Glasgow Museum to Return Human Remains to South Africa in Act of Restorative Justice

The University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum is set to return the partial remains of six individuals to South Africa, in what has been described as a significant move toward correcting historical injustices rooted in colonial exploitation.

The remains, taken from burial sites in South Africa’s Northern and Western Cape regions between 1868 and 1924, were acquired by the university through donors and alumni during a period marked by unethical collection practices. Five of the individuals have been identified as ancestors of the San, Griqua, Korana, and Nama peoples indigenous communities long affected by colonial violence and exploitation. The sixth set of remains, originating from the Western Cape, is significantly older and was removed from a cave.

Two plaster face casts of unknown origin, along with a smoking pipe, will also be repatriated alongside the remains.

The return follows increasing scrutiny over the role of Western institutions in the collection and display of human remains and cultural artefacts from colonised nations. Such items were frequently obtained without consent, often through grave robbing or illicit trade, and used in discredited scientific practices like phrenology—a field later disavowed for its racist underpinnings.

Professor Steph Scholten, Director of The Hunterian, described the repatriation as a necessary act of accountability. “This is a small but vital step in addressing the deep harms caused by colonial-era practices. We remain committed to working collaboratively with communities to ensure the return of ancestral remains and culturally significant objects is done with dignity and care.”

The remains are expected to be handed over early next week to the Iziko Museums of South Africa, which will facilitate their reburial. A formal agreement will transfer custodianship to a reburial task team representing descendant communities in the Northern Cape.

South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, echoed that sentiment, stating: “This is not just a return of bodies, but a restoration of dignity and a long-overdue recognition of the trauma these communities have endured. This reburial is part of a broader journey toward justice and cultural preservation.”

The six individuals will be included in a wider reburial initiative involving 58 ancestral remains held by Iziko Museums, scheduled for later this year. The ceremonies will be conducted in close consultation with indigenous Khoi and San leaders and will follow traditional healing rituals and cultural customs.

Petrus Vaalbooi, cultural custodian for the San and Bushmen of the Northern Cape, emphasised the cultural weight of the event. “This marks a crucial moment in our collective healing. Our ancestors can finally return to the earth with honour and be laid to rest according to our traditions.”

The repatriation reflects a growing international movement to return human remains and cultural property to communities from which they were taken—part of a wider reckoning with the legacy of colonialism and the pursuit of restorative justice.