A moment of deep reflection and historic significance unfolded in Cape Town today, as ancestral remains of Khoi and San descendants finally returned to South African soil after more than a century in foreign custody.
A homecoming ceremony was held at the Iziko Museum on Friday to officially welcome the remains, which were unethically exhumed between 1868 and 1924 and later held at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, Scotland.
The remains arrived in South Africa on Thursday night, where community representatives held a private cultural ritual to receive and honour their ancestors, marking an emotional moment of reconnection between heritage and homeland.
Restoring dignity to the past
The repatriation forms part of South Africa’s broader effort to ‘rehumanise human remains that have been objectified’, as commented by Nokulunga Buthelezi from the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).
‘This is the first repatriation of human remains which are held in institutions. This is an effort of rehumanising human remains that have been objectified and were taken unethically through exhumations over a century ago,’ Buthelezi explained.
The remains’ return, she added, has been made possible by the National Policy on Repatriation of Human Remains and Heritage Objects, a government framework designed to restore dignity to those whose bodies were removed from their resting places during colonial and scientific exploitation.
This homecoming is more than a symbolic gesture; it represents a reclaiming of history, culture and identity. As reported by EWN, Friday’s event was the official policy implementation that guides the return of human remains from international institutions.
‘These ancestors, they are predominantly of the Northern Cape population,’ Buthelezi stated. ‘So, from the six that have been repatriated in Scotland, only one of those is from the Western Cape, and they are decent members of the San, Nama, Griekwa and Korana populations.’
For many communities, the return of their ancestors is both healing and historical, an acknowledgement of past wrongs and an opportunity to rebuild a respectful relationship with heritage.
The repatriation follows years of negotiation and collaboration between South African authorities, Scottish institutions, and descendant communities.
The Hunterian Museum, which had held the remains for decades, has worked with South Africa to ensure a respectful return, aligning with international ethical standards on the treatment of human remains.
Meanwhile, the Iziko Museum, which has hosted several similar cultural restitution initiatives, will serve as a key site of remembrance. The ceremony aims to balance traditional cultural practices with formal recognition by heritage officials, bridging the spiritual, historical, and governmental dimensions of repatriation.
Watch below as they return home:
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Picture: Iziko Museums / Facebook
