South Africa has returned to Zimbabwe ancestral human remains and a centuries-old stone carving of the Zimbabwe bird, the country’s sacred national emblem, more than 100 years after they were taken during the colonial era. The handover, which took place at the Iziko South African Museum, forms part of a global effort to repatriate artefacts looted from African nations during the colonial period.
The remains, believed to have been unethically exhumed for research, were returned in eight coffins draped in the Zimbabwean flag. Zimbabwean government representative Reverend Paul Damasane said the remains would be further studied and returned “where they belong” once back in Zimbabwe.
The stone carving, known as Chapungu, is the first of several Zimbabwe birds looted from the Great Zimbabwe ruins—an ancient stone complex built between the 11th and 13th centuries. A British explorer removed it from its pedestal in the late 19th century and sold it to Cecil John Rhodes, then prime minister of the Cape Colony. South Africa’s Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie described the return as a restoration of dignity and pride, saying, “When something sacred is taken from a people, a part of their story is taken with it.”
Officials noted that other Zimbabwe birds held in South Africa were returned shortly after Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980. The original carvings, standing around 33 centimetres tall and perched on stone columns over a metre high, are now depicted on the country’s banknotes, coins, and national flag. They are also regarded as sacred, believed to carry a protective spirit.
The restitution underscores growing momentum for the return of cultural heritage taken during colonial rule, as African nations continue to reclaim symbols central to their identity and history.
