Julien Bobineau

Racist displays and stories remain on display in several western European museums. They include grotesque objects depicting African people as “savage” and “wild”.

Narratives of a “continent without history” and fantasies of European superiority are still told in ethnographic museums, like the Humboldt Forum in Berlin and the Musée du quai Branly in Paris.

These museums have been criticised by scholars and activists since the 1970s. Their handling of objects looted during the colonial period, especially from Africa, is seen as an indicator of the political relations between Europe and African nations.

Criticism ranges from the illegitimate acquisition of the objects to the often-racist representation of the African continent and its inhabitants. It also includes the lack of participation by African and diasporic actors.

After initial hesitation, Belgium, a former colonial power, opened itself to debate about reparations, justice and a common future with its African partners in