Madagascar has ceremonially received three colonial-era skulls from France, including one believed to be that of King Toera of Menabe, who was beheaded by French troops in 1897.
The skulls were formally handed over to Madagascar in a ceremony held at the French culture ministry in late August and were welcomed with a ceremony on Tuesday attended by President Andry Rajoelina at the Mausoleum of Antananarivo.
The return of the skulls is seen as a significant moment for the Sakalava people, who will now be able to carry out the Fitampoha, a traditional ritual of purification and blessing that requires the presence of ancestral royal relics.
The skulls were brought back to Madagascar 128 years after they were taken, and their return is seen as a symbol of unity and resistance against colonial forces.
King Toera’s attempt to forge alliances between different Malagasy groups against colonial forces is seen as a rare moment of unity in the country’s history.
The return of the skulls is also seen as a significant step towards healing and reconciliation for the Sakalava people, who can now grieve and constitute the king’s relics.
