The ongoing debate on restitution is more complex and far-reaching than we might imagine. While cultural artworks are often at the forefront of this conversation, they are just the tip of the iceberg. The collection, documentation, production, and use of data acquired by American and European colonialists were often driven by malicious intent to dominate and influence African culture for centuries. Countries like Benin, recognizing the gravity of this issue, have taken steps to address it.
Image courtesy of Digital Benin
One such effort is the creation of a digital database that allows users worldwide to view Benin objects held by institutions like the British Museum, the Smithsonian Museum, and various others around the world. The Digital Benin database not only provides access to these objects but also includes crucial aspects of Benin culture, such as oral histories, archives, and stories about the Benin Kingdom. This serves as an important reference point for cultural understanding and offers a richer perspective on the diverse ethnicities and people of the African continent.
What Are Written Works?
Written works encompass essays, catalogues, articles, research papers, literature, folklore, poetry, and linguistic information that reflect African culture and traditions. Long before colonialism took hold, European and American colonizers visited the African continent and gathered information from our ancestors. Our ancestors, who were welcoming by nature—a trait that remains to this day—freely shared their knowledge. Unfortunately, this information became the foundation for imperialist expansion, enslavement, and colonization. Even 500 years later, much of this information remains stored in prestigious institutions, dating from the early 1900s to the late 2000s, and continues to shape and control African culture.
Why Is This Important?
These works encompass oral traditions, peer-reviewed articles, linguistic differences, poetry, and research papers conducted by imperialists, often with the aid of African scholars and participants who had no idea that the information they were providing would later contribute to the destruction of their communities and societies. When the colonizers returned to conquer, any material found in schools, homes, or cultural spaces—including artworks—was seized. Today, many of these materials remain in prestigious institutions, and accessing them can cost thousands of dollars. This creates a significant barrier for those seeking to explore their ancestry and heritage.
Habits, Customs and Modes of Life of the Native Tribes of British East Africa (Now Kenya Colony) Article by
BMJ Military Health. Image courtesy BMJ Publishing Group Limited, London.
This situation highlights a gap in the study of traditional African literature, poetry, writing, and research methods, free from the imperialist perspective. African scholars in the 1960s and early 2000s sought to eliminate these biased frameworks. Gaining access to these crucial documents allows young African scholars to better understand their communities, thereby empowering them to create solutions that positively impact societies across various regions in Africa.
Benin has taken a pioneering step by creating the Digital Benin database, which grants African scholars access to valuable cultural information, including works of art and literature relevant to their fields. This initiative positions Benin as a leader in African studies, a discipline that was once abandoned in favor of development studies, shifting the focus away from African culture.
Additionally, there is a significant gap in access to art books by renowned African artists and scholars, particularly in East Africa. These books are often sold by galleries at exorbitant prices, denying young scholars the resources they need to foster the growth of cultural studies in the region.
How Do We Fill This Deficit?
The restitution of artworks should encompass cultural information collected from the African continent both before and after colonization. This would ensure a more complete understanding of the African experience, particularly concerning imperialist ideas, empirical studies, and research methods. With this knowledge, we can build on the work of scholars from the 1960s, continuing to grow African studies through the lens of African people. This will allow for a deeper understanding of the creative arts industry and encourage its growth, as more individuals gain access to their own culture and appreciate the significance of various forms of artistic expression.
Although it may seem like a long shot, remember that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
