The London History Show: The Benin Plaques

Hello all. We are learning about the British Museum at the moment, and that includes a lot of world cultures that were unfamiliar to me, such as that of the Kingdom of Benin. As such, I'm sure there are a lot of good sources out there that are inaccessible to me or that I did not find here in my London lockdown. I've given my sources below, but if you have others that give a different perspective, please let me know.
On a related note, there are several words in this one that I've only ever seen written down, so if you know better than me on the pronounciations, let me know in the comments. I'm already pretty sure I got Erediauwa wrong.
In this video, we look at stolen African artworks in the British Museum commonly called the "Benin Bronzes".
In each episode of The London History Show, we'll be looking at a different statue, plaque, building or feature of London's landscape that you can find for yourself, and we'll tell its story. Watch the whole series here: tinyurl.com/ybzud2wm
If you want to find the location of any London History Show episode for yourself, you can do that here: tinyurl.com/yc3ry3ku
Join my patrons here: www.patreon.com/jdraperlondon
Find my TikTok here: / jdraperlondon
Book tours with me here: www.eventbrite.com/o/j-draper...
Photographs and sound licenced under Creative Commons: tinyurl.com/odbps7g
Sources and further reading:
Akenzua, E. 2000. The Case Of Benin. tinyurl.com/ybm78jwt
Benin Dialogue Group, 2018. Statement. tinyurl.com/ybr9c98k
Benin Royal Museum. beninroyalmuseum.org/
British Museum, 2015. Benin: An African Kingdom. tinyurl.com/ybsent5z
Curnow, K. 2008. Courtly Intrigues: Jostling for Chiefly Power in the Art and Life of Nigeria's Benin Kingdom. tinyurl.com/y9yq33pt
HM Government. 1963. The British Museum Act (Section 5). tinyurl.com/ybgdy2un
McGregor, N. 2010. A History of the World In 100 Objects. tinyurl.com/gvuv2rz
Monks, K. 2018. British Museum to return Benin bronzes to Nigeria. tinyurl.com/yaxb7dl2
Otzen, E. 2015. The man who returned his grandfather’s looted art. tinyurl.com/ybeckwmh
Raicovich, L. 2019. One Museum's Complicated Attempt To Repatriate A Benin Bronze. tinyurl.com/yc8tu8sd
Ronu Creative. 2018. Benin Kingdom. tinyurl.com/ycneje3b
00:00 Intro
03:02 The Kingdom of Benin
04:59 The Art
13:02 The British Expedition
14:56 What Next?

[@DeliveryMcGee]

Old joke: "Why aren't the Pyramids of Giza in the British Museum?" "The ceilings aren't high enough."

[@markgoggin2014]

Was coming here to say something similar. Sad part is, it isn’t really a joke.

[@so9487]

Good one!

[@pawemisztal3941]

@@braddo7270 Well, saving these artifacts from destruction was more like a side effect. The British clearly had no intention of returning these items, ever. Even after the caliphate was gone.

[@GigiofGigi]

@@braddo7270 Matured enough to be trusted…. Imagine someone stealing your things and being like I’ll give it back when EYE deem you worthy.

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

The black pyramid went somewhere...

[@igodohealth9884]

As an Edo or Bini (how people from Benin Kingdom are known), please know, our artworks, including the Benin Bronzes, are our historical & cultural documents. They are more than artworks. They depict our history, belief system, politics and lifestyle.

[@tinuolajohnson]

Hello by any chance do you know any of the stories behind the plaques? I’m doing a project on them and according to a friend of mine that is also Edo she said there artefacts were like what was used to record the history of the Edo people as things were not written back then, but she said she doesn’t actually know like the stories behind each plaque or if a row tells on story and another tells another, by any chance do you know if there is?

[@Strykehjerne]

Exactly what she is communicating, as well as what the British museum is making globally available for free

[@doubleT84]

What's your opinion on Buhari signing a decree transfering the ownership of the bronces to the royal family and the museum being cancelled? Previously, they were on display and could be admirred. Now they will probably never be seen in public ever again.

[@patstokes7040]

And no one will ever see them or apricate them or care about the Binin Kingdom. And who do you think they would go back too. The people? Not on your life. The regular people will never see them. They will disappear into the private home of your wealthy or they will be sold to other museums so the rich can get richer. Just another forward thinker.

[@mildlydispleased3221]

As someone with Benin ancestry and a direct descendent of the Oba, I'd rather have the bronzes in global museums where people can learn about the culture than in a private palace or being sold by the Oba to his Russian friends.

[@turtle4llama]

Scan them and remake them. Give the originals back. Their value to the British is entirely aesthetic, and therefore, it doesn't matter if they're real. The people of Benin may have to recast some to repair all the damage the British did.

[@dambrooks7578]

Especially as the Rosetta Stone on display isn't the original one.

[@miciarokiri5182]

Seriously. I heard about Indigenous people in the US using 3d print copies of their artifacts to teach their kids and I was disgusted. THEY should have the originals, museums should only have printed replicas, willing donated or lent items or handmade replicas by the people to whom they belong.

[@qtheplatypus]

Also they are casts. You could create a negative cast of it and then make a new cast of them.

[@EH23831]

Right? Not that hard!

[@MsAnpassad]

Some good news on this subject. One week ago, the museums of world culture in Sweden, filed a petition to the government to be allowed to return their 39 Benin bronzes, which will probably be permitted, as we have returned objects before.

[@doubleT84]

Some bad news on this subject. The bronzes won't end up in a museum in Nigeria. On March 23rd president Buhari signed a decree transfering the ownership from the state to Oba Ewuare II. The planned museum will not be completed.

[@joye5761]

@@doubleT84 not sad as he is the Oba. Just like there are artifacts in Buckingham palace and British palaces all over England

[@stephaniemomma]

@@doubleT84 how is that bad news?

[@cecasander]

@@stephaniemomma It's bad news in that they will end up in the closed, private collection of some wealthy person rather than being part of a wider manifestation of Edo culture, freely accessable by it's people. I.E. They won't be returned to 'the Nigerians' or to 'the Edo people' but rather to one guy. I can't believe that to be the museums' intentions.

[@dzzope]

​​@@cecasanderIt's hardly the museums choice of who gets it.. Whether they go to modern Nigerian museum or returned to the Oba, that is a choice for them to make, not us.

[@aframaco9491]

As a Nigerian, my heart flutters at the sight of the Benin bronzes. It is so familiar to me ! So much a part of my heritage!!

[@aframaco9491]

@@rogerverbalkent982 You don't know what I mean, you plundering pirate 🏴‍☠️! These bronze works weren't purchased, My ancestors HAND CARVED them some 300 years ago and more! The British looted them in 1897. Sod you and Tiawana!!

[@electricangel4488]

Are you oyo?

[@aframaco9491]

@@electricangel4488 oyo???

[@electricangel4488]

@@aframaco9491 i was under the impression the oyo where the main group in charge of benin

[@aframaco9491]

@@electricangel4488 Oh goodness me no! Oyo empire is totally different from the Benin empire! The Benin empire started from 1180 to 1897 while the Oyo empire started from 1400 to 1896. The Benin Empire existed for over 213 years before the advent of the Oyo empire! Sadly both empires fell at about the same time to the British colonial invaders!

[@osarobomike]

Thank you for promotion benin culture to the world God bless you madam we the people of edo greet you very much thank you god bless

[@garyphisher7375]

Sickening how she promotes the worst of Africa. The Benin enslaved their neighbours in their millions. They sold girls to r4p1sts - they sold boys to be castrated. The British did Africa a favour when it overthrew the Benin Empire.

[@DavidWilliams-DSW558]

Germany has now returned a number of Benin bronzes and I believe more are due to follow.

[@margaretbagnall4729]

All stolen artefacts should be given back to their country of origin no questions asked. If an African nation stole the crown jewels of England the backlash and consequences that the country would face would still be in affect till today.

[@sakhu8945]

Yeah I’m like why is this in London?

[@chrisper94]

Aren't the jewels in the crown jewels stolen?🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@garyphisher7375]

If they weren't stealing white people, we would've had no need to go and civilise them - and rescue their "art". Call them reparations for the centuries of European plunder - the Benin were ruthless slave traders - siding with them is like siding with the Nazis.

[@eldebtor6973]

london has been stolen by foreigners. british people were never given a vote if they wanted to give up london, manchester, birmingham, etc to foreign people.

[@jimmyj8936]

😂. Yep stolen from Africa!

[@anneshirley3786]

I love the respect shown to other cultures in this story. It is long past time that history channels also explore non-western history. Great job!!!

[@L333gok]

I’d prefer not to show respect towards undemocratic leaders. You lost me at “they fine people for having haircuts which only the king is supposed to be able to wear.”

[@doubleT84]

Some Benin sculptures were in Germany. Germany gave them back to Nigeria and financed a local museum with several million Euros. On March 23rd president Buhari signed a decree transfering the ownership from the state to Oba Ewuare II. The planned museum will not be completed. The bronzes will probably never again be seen in public.

[@deservingcomplexionm8111]

And…

[@roastedpepper]

@@deservingcomplexionm8111I think he’s implying that they won’t be seen by the local public of Nigeria. As these objects are the cultural history of the local people, shouldn’t they be able to see them? To learn about their heritage, their past, to see physical proof of their ancestors accomplishments and feel proud? There’s tremendous value to these objects besides monetary… way more value for Nigerians/Edo than the Europeans that had stolen them and desecrated the culture. And it’s sad that this opportunity to learn and grow is taken away… It’s a loss for millions and a gain for 1. Of course, you can argue about hereditary property, and that these are his by right… I guess that’s what you’re saying, but I think most would agree that it’s an undeniable loss in the promotion of self-identity and ancestral connection for the Edo.

[@deservingcomplexionm8111]

@@roastedpepper as much as I understand this there are many items that are of supposed cultural significance for many countries that ordinarily people will probably never see. This mindset is only ever employed when talking about Africans or asians. So what if it’s private property fact is if it’s back where it belongs anything that happens to it is fine(except its destruction). African items are not for gawking at by western people

[@larrymcgill5508]

It’s amazing that these “trophies of British colonial conquest” are not viewed as more of an embarrassment. Indeed, regardless of country, to many museums tend to flaunt their spoils of conflict instead of returning the culture and history of a defeated and despoiled people. How far different is that from cultural genocide?

[@zachnewton9165]

Well cultural genocide would involve erasing the culture. Despite the dubious acquirement of some of the exhibits, museums go out of their way to explain what the piece is, what it was for and where it came from. They often even mention why it is/was so important to the culture.

[@grahamt5924]

Benin was a slave trading empire, so its destruction was a relief to many

[@Rynewulf]

Cultural genocide, by definition, is about removing a groups culture from existence. Not advertising it. Yes I know Im being annoying

[@magnusgranskau7487]

the european invention of museums should be celebrated, as its is one reason why so many of us even know of different areas cultures, artifacts and history. if everything will be returned it will be a great diservice to us all. no need for any culture to have all of their artifacts. there are more to be found, and many places in the world is not stable nor careful enough and lack the funds to take care of artifacts yet

[@lindareed8265]

That music at the end... It's so beautiful!!!!!! It's the sound of a rising sun.

[@turtlepenguinXkizuna]

learning about the Benin metalwork as part of one of my Open University courses was one of the first times I learned PROPERLY about some of the atrocities carried out in the name of the British Empire. I went to the British Museum to see them. I was so grateful to be able to see them, but at the same time was so angry that they were there in the first place. Thank you for making this video ❤

[@Rynewulf]

I first learned about them at Open University as well!

[@luckyinetianbor6368]

Wow...Am stunned at your knowledge of the Benin culture and traditions. Great work

[@peterobazuaye1991]

EXCELLENT ANALYSIS THIS YOUNG WOMAN HAVE A GOOD INSIGHT OF THE BENIN KINGDOM, EVEN HER PRONUNCIATION OF BININ NAMES IS QUITE OK.

[@GardenParty.]

Thorough. Insightful. Engaging. Balanced. Sober. Enlightening. Thank you. The works that you and your contemporaries are creating is building a new encyclopaedia for generations to come.

[@Bombsuprise]

I was at the British Museum in June for the second time in my life (it's a long way from Seattle), and in the 20+ years separating my two visits I had learned a lot about the Benin Plaques. When I walked around the corner this time and saw them it was a really emotional experience. My wife, who hadn't seem them before was struck by their beauty, as was I, but that was tempered by the flood of guilt that they represent. To their credit, the museum has signage that very clearly states the complicated history of all the items in that room, but yikes. In my opinion it would be far more fair to return ill-gotten treasures, but also far more exciting to go to Nigeria to see the treasures (if permitted, of course). Britain has so much culture of their own, the museum would never suffer for subject matter.

[@dylanbockman4184]

Writing an essay of this very case and this was very helpful! Thank u love

[@siralexandersequeira3rdcou12]

You know, here in Portugal we know about the portuguese in the kindgom of Benin, Portugal had Benin nobility studying in the Coimbra university, Benin nobles would stroll around Lisbon and the royal palace.

[@emwantaeke1495]

Nice to know about this, I've been hoping to hear from a Portuguese about Benin history. Do you know that we still retain some Portuguese words in our Benin or Edo vocabulary? Yes, we borrowed some if your words

[@siralexandersequeira3rdcou12]

@@emwantaeke1495 nice! It's such an interesting period about the 1st contact of these great civilizations. There was no "conflict" so to say, and the sharing of influence and words also ocurred. Still occurs, here in Portugal I belive there is some Benin influence around some words.

[@emwantaeke1495]

@@siralexandersequeira3rdcou12 I'm very pleased to know that it's not a just one sided influence. A lot has been lost through time, and I wish there's a way to bring back such connections like acting movies about it. You see, Benin was also connected to Portuguese colonies like Brazil, Angola, Sao Tome and Principe as a result of the Atlantic sea trade going on between these places during that era. Wonderful feelings I tell you my friend. We have lost a lot of connections between our kingdoms as a result of British imperialistic interference which undermined the long existing relationship with European countries such as Netherlands, Spain and most importantly Portugal who were our biggest allies through mid 15th to early 19th century

[@siralexandersequeira3rdcou12]

@@emwantaeke1495 Indeed my friend.

[@jamesomoz529]

The Benin Treasure’s which you see in the Museum it brings my thoughts with sadness they need to give us back our treasures, when you go to see these items always remember many people died in possessing these treasures during the Punitive Vendetta War of 1897, this treasures should of been give back a long time ago as they are symbolic to the Kingdom of which is recognised officially as an Ancient Kingdom of which as existed through to Dynasties the Ogiso Dynasty an the Oba dynasty of which is still in existence,anyway enough of my emotional rant! Hi there J Draper bless for sharing content giving awareness to those whom don’t know how such beautiful tradition an culture of how the Edo Bini Kingdom was rich with history spanning back over 2000 years I just bought the book 📕 on history about Benin Kingdom not to be confused with Benin Republic lol 😂 the author of this rich historical book is Nekpen Obasogie of the Great Benin. Your a great credit of bringing this awareness on your platform ,thank you for your insight ,I have subscribed to your KZbin 🙏🏿😎👍🏿✊🏿

[@garyphisher7375]

An ancient kingdom built on enslaving their neighbours. Benin was a savage, backward kingdom - when the King died, they would behead thousands of his slaves, and the King's canoe would sail on their blood. The British ended that - so let's remember who the good guys are!

[@JM-st1le]

Meh, 'good guys', 'bad guys' narrative is ridiculously simplistic. Well, If you ignore all the slavery, crusades, raiding and pillaging that took place on one side. You can easily call any country/region good when compared to another.

[@garyphisher7375]

@@JM-st1le Africans were pillaging Europe centuries before the Europeans started BUYING the people Africans were selling. When the Europeans abolished slav ery, the Africans pleaded with them, saying they have always had slav es, and so should be allowed to continue. The Europeans said no. The Crusades were a direct response to Islamic Jihad - the Muslims were the aggressors. Europeans didn't pillage Africa - because they weren't able. Europeans were invited into Africa, because the Africans saw them as a better alternative to the Muslim armies which had been conquering the Continent for centuries. The Muslim armies conquered roughly 17 European countries, starting in the 13th century - this was 300 years after their first failed invasion. Have you ever read a history book?

[@kingofpendragon]

@@JM-st1le Deflecting as usual. You can't debunk what he claimed, can you?

[@Adeodatus100]

Possession of these stolen treasures is a grave dishonour to our country.

[@Rynewulf]

It's because UK Parliament made a law decades ago blocking the return. Its like with the Elgin Marbles: museum curators have been skirting the law for decades for loopholes to send them back, but the government smacks down every time and lumps the blame onto the museums as scapegoats.

[@rruthlessly]

The attitude that indigenous people only deserve their treasures back if they will preserve them like the British Museum does is paternalistic. The proper way to care for these and other indigenous treasures is whatever way the indigenous people decide and in some cases that will be to use them in ways that make them last less long or make them unavailable for viewing.

[@hannahk1306]

I think the only exception should be if that country is currently suffering from war or unrest, particularly if such artefacts are being destroyed in said war. For example, it would be unwise to return an Afghani artefact that the Taliban disaprove of right now, if Afghans would like it preserved. However, these conversations need to be had with credible representatives for the culture, not decided by foreign bodies. The complications of course come when it's difficult to ascertain who the rightful representatives or owners are, especially for countries that don't exist anymore. It's like the example of the small museum that realised it would be setting precedent and didn't want to get it wrong: no-one wants to hand their artefacts back to the wrong group of people - especially for those artefacts that multiple groups or countries claim.

[@doubleT84]

Now they belong to the royal family, the museum is canceled and they'll likely never be seen in public ever again. Great!

[@oatdilemma6395]

London is an extremely diverse city so having their West African culture here is better, we wouldn't want their precious artifacts turning into the Bamiyan remains do we?

[@rruthlessly]

@@oatdilemma6395 It has recently been discovered that artifacts from the British Museum were being sold on eBay for years and they were told and didn't even investigate.

[@mikehorton6225]

Your research on so many wide ranging topics is purely amazing.

[@alvanalvino]

We don’t need any European training our people on how to conserve the art works that we have been looking after before Rome invaded Britain. Just give them back and we will do the rest then the whole world would be welcomed to Nigeria to see them in Bini. This was the best presentation I have ever seen on Bini artefacts. I can’t see them in museums because it would break my heart to see my ancestors in captivity. I can only watch videos. Thanks for making this video! Hopefully I can see a lot of them in Nigeria during my life time one day when Germany returns the ones in their collection. Britain would be the last nation to do so. Too much politics and egos and deals to be made in private.

[@Boxter19777]

Sending the items back to Nigeria on “permanent loan” sounds like a lot more than a “tentative step” to me, because I can’t imagine them ever leaving Nigeria again once that happens. Perhaps it’s just “tentative” because not all the items are being returned? To me it sounds like a bold step, and I congratulate the international group for working together in the interests of the preservation of the artefacts and of the dignity of the Benin/Nigerian people.

[@CrazyArtistLady]

Ownership is everything. Dont steal something and then offer to loan it back.

[@alvanalvino]

Thank you very much for this narrative. Britain committed genocide when Bini fell, they burnt the city to the ground trapping it’s elite citizens in the walled city while they hanged the chiefs. Equivalent of British lords. They British government in that timeline were a bunch of bandits and uncivilised barbarians who go about destroying and plundering civilisations in a cowardly manner without any rule of engagement. They raped Bini women and killed her and children. We forgive but we want our ancestors back. Those artefacts are the very soul of our people. Our god kings and our history. It is not the Kingdom of Benin, it is known as the Benin Empire. It’s an empire that seeded civilisations across West Africa over a thousand years before the Portuguese came to Benin. It’s city walls are long and surrounded by moats making it the longest ever made any people in the history of mankind. Europeans only build moats around castles, Bini built one around and entire city! Such was its size and magnificent condition and level of wealth Britain needed to boost her economy. Every single Bini artefacts must and should be returned to the Oba of that present day Kingdom. That is what it was reduced to. This Kingdom descended from ancient Egypt around it’s golden age. Please do what is rights as human beings with souls and compassion and return them like Nazis and their descendants were made to return stolen European arts. Britain should stop acting like black Africans are not humans worthy of consideration. We would give you crude oil in exchange for our ancestors for they mean everything to us in the universe. They are our o my connections to the divine, Christianity is too infant to fill in that gaping holes in our souls. The destruction of Bini damaged us as a people and took our pride and self worth away. We were the children of the gods once. Today we don’t even know what we are as a people. It was our spiritual home. Like ancient Rome was to Italians.

[@kukurukudaydanbreak2040]

Edo committed more than genocide against the Ibo tribe for being the slave traders helping the Portuguese and human sacrifices, British only exiled the king and have the stolen Ibo bronze artworks in oba palace confiscated. Some oba worriors were killed for trying to stop the British, is that what you calling genocide? You are an Ediot my guy

[@kukurukudaydanbreak2040]

Edo committed more than genocide against the Ibo tribe for being the slave traders helping the Portuguese and human sacrifices, British only exiled the oba and have the stolen Ibo bronze artworks in oba palace confiscated. Some oba worriors were killed for trying to stop the British, is that what you calling genocide? You are an Ediot my guy

[@rosemadder5547]

Wow…. Thank you so much for this statement ❤ Or petition, really. Christian’s (and others) really do have a hard time understanding that these pieces aren’t art. They are as you said. I know some day your people will be redeemed and given back what was stolen, though no one can ever give back the joy that was taken. ❤ what you said, what you wrote, Let it be so ❤

[@grahamt5924]

You were a slave nation, and it was a good ending it really for others.

[@lindareed8265]

Your words and the history you shared are incredibly moving. I've been invited to Nigeria by a few people. Now I'm even more eager to go. It would be an honor to visit what is now the Benin Kingdom there, as significant as visiting Egypt, Beijing, or Rome. And I think you're right that religious bias is a big part of it. Christianity and Islam specifically forbid "idol worship," although some sects still basically do that. But the religious beliefs make it hard for them to respect how important objects can be for people and their spirituality, especially when they don't understand that religion. This is not an excuse of course, just an observation, and hopefully understanding that can help different groups communicate better. For example, in European Christian cultures, families might own a Bible, and they would write their whole family's geneology in the front pages. It was a physical symbol of not only their spirituality but of kinship, community, and history. They would never, NEVER dare to desecrate any Bible, but that's basically what they did in Benin.

[@aebowman]

Love everything J. Draper covers in her videos. I always, always learn something valuable! Thanks, J.!

[@rcarmes1941]

so well presented, thank you. Please keep uploading

[@rosemadder5547]

So often what is right is put aside with the reasoning of what is legal. If you have to reason “well it was done legally” you’re prob in the wrong… usually doing what is morally right doesn’t come with excuses.

[@sharongillesp]

Another EXCELLENT history lesson! Thank you!

[@marcusdotse1441]

Our history was not written. It was in art.

[@so9487]

Thanks for sharing this incredible history.

[@William-Marshall]

Love your style, your delivery.❤ your knowledge is wonderful.

[@supplefluid]

why hasn't she got more views, great content. Really enjoying it :)

[@whiteswan6867]

Brilliant info, thank you.

[@sixcofilmsinternational6668]

J. Draper what a wonderful documentary, Very entertaining and informative i will invite you when i am done with my gallary in Benin city

[@takkmoran9770]

I've watch several videos on this subject and this is the best and most concise I've seen yet.

[@tushkafilms1061]

Many of these objects come from countries that are war torn, corrupt or have no stable government whatsoever. While the means of procurement weren’t the best, these objects are in the hands of professionals and are in a safe environment.

[@johnswift2952]

Just love your channel , enjoy every vid you make 🙏🏼

[@charmaine7700]

Not to mention the walls that were destroyed. ...

[@Favour2020]

Exactly.

[@Favour2020]

No Wonder Nigeria Is Not Progressive. Thank God For The Intelligent People Who Kept Their Culture And Traditions .

[@thenewatlantis3946]

Well done 👏 Great content Thanks for sharing your insight

[@Boy_Gentle]

Return the plagues to the Oba of Benin...it belongs to the Benin people

[@adamsvictor9671]

This channel needs more subscribe.Very good

[@evelynosadolor4549]

Wonderful historic

[@DictumMeumPactum]

Your pronunciation of Itsekiri is impeccable.

[@destinyovbiebo8988]

I just subscribed to your channel, keep it up.

[@gequitz]

Here from Premodernist. You did a great job of explaining the politics of returning Benin bronzes and the actual art itself. Liked and subscribed

[@TheGROVEGANG]

They have been protesting about that artifact at RISD for a long time they not trying 2 give that back!!

[@omoruyieno4347]

Wonderful how can we get them back

[@ennykraft]

Unfortunately there will be no museum. Instead the returned plaques were given back to the Oba by the Nigerian government. This is very sad. The metal was acquired as a payment for slaves the Oba sold. It would've been better to display them in a museum so that all Nigerians could see them.

[@charliedanso3803]

Excellent

[@siddharthb2633]

Return the stolen art.

[@TheSuzberry]

All the stolen art.

[@ernieb820]

No

[@nisigate]

Beautiful narration 👍

[@ogfirstogfirst8440]

Long live the great OBA of Benin isee

[@user-jz7vp7kg1u]

Germany gave some of them back in 2022 as far as I know, but I have no idea how many still remain in our museums.

[@yubbadubbadubba]

I think France also said they’d return the ones in their collection.

[@Amy-ky5wr]

First time I'd heard about a British expedition sacking the centuries-old city and culture of Benin! Whyever did they do that? Opens up a whole lot of questions needing answers for me!

[@yubbadubbadubba]

I remember hearing that it would require an act of parliament for any artefact from the BM to be returned. This has somewhat shifted iirc late last year after an act was passed which would allow for the return of objects for moral reasons. I hope this signals a change.

[@ColorJoyLynnH]

Thank you so much.

[@nkeiruka5930]

Thank you for talking about the Benin Bronzes. The British should bring everything back to Edo state Nigeria.

[@pwizzle4564]

Very entertaining and informative. Subscribed!

[@christopherbaldwin9159]

Wow beautiful

[@HighTensionWire]

Great content!

[@alexmarques4432]

In 2020 Germany pledged to return to Nigeria 1,100 Benin Bronzes from 20; museums in their country. When the first plaques arrived in Nigeria, questions started to be asked. I mean, Nigeria was like "Hi, British Museum...It's Nigeria here. What about my bronzes?" And the BM was : "Hi Nigeria... What the.....Sorry! I can't hear you ,xxrrrshk. You're breaking up!!! Xxxrr. shrrrkkk" 😅

[@psammiad]

Wow, Europeans covered the bronzes in oil to make them look more primitive and less shiny, that's a grim detail I didn't know.

[@kelvinmacaulaytv77]

Beautiful narrative

[@dambrooks7578]

I felt incredibly guilty when I took an ESOL class around the British Museum as some of the class came from Benin, especially as I know how Benin was totally destroyed by cultural ignorance of the British empire, not that I was involved at all. Those clothing regulations are contained within the book of Genesis and onwards...

[@dambrooks7578]

Didn't Portugal have a working relationship with Benin for about a few hundred years prior to Benin becoming am occupied British territory, Britain just overreacted and violently responded with murder...

[@Rynewulf]

@@dambrooks7578yep! Benin got massive trade wealth with the Portuguese for a century or more before the TranAtlantic Slave Trade was a thing, they swapped ivory and bronze artworks for gunpowder mostly. Some of the Benin elite even went to Portugal and were knighted, and we have several tapestries depicting them roaming around Lisbon

[@safaiaryu12]

I heard a piece on NPR about the Benin Bronzes and the British Museum and repatriation... I think the absolute worst thing about this was that these pieces were how the Edo recorded their history, and so the ORDER of the plaques in the palace was extremely important. And obviously, when they were looted, the British soldiers didn't care about that, so the order was completely lost. As someone who intended to go into archaeology, this kills me. So much history lost, because people didn't pay attention to context!! The NPR piece interviewed a scholar named Dan Hicks who recently published a book named "The Brutish Museum," which discusses repatriation with a focus on the Benin Bronzes. I really want to read it. Repatriation is so freaking important, and the excuses not to do it are numerous and often racist themselves - like when the Elgin Marbles weren't returned because Greece couldn't possibly care for them as well as the British could. 🙄 Seriously? Of course there are other excuses now, but... let's open those floodgates already.

[@Rynewulf]

It's because UK Parliament made a law decades ago blocking the return. Its like with the Elgin Marbles: museum curators have been skirting the law for decades for loopholes to send them back, but the government smacks down every time and lumps the blame onto the museums as scapegoats.

[@safaiaryu12]

@@Rynewulf Yep... I've come to learn that, too. It's awful.

[@jordanelder2627]

The people who riginally owned the objects are no longer alive.they can’t be returned to owners who no longer exist. The British museum owns these objects and should keep them.

[@no-one00]

I want them to give our bronzes back to us ! They should bring them back to the Oba’s kingdom

[@guyplessier7935]

War booty taken to pay for the punitive campaign of 1897. Why not pay for their return?

[@emmanuelnosa8239]

@@guyplessier7935 they're no war booty but loots from a sovereign kingdom which British forces invaded starting with the January 1897 invasion by Acting Consul Philips and his over 250 troops.

[@francessimmonds5784]

@@guyplessier7935 what!? The “campaign” (or massacre) started due to some chiefs of Benin, acting without the Oba’s wishes, killed 6 British and 200 African porters and for that Benin was plundered and razed to the ground!

[@guyplessier7935]

@@francessimmonds5784 So what would your response have been ?

[@kingofpendragon]

@@francessimmonds5784 You don't even seem to a Nigerian, so how is this any of your business?

[@odimarioehimare4251]

Just return everything to the oba palace

[@rsfaeges5298]

Thanks!

[@dannyfriar5653]

What is the song at the end?

[@destinyovbiebo8988]

Well explained

[@rainyfeathers9148]

Still messed up because 'Legal owner' doesn't mean it's theirs to give away and 'found on digs' means somebody whose problem it's not allowed the dig and the local had to shut up. Things haven't changed from the days of grave robbing, desecration and coffin opening parties. Aside from commissions there's no way they do business that I'd ever trust.

[@odimarioehimare4251]

The British stole these arts and they are the people's history.

[@getmurked6859]

What’s the song at the end ?

[@ahsokatano6361]

Scan the plates, send the originals back to the Oba and display the replicas. If the Oba wants to keep the orignals out of the public eye, share the scans with the museums in Nigeria so they can display the replicas aswell.

[@lilykatmoon4508]

Wow. Yeah, they need to give those beautiful artworks back. Unquestionably.

[@HiThereIWasHere]

The song you playd in the end wore so god i love it but I Don’t noe what it’s calld

[@clestis4591]

If the British Museum is empty after returning all of the items to their rightful owners, then so be it. That only means that the British Museum was simply a place full of stolen items. Museums also house the bodies of many Indigenous peoples. Museums play a role in colonization. It is not a question of whether or not items *should* be returned. The British Museum has no right to refuse returning items. Has Britain no history or artifacts of its own to display? Why should colonized peoples have to visit their colonizer in order to see their own items? This just shows how colonization is still alive and well. This shows how the British Museum and other museums continue colonization. The theft has not stopped nor have the acceptance of stolen items and items with ambiguous origins stopped.

[@user-eu2xj7ql6y]

Who did Benin trade slaves with? For over 200 years, powerful kings in what is now the country of Benin captured and sold slaves to Portuguese, French and British merchants. The slaves were usually men, women and children from rival tribes - gagged and jammed into boats bound for Brazil, Haiti and the United States.

[@deshawnmoore1731]

Benin did sell slaves but banned the “Sale of Man” in 1533 by Decree of the Oba for around 200 Years By the time they reengaged with the Slave Trade demand (because Benin mainly sold Women) was so low that the trade naturally died out by the early 1800’s

[@KHwut]

​@@deshawnmoore1731How horrible that trading women is so widely accepted in our history. Treating women like property for pleasure and reproduction is part and parcel of patriarchy...including the slave traders and warriors of Benin, it seems. As a person who considers themself against the colonialist violence and pillage done by the Europeans, it really gives me a lot of trouble sorting out who is in the wrong when everyone was being horrible.

[@shepshep8654]

Mark Walker is a good person. The BM should really return looted items.

[@adetaiwo5209]

A job well done.

[@-No_3-]

2:51 I saw these and I whispered to my mom “wow such lleagky optamied objects”

[@nickatkinson5692]

Great summation, for more on thie topic look up a series of podcast called "Stuff the British Stole":.

[@sra65007]

The HMS Provocateur must return back all Libyen & the Iraqis gold!

[@happydog4929]

good

[@michaelmenard8913]

great stuff ! and very well informed, please add some new content to youtube?

[@mariehavlickova4702]

❤❤❤

[@gingerbreadmangangafarmer2251]

Brass, copper etc were already in West Africa before the European came.The Europeans actually took a lot of gold etc back to Europe. And for your information, Ancient Egypt is also African.It was built by Africa from the inner Africa

[@Rynewulf]

Virtually all linguistic, genetic and archaeological studies of Egypt put it and surrounding North and East African nations as part of the Near East. Even before the middle ages ancient Egyptian language was afro asiatic, more closely related to Arabic than anything from inland Africa. Obviously its still African, it inherently is being in Africa, but that doesnt mean the supposed connections to deep West, Central and Southern Africa are real. Even into the 1800s Arabic was a lingua franca in north and east africa, theyve just always been a part of that world

[@gingerbreadmangangafarmer2251]

@@Rynewulf Then why were the Pharaohs buried in the south?

[@Rynewulf]

@@gingerbreadmangangafarmer2251 one of the early major cities and capitals was there and saw use as a royal necropolis? And i'd like to point out that Nubia and Kush to the south seemed to be on that afroasiatic spectrum like Egypt, things very much seemed to filter up to the Mediterranean or east to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean for neighbouring cultures. Which makes an amount of sense, cultures seem to operate based on the relative ease of water transport before the modern era vs the geographic land barriers you have around

[@gingerbreadmangangafarmer2251]

@@Rynewulf AfroAsiatic is a language group.7 out of the 8 AfroAsiatic languages branches are spoken in Africa.One of the most spoken languages in West is Hausa which is AfroAsiatic

[@peterrooke5336]

When all the looting went on in kwa Zulu natal a while back was all the stolen property returned ?

[@vintagechild4418]

Presentation was excellent. It makes me very angry to see the reluctance to return the stolen objects, but I am sure there is some monetary reason behind these decisions. What is missing is the spiritual and ancestral significance for the owners that European thieves did not understand or care about. Even the description of African protocol has a spiritual significance.

[@TheGrinningViking]

These probably actually should go back. A lot of time when this is said the descendants of the people who made them aren't really reasonably the ones who would receive them (such as pieces depicting Mesopotamian gods in now Islamic countries with a history of destroying the things) or we traded for them rather than taking them in such a dramatic way. (Most Chinese artifacts from when we were trading, most of the artifacts from Egypt, etc.) But these should go back, and if Nigeria Lacks the security of facilities to protect them the British museum should pay for them.

[@glockenrein]

Germany gave them back and paid for a museum in Nigeria to be build for them. Nigeria gave them away, museum forgotten.

[@dhotnessmcawesome9747]

I'd want my things back too.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

Returning these objects would be a full admission if how wrong it was to take them/collect them in the first place.

[@maxdavis7722]

It was in 1897 in response to foreign aggression. Countries had historically taken war loot, it wasn’t that wrong. Pretty much every other country has also kept their war loot, why should Britain be the one to give it back first?

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

@@maxdavis7722 I suggest you read the full history. A small group,of young warriors attacked a group of Brits on their way to meet with the king and without his approval. The British govt had been waiting fir an excuse to mount a full scale invasion. The king is said to have stated the his country was doomed. Typical imperialist behavior. Stealing the bronzes was “war loot” and should be returned. Theoretically, we are supposed to be better than those who preceded us. For your information other countries have sent back they stole. Oddly enough I was raised to find theft offensive. Perhaps you were nit.

[@maxdavis7722]

@@sharonkaczorowski8690 what other countries returned their war loot? Britain hasn’t gotten a pay out from its past invaders.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

@@maxdavis7722 here in the us artifacts have been are will be returned to indigenous our peoples as well as other areas in the world.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

And those invaders are all dead…as I said we are supposed to be better than those who came before us!

[@ernieb820]

She is so beautiful......... and smart..... and I love her accent....

[@Bethelaine1]

I don’t need to see original works, good copies can give me the same vibe. Artifacts belong in their homelands. If scientists need to study originals, go to their homes and ask.

[@markgoggin2014]

9:58 same basic process as modern custom jewelry

[@StephenPoor]

When will Nigeria be paying compensation to the descendants of the people they enslaved? Or are they proposing that compensation should only flow one way?