Madagascar Receives King Toera’s Skull Back from France After Over a Century

France has taken a historic step by returning three human skulls to Madagascar, one identified as belonging to King Toera of the Sakalava community. King Toera was slain by French forces in 1897, and his head was removed and transported to Paris. These remains were preserved in a Parisian museum for 128 years. The French military’s assault on the Menabe state in western Madagascar in August 1897, a move tied to its imperial ambitions, sparked a large-scale massacre within the Sakalava region. Following King Toera’s death, his head was severed and brought to Paris, where it was exhibited as a colonial ‘trophy’ in the Natural History Museum. The return encompassed the skull of King Toera along with those of two other Sakalava community members. All three skulls were encased in traditional Malagasy fabric and sent in closed containers. The repatriation was made possible due to persistent efforts by the Malagasy populace and authorities, coupled with a new French law enacted in 2023 to simplify the return of human remains. This effort forms part of France’s gradual but extensive initiative to repatriate human remains acquired during its colonial period. This process began with the return of Sarah Baartman’s remains to South Africa in 2002. The Musée de l’Ome in France holds over 30,000 biological specimens, many of which are skulls. Other nations, such as Argentina and Australia, have also called for the return of their ancestors’ remains. The government of Madagascar has planned a respectful funeral for these skulls, including a specially designed program.