For at least two centuries, India was considered to be the “Jewel in the Crown” of the expansive British Empire. But speaking literally? One of India’s own jewels — the 105.6 carat Kohinoor diamond — remains stolen by the British, long after the empire fell.
India and its Kohinoor diamond are not alone; in fact, they are far from it. Many non-western nations find themselves in the same situation: large portions of their archeological treasures are housed and owned by another country, specifically a Western country that acquired these artifacts unfairly during their colonial reign.
Notoriously, the list of stolen artifacts present in the British Museum appears to be never-ending. Egypt wants its Rosetta Stone to be returned; Easter Island wants its Moai head statue back. Greece wants its “Elgin Marbles,” a collection of Parthenon sculptures named after the Scottish nobleman who stole and sold them to the British. And importantly, it’s not just the U.K. that is “home” to these stolen treasures. For example, the British stole over 4,000 sculptures — known as the Benin Bronzes — from the Kingdom of Benin (now southwestern Nigeria) and outsourced them. Now, most sculptures remain on display in museums across the U.S. and Europe. None remain in their country of origin, Nigeria.
I love museums. They play an important role, not only in preserving histories and cultures but also by cultivating an understanding and appreciation of histories and cultures that are not always our own. While many of us seem to recognize the great importance museums play, not enough recognize the harm they can also cause; museums are not neutral.
Museums are not neutral. They have never been neutral. People of color have long been erased from their galleries, but more significantly they were never really present in them to begin with. Now, some museums are attempting to fix their troubled pasts by coming to terms with the racism that is present in the industry. For example, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has implemented a series of commitments to create “a more open, welcoming, and equitable institution.” Requiring anti-racism training for all staff, volunteers, and trustees, hiring a Chief Diversity Officer, and hiring more BIPOC candidates for leadership positions are a few of the Met’s commitments. While a relatively small number of museums are beginning to address issues of racism, not enough are addressing their ties to colonialism.
Museums perpetuate colonialism. Specifically, Western museums perpetuate colonialism because they hold on to and display artifacts that are not culturally or historically theirs. These artifacts serve as a cruel and constant reminder of colonial times. And yet these Western museums display them with pride, completely lacking any remorse for past forms of colonialism or the modern forms of colonialism that museums prolong.
Many formerly colonized countries, typically in Asia and Africa, have asked for their artifacts to be returned. However, the majority of these claims have been denied. During the two centuries the British spent looting India, the sum of what was stolen amounts to around 45 trillion dollars. There are a great number of individuals who think that Britain should pay India reparations for the damage it did, specifically regarding the theft of resources and the loss of culture and history that accompanied the loss of many lives. But while discussions regarding reparations are controversial — opponents tend to believe that British colonialism did more good to India than harm — the least Britain can do is to return the artifacts that they stole from India. Items like the Sultanganj Buddha, the Amaravati Marbles, and Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s throne, along with thousands of other artifacts, remain in the U.K, thousands of miles away from their home country.
When former British Prime Minister David Cameron visited India back in 2013, he stated that he did not believe in “returnism.” He suggested that “the right answer is for the British Museum and other cultural institutions to do exactly what they do, which is to link up with other institutions around the world to make sure that the things which we have and look after so well are properly shared with people around the world.”
Of course, there are many falsehoods in Cameron’s statement and the many people (and museums) who agree with him. First of all, apparently, because these artifacts are located in the U.K., people all over the world can come, see, and learn about them. From this perspective, Europe becomes the center of India’s history. A child in India must travel to another country to learn about their own culture. This is wrong and unfair. The culture and history of India and her people belong in India, not in the Western world. Imperialism, motivated by racism, has made Britain the cultural capital of the world — or what I prefer to call “the capital of colonial loot.” Indian art, Indian sculptures, Indian artifacts should be seen in India.
Moreover, the U.K. and other Western countries imply that their museums have the best knowledge and facilities to keep these artifacts preserved. This implication is just as insulting and happens to be the same British (or Western) imperialist thinking that led to the theft of these artifacts in the first place. Implicit is the belief that India is a poorer country, and therefore incapable of looking after the very artifacts that were stolen from it — a classic argument that is racist and imperialist.
Artifacts belong to and in their countries of origin. Artifacts belong to the people and places where they can be appreciated by those who value them the most. When Western museums market these artifacts and charge entrance fees to see them, the museums themselves benefit from colonialism and perpetuate a form of modern colonialism. Even though colonial empires have fallen, colonialism remains healthily alive, and the wrongs and injustices committed remain validated.
Here’s the thing: museums are respected and loved. More importantly, museums are trusted. They are one of — perhaps the most — respected and trusted source for historical and cultural information. Decolonizing museums will help us to start decolonizing our minds and the world around us. Because of the respect and trust we place in them, museums can be our greatest ally in understanding racism and colonialism, and more significantly the liberation struggles that occurred as a result. Museums have the space, means, respect, and trust to fight against the pervasion of colonialism in our society. Yet, they remain silent in a world that needs to be decolonized. With time and research, museums could be liberatory spaces, once they truly recognize and address the colonialism that they perpetuate.
History and culture belong to geography; they are all intrinsically connected. India’s stolen heritage should be brought back home. Imperial Britain took lives. Imperial Britain took resources. Imperial Britain took art, took sculptures, took monuments; Imperial Britain took India’s history, culture, and heritage and continues to refuse in giving it back. India will remain Britain’s “Jewel in the Crown” until what belonged to her before imperialism returns to her now.