Artefacts repatriation drive paramount

History is the heritage and patrimony of mankind in the lessons of the past that gives priceless inspiration for the future. A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and soul of its people. Cultural heritage define uniqueness of individuals and help appreciate cultural diversity.

Thus, heritage and culture highlight people’s roots, identity and connection to the past. Therefore, in view of the indispensable value of items of historical significance or artefacts Botswana has embarked on a massive drive for repatriation of such items. Speaking in an interview, Khama III Memorial Museum curator and cultural expert, Gase Kediseng said Botswana artefacts were around the world in museums, more especially United Kingdom and United States of America.

She said such artefacts were collected during the 18th century; with Rev. William Willoughby in the 1890s collecting a good number of such items in GaMmangwato territory that were deposited at Brighton and Hove museums, UK of which 45 of the items were returned to Botswana marking a landmark restitution for the repatriation exercise. She said the repatriation created a lot of curiosity and debate about the items creating lingering questions in people’s minds; ‘where could be other Botswana artefacts.’ She said what came to the fore was that Botswana artefacts were all over around the world.

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Furthermore, she said Khama III Memorial Museum was interested in finding information about documents, photos’ visitors to Bechuanaland from Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Russia, among others from 1850-1966. Of particular, she noted the museum was interested in Emili Holub, a Czech doctor, who spent time in Bechuanaland in the 1870s who was a close friend to Kgosi Khama III. She said Holub collect items along GaMmangwato region that were deposited at Emili Holub Museums in Czech Republic and Slovakia that she said they would contact for more information. She opined that there was a likelihood that they might be visitors from Central Europe to Bechuanaland that they did not know about at all, thus triggering an intensive research.

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