The remains of six people will be repatriated from The Hunterian in Glasgow to South Africa, having been exhumed and taken to Scotland in the 19th and 20th Centuries.
The University of Glasgow holds the partial remains of six people which were taken from a burial cairn in the Northern Cape and five are claimed by descendant members of the San, Nama, Griqua and Korana populations.
Those are believed to have been unethically exhumed between 1868 and 1924 before beign deposited with the university by alumni and other donors.
The sixth set of remains originate from the Western Cape and are of Khoi San origin.
They are considerably older than the other remains and were taken from a cave. Also to be returned to South Africa are two plaster face-casts of unknown origin, and a smoking pipe.
During the colonial era, researchers often acquired the remains of native peoples through grave robbing, unauthorised exhumation or illicit trades.
This was done to further race-based pseudoscientific research such as phrenology, the measurement of bumps in the skull to predict mental traits which differ between races.
A report published earlier this year by the University of Edinburgh concluded it had played an "outsized role" in the creation of racist pseudoscience and greatly profited from transatlantic slavery.
The ancestral remains will be returned to South Africa early next week and transferred into the care of Iziko Museums of South Africa for reburial. A transfer agreement will be signed which will reinstate ownership of the remains to the northern cape reburial task team who represent the descendant communities of the Northen Cape.
This repatriation will form part of the restoration of dignity to the communities affected and contribute to bringing closure to the trauma that resulted from numerous violations, such as unethical exhumations.
Minister of sport, arts and culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie, said: “Today, we stand at a solemn crossroads of memory and justice—a moment to honour those whose stories were silenced by history, and to return them home with dignity. This reburial represents more than a physical return. It is an act of remembrance and respect, acknowledging the profound trauma caused and taking a step toward restoring the dignity of a people and providing respect for the dead that has been long-standing demand in the struggle for justice.”
Professor Steph Scholten, director of The Hunterian, said: “The repatriation of the ancestral remains of six individuals from The Hunterian to South Africa is a small step towards addressing the historical injustices caused by unethical colonial-era practices.
"I am glad that we can continue to honour our commitment to work with affected communities in an equitable way, returning human remains and culturally significant items to their rightful communities with dignity and care.”
Led by Iziko Museums of South Africa, the reburial process has been guided by extensive consultation with affected communities and first indigenous Khoi and San leaders to ensure their voices remain central in decision-making. The reburial acknowledges the historical injustices of colonialism and apartheid, which led to the removal, desecration, and exploitation of the ancestors’ remains without consent or respect.
Mr Lennox Tukwayo, CEO of Iziko Museums of South Africa said: “This repatriation of Ancestral Human Remains is a significant and meaningful endeavour. It is an act of remembrance, respect, restorative justice and cultural preservation. The six individuals will form part of the restitution and reburial of fifty-eight individuals from the Iziko South African Museum, later this year.”
Mr Petrus Vaalbooi, cultural custodian of the Northern Cape San and Bushmen’, said: “This long-overdue process marks a critical step toward healing, respect, and the restoration of dignity to our ancestors. The moment carries profound cultural and spiritual significance, as it allows for the return of our ancestors to the earth with honour — where traditional healing rituals and ceremonies may be observed in accordance with custom."
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