A United States museum has returned over 30 cultural artifacts that were stolen from Kenya more than 150 years ago.
Sports and Culture Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said Denver Museum of National History voluntarily returned the artifacts dubbed ‘vigango’ last month following discussions with the Kenyan government.
Speaking when she handed over the artifacts to Kaya elders from the Mijikenda community, where the effigies had been stolen from before being shipped to the US, CS Amina said the repatriation of the artifacts “is a big milestone in the quest for social and cultural justice for Kenyan people.”
“The value of our national history is the best intellectual currency for our future. We will ensure that this quest continues until every item of historical significance finds its way back to our shores and we can showcase our culture,” said Amina during the handing over ceremony at Fort Jesus in Mombasa.
Speaking at the event, National Museum of Kenya Chairman David Musila challenged other foreign countries that are holding stolen Kenyan artifacts to move with high speed and return them.
Kaya elder Joseph Mwarandu said the 30 effigies represent the spirits of GOHU council of elders whose mandate was to direct the community against calamities and misfortunes.
Thieves have returned what…
Thieves have returned what they stole.Can they pay lots of millions juu they made money showing it off from their museums.Thieves thieves thieves??They need to return oil,gold etc too???Bure kabisa
Just like our people had to…
Just like our people had to buy back ancestral lands from colonizers after INDEPENDENCE from foreign white settlers, that they never bought to begin with, we probably will have to buy back out ART FACTS foreigners STOLE a century ago or more ago.
But 1st we must stop sending any of our wealth that our people continue to send to other countries including but not limited to cash and brain drain.
Ati return artifacts dubbed …
Ati return artifacts dubbed “vigango?” These are items used in witchcraft as the name suggests! Do you think Americans can return smthng they know has got value? These are the things hindering development in our country & should be dumped in either TZ or West African countries who like practicing ugango! Oh I forgot! even old wazees of Kilifi love witchcraft!
Andrew, mind your language…
Andrew, mind your language. Think..
Tribes – reserved for those with melanin
Witchcraft- reserved for healers and practitioners of traditional medicine with a surfeit of melanin
Shithole countries- reserved for countries with majority melanin rich inhabitants.
Detention camps- concentration camps for melanated people- please note the latter term is only used for melanin deficient people to keep its effect more visceral and sympathetic for the affected.
I could go on but my point is, free your mind. Don’t use words mindlessly. You get co opted that way.
@andrew you see how…
@andrew you see how brainwashed u become juu ur calling them witchcraft stuff.This is what worked for our forefathers n our african culture is concern until they brot you white jesus who isn’t part of our believes they instilled him to us then u foolishly dropped yr so called tradition/gods/anti facts n followed their holigalism christianity/white pope/mary mother of jesus’s who u kneel dwn every morning to worship n white jesus the jew.Wr so stupid idiots black africans.Look at chinese/japanese their still worship their gods n we running today to ask for help as kenya or Africa yet we believe so much in this foreign gods from europe.Bure kabisa
Andrew, my great grandfather…
Andrew, my great grandfather was a healer. He used traditional methods to ward of many diseases. There are roots that will help fight malaria, all manner of stomach ailments headaches, leaves that when rubbed on the skin repel mosquitoes etc. To you this is all witchcraft but now western companies are hard at work trying to figure these out so they can patent these plants and the cures they provide. I tragically, don’t have this knowledge. I live in the west but will be the 1st to tell you these people are not benign. Protect your assets in Kenya no matter how insignificant they seem.