables on the way out. These included ancient writings, crowns and Tabots amongst many other East African valuables. However, it would be these very Tabots which would lead to the British Museum being placed under investigation in April 2024 after it was alleged that the Museum was not being wholly transparent with the public about the details of the Tabots in its collection. In fact, these have been kept away from public viewing despite numerous attempts from Ethiopian political figures to have the items returned.

 If these specific tables were such a large tourist attraction, then one could potentially make a case that they would be better off in the United Kingdom but the fact that these Tabots (which actually hold large religious significance) are being actively hidden away makes the British Museums’ position a whole lot less understandable. These may just be pieces of furniture in the British collection, but to some Ethiopians this is a key feature in the way they worship God and holds large cultural as well as religious significance in the Habesha Christian community.

Another nation which finds itself in a similar position is France, who, in the 19th century had an empire with colonies littered across Africa, Asia and The Americas. President Emmanuel Macron committed to the returning of African artefacts in 2017, labelling it as a ‘top priority'. His project has since drawn criticism for its minimal progress; however, the right intentions are there. Belgium holds the most African Artwork of any European nation; its Royal Museum for Central Africa is packed with Congo’s artefacts and creations but pays little attention to the heinous crimes against the Congolese people. Last year Belgium transferred the ownership of 1500-2000 artefacts that are believed to have been acquired illegally, a decision with massive significance for the region.

 What we can gather from the experiences of Belgium and France is that their leaders are making an active attempt to balance cultural repatriation with their own national history. Britain, on the other hand, appears childish and entitled, running away from confrontation and any kind of constructive discourse. It was in November of 2023 that Rishi Sunak chose to cancel a meeting with the Greek Prime Minister simply because they had contrasting views regarding the Elgin Marbles. Ghana’s 50-year struggle for the Ashanti Crown Jewels is just the beginning of a long road and it’s up to the incumbent government to determine how far it will go.