Madagascar Receives Skulls of Beheaded King and Ancestors Returned by France After 128 Years

Madagascar on Tuesday held a solemn state ceremony in Antananarivo to welcome home three human skulls returned by France, including one attributed to King Toera of the Sakalava people, who was executed and decapitated by French colonial troops in 1897.

The remains, which had been kept in French collections for more than a century, were officially handed over in Paris on August 27, marking the first restitution under a law passed in 2023 that allows the return of human remains taken during France’s colonial conquests.

During the ceremony at the Mausoleum in Antananarivo, Malagasy security servicemen carried the skulls draped in the national colors, accompanied by traditional music and prayers. Thousands of citizens, traditional leaders, and government officials gathered to witness the symbolic homecoming. President Andry Rajoelina described the event as “a historic act of justice and dignity for the Malagasy people,” calling the restitution “a moment of healing from the wounds of colonialism.”

The three skulls include that of King Toera, a Sakalava ruler who resisted French expansion and was executed in 1897. His beheading was widely remembered in oral traditions as a brutal symbol of colonial oppression. The other two skulls are believed to belong to Sakalava warriors who also died resisting French forces during the same period.

The return follows years of diplomatic discussions and cultural advocacy. France, which colonized Madagascar in 1896, had long resisted calls to repatriate human remains, arguing they were part of scientific collections. However, mounting pressure from African nations and a shift in French public opinion led to the 2023 law authorizing restitution.

French officials present at the ceremony acknowledged the painful history. “This return is not only a gesture of remembrance but also an act of reconciliation,” said French Ambassador Claire Leclerc, noting that France is committed to further cooperation on heritage restitution with African nations.

Historians and cultural activists in Madagascar hailed the return as a step toward restoring dignity to ancestors who suffered under colonial rule. Traditional leaders have already announced plans for proper reburial rituals in the Sakalava region, ensuring the remains are laid to rest in accordance with Malagasy customs.

For many Malagasy citizens, the moment carried profound emotional weight. “Our ancestors can finally rest in their homeland,” said one elder present at the event. “This is not only their return, but also a return of our history and our pride.”

The restitution adds momentum to broader debates about colonial memory, justice, and the return of cultural artifacts across Africa. Analysts note that more African countries are pressing France and other former colonial powers to return looted heritage and ancestral remains still held in European museums and institutions.

As Madagascar closes a painful chapter of its past, the nation now looks ahead to honoring its ancestors with dignity while calling for further restitutions of cultural treasures taken during the colonial era.