2024/09/01 by Maximilian Felix Chami · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Anthropological Studies and Insights #Colonialism, slavery, and trade #Global Maritime and Colonial Histories
paper · doi:10.1080/21619441.2024.2425899
openalex publication_date 2024/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
Tanzania has witnessed a lively debate and varied perspectives from different ethnic groups about repatriation of ancestral, human remains. National discussions have emphasized repatriation claims for the remains of well-known chiefs, such as Mangi Meli of the Chaga, Songea Mbano of the Ngoni, Liti Kidanka of the Nyaturu, and Kitentemi of the Isanzu ethnic group. There remains a lack of consensus on the proper methodology of how and in what contexts to repatriate such remains. The repatriation of human remains is not a new endeavor in Tanzania. Yet, this article argues for the need to engage descendant ethnic groups in a meaningful way and to develop different frameworks to support the repatriation process. This article also contributes a new perspective to the global discourse on best practices in repatriating ancestral, human remains.