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KABWE MAN
“It is not an object. These are the bones of our ancestors. And where we come from we treat death differently, as per our customs, as per our culture. We treat death differently from the United Kingdom.” This is a solemn appeal that was submitted before UNESCO by Zambia’s Special Envoy and Chief Negotiator Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe two weeks ago. NDUBI MVULA writes…
We have our rights, traditional rights, we have our norms on how we rest the spirits of our ancestors. We come from a culture and belief system where our ancestors are present with us every day.
Kabwe Central Member of Parliament, Hon. Chrizoster Halwiindi Phiri equally I bring the information from our traditional leaders, churches, youths who have been denied opportunity to see their ancestor the Broken Hill Man skull, which they learnt about in school but have not seen it. It is unfortunate that the British Government has said this is an international heritage where everybody has access to it but the people of Zambia have no access to it.
Hence, they demand that we have their ancestry back. I am a representative of the people and have come here to bring first-hand information, despite being told that it’s not a human being. Those that have gone there before, they have found a label indicating that they are human remains but today we are being told that they are not as a result we take offence of that because it is our ancestor and we demand him back.
In a landmark decision, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has passed a resolution instructing the United Kingdom to return the iconic Broken Hill Man Skull to Zambia. The resolution was unanimously adopted during the 24th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP), held in Paris, France, from 29 to 31 May 2024.
The resolution highlights the necessity for Zambia and the UK to develop a roadmap for the return of the historic skull, which should be presented at the 25th session of the committee. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the decades-long negotiations for the repatriation of the skull, which has remained in the UK for over 52 years without substantial progress.
The case was discussed under the chairmanship of His Excellency Ambassador Liborio Stellino, Permanent Delegate of Italy to UNESCO. Zambian Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe, acting as Special Envoy and Chief Negotiator, along with the Director General of the National Museums Board, Mr. George Mudenda, presented a compelling amendment that was widely supported by committee members. The amendment underscored the skull’s spiritual significance and its intrinsic link to Zambia’s identity and history.
The UK’s counterproposal did not include provisions for the return of the skull, leading to a deadlock. Ms. Polly Payne, Director General of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport from the UK, maintained that the UK would not agree to the return, suggesting that drafting a roadmap for such a return would be in bad faith.
Ambassador Kapambwe, however, emphasized the ancestral significance of the Broken Hill Man Skull to Zambia, calling for its return to restore its spiritual connection with the Zambian people. He stressed the importance of allowing the spirit of the ancestor to rest in accordance with Zambian customs.
Kabwe Central Member of Parliament, Hon. Chrizoster H. PHIRI, highlighted the spiritual connection of the ancestor to the Zambians, stating that the restitution case is also of significant concern to Members of Parliament in Zambia, who are eager to see the outcome of the negotiations.
The Zambia National Commission for UNESCO, represented by its Senior Programme Officer for Culture, Dr. Samson Kantini, welcomed the resolution as a significant step towards a successful conclusion of the negotiations. Dr. Kantini looked forward to the release of the ancestor from the Natural History Museum in London, where it has been held for over 100 years. He praised the leadership of the chief negotiator and the support of the Permanent Delegation of Zambia to UNESCO, led by H.E. Ambassador Judith Mulenga.
The Broken Hill Man Skull, discovered on June 17, 1921, in Kabwe, Zambia, by an African miner and Tom Zwigglar, a Swiss miner, was donated to the Natural History Museum in London when it was part of the British Museum. It was taken to the UK for study purposes. Negotiations for its return began in 1972, with Zambia submitting the case to the 21st session of the ICPRCP Committee in 2018 to seek international support for the restitution of this significant cultural property.
AFTER 52 years of no meaningful progress in negotiations, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has finally ordered the United Kingdom (UK), to return the Broken Hill Man skull to Zambia.
In a landmark decision, UNESCO ruled in favor of Zambia’s claim to the Broken Hill Man skull. The artifact, discovered in Kabwe, Zambia’s Central Province in 1921, has been held at the Natural History Museum in London since the colonial era.
Zambia had been negotiating for the return of the skull since 1972.
The case gained international attention in 2018 when Zambia submitted it to UNESCO’s intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property (ICPRCP).
Following discussions at the 24th session of the ICPRCP, UNESCO instructed Zambia and the UK to develop a roadmap for the skull’s return. This roadmap will be presented at the next committee session.
The Zambian Embassy in Paris hailed the resolution as a “crucial development” after years of stalled negotiations.
According to a statement released by Zambia Embassy in France, Paris, First Secretary for Press, Naomi Mweemba, the resolution highlights the need for Zambia and UK to come up with a roadmap on the return of the skull which should be submitted to the 25th session of the committee.
“When the case came up for discussion before the chairperson of the session, His Excellency ambassador Liborio Stellino, Permanent Delegate of Italy to UNESCO, committee members overwhelmingly supported the amendment,” she said.
Mweemba said that this amendment was put forth by ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe, Special Envoy to Zambia in his capacity as chief negotiator, accompanied by director general of National Museums Board George Mudenda.
The committee supported the legitimate grounds advanced by Zambia, highlighting the spiritual importance and connection of the skull to the identity and history of Zambia.
But despite the efforts, Mweemba said director general Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from the UK, Polly Payne stated that the UK does not agree to the return of the skull.
As such Payne said suggesting a roadmap would be in bad faith, especially that the counterproposal from the UK did not include the return of the skull hence the two parties reaching a deadlock.
“However, in his submission, ambassador Kapambwe underscored the ancestral significance of the Broken Hill Man Skull to Zambia’s cultural heritage.
He underlined the connection of the skull to the Zambians, calling for its return to reconnect with the people and rest its spirit in accordance with the customs,” Mweemba stated.
Also present was Kabwe Central Member of Parliament Chrizoster Phiri who reiterated the spiritual connection of the ancestor to the Zambians, adding that the restitution case is also of concern to Members of Parliament in Zambia who are desirous to know the outcome of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, Zambia National Commission for UNESCO through its senior programme officer for Culture Dr Samson Kantini welcomed the resolution as a progressive milestone towards a fruitful conclusion of the negotiations.
Dr Katini looked forward to the release of the ancestor from the Natural Museum English Prison where he remains incarcerated for over 100 years now.
He applauded the iconic leadership of the chief negotiator and the candid support of the permanent delegation of Zambia to UNESCO led by ambassador Judith Mulenga.
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