Negro of Banyoles

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The "negro of Banyoles" (Catalan: negre de Banyoles) is a controversial piece of taxidermy of a bushman which used to be a major attraction[1]in the Darder Museum of Banyoles (Catalonia, Spain). In 2000 the remains of the man were sent to Botswana[2] for burial. It has been considered as a clear image of the effects of colonialism.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

In the early 1830s, the Verreaux brothers mounted the corpse of a bushman[1]. In 1916 it was acquired by the Darder Museum of Banyoles[4]. The body remained in the museum without any controversies until 29 October 1991, when Alphonse Arcelin, a Spanish doctor of Haitian origin[5] living in Cambrils where he was a PSC councillor[6], wrote a letter to the mayor of Banyoles, asking him to remove the bushman's remains from public view. The incident attracted the attention of the press which made it widely known.[2]

The first step for the return of the "negre" to Botswana was made in 1991, when the then-secretary of UNESCO, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, met the mayor of Banyoles. Later, when Kofi Annan reached the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations, he became interested in the issue and talked also with the mayor of Banyoles.[2]

By the time, the "negre" had become so notorious that it was quite usual to hear on diplomatic announcements references to the mounted bushman. Some African governments were showing their support for Arcelín, who had sent several letters to the press and various heads of government. The issue worried many international museum associations because it made them fear that human remains kept for research in museums might have to be returned to their original locations.[2]

In 1997 the issue was discussed on several sessions in both the UN and the Organisation of African Unity[2]. Later, in March of that year the item was removed from the Darder Museum[7]. The removal bothered people in Banyoles because there he was considered as "a member of the family".[4]

[edit] Return to Africa

Botswana's government offered help to the OAU to bury the man properly, once all of his remains had returned to Africa[2]. In 2000, after removing the loincloth, feathered head-dress, and spear, which he wore in Banyoles, the body was sent to the National Museum of Anthropology of Madrid where his eyes, hair, organs and even genitals were taken away. Then the skull and remaining bones were sent in a coffin to Botswana[8] where they arrived on 4 October. He was finally buried on 5 October in the national park of Tsolofelo.[2]

[edit] Legacy

Currently, the Darder Museum avoids any references to the controversy of the "negro of Banyoles". In the museum the only reminder of the bushman is a silent video with black and white images shown in a little plasma screen which allows viewers to see the mounted man as he was exposed until he was removed from the museum.[7]

Different books have dealt with "el negre" controversy. Most notably, El negre i jo (El Negro and I) by Frank Westerman, which shows that even naturalist Georges Cuvier knew about the man.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Antón, Jacinto. Un libro revela que Cuvier conocía al Negro de Banyoles ((Spanish)). www.elpais.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Yániz, Juan Pedro. Vitrina de la polémica ((Spanish)). ABC.es. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
  3. ^ Final feliz para «el negro de Banyoles» ((Spanish)). www.elmundo.es. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
  4. ^ a b Moret, Xavier. De Banyoles a Botswana ((Catalan)). elPeriódico.cat. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
  5. ^ Remains disappoint many, 6 October 2000, BOPA Daily News.
  6. ^ «Lo trataron como a un antílope», El Mundo, 4 October 2000.
  7. ^ a b Natalia Iglesias and Pere Duran. El nuevo Museo Darder evita cualquier referencia a la polémica del 'Negro de Banyoles' ((Spanish)). www.elpais.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
  8. ^ España sólo devuelve huesos del negro de Banyoles ((Spanish)). www.xornal.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
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