Britain DISCOVERED & SAVED African, Indian & Asian History. British Museum Must NOT Return Items
6,449
Published 2024-04-02
Historian and broadcaster Rafe Heydel-Mankoo argues this is a wrongheaded and anti-intellectual position. The BM is one of the 3 great "Encyclopaedic" museums covering global civilisation:
The Louvre
The Metropolitan Museum in NY
The British Museum
Their global collections speak to our shared humanity, placing treasures such as the Elgin Marbles or the Benin Bronzes into their wider global context.
That used to be understood, he claims. Now, however, everything is reduced to ethnicity and the nation state. It is truly bizarre for these increasingly woke curators to prioritize nationalism above internationalism.
The internationalist Left normally hate nationalism -- at least when it relates to the West. When nationalism involves non-Western nations, however, they suddenly become keen enthusiasts.
Rather than return items, Heydel-Mankoo thinks the British Museum should create a new, permanent exhibition explaining how Britain rediscovered the lost histories, civilisations and cultures of Asia & Africa. (Along with the French, etc.)
For example, it was the British who rediscovered much of India’s ancient history. (It was the British who proved to the world that Buddha was in fact Indian, for instance, thus helping to restore Buddhism to India).
Too little is known of Britain's pioneering role in saving the world's historic artefacts, teaching Asians and Africans the importance of appreciating and conserving their own history and - along with France, Germany and others - introducing these cultures to the rest of the world.
Before the British arrived, Asians and Africans didn’t treat their historic buildings and artefacts with any reverence at all - not even the Taj Mahal. Many were in terrible states of disrepair and would now be lost to history had the European powers not saved and preserved them.
The cultural treasures the British took home with them to study and show to the widest possible global audiences, are only a tiny fraction of what they salvaged, protected and left behind.
What the British left behind they placed in museums, where the local population can view them to this day.
We too often forget that most of the museums in Africa, Asia and elsewhere were founded by Europeans. They hold the vast majority of artefacts - not the British Museum.
All Comments (21)
-
The Woke cancer has spread throughout this once great nation & the whole Western World. Thanks for letting us know, Rafe.
-
We're losing our libraries and museums, what next?
-
Osborne is a menace and should be sacked.
-
We need a zero-tolerance approach to Humza Yousaf.
-
Great stuff Rafe
-
... Even in countries that used to be highly sophisticated, like South Africa (RSA), small and medium sized museums were deprived (after 1994) of their unique treasures and collections, which ended up in palaces and mansions run by the local kleptocracy!...
-
Interesting that the talks are in secret! Feeling guilty about doing something stupid maybe?
-
Rafe, this is possibly one of the the most important messages people need to hear that you have put out there in the clearest most succinct way possible. If there were a campaign about this single issue it is one that I would absolutely be prepared to get behind.
-
I'm with Rafe on these artefacts, we already know they are trying to rewrite history to suit what ever agenda..I find this ridiculous, our libraries are disappearing now wonderful artefacts from museums..the whole thing is wrong..
-
Why give them back to groups like the ones that destroyed Palmyra , the giant statues of Buddha in Afghanistan and the same types that tried to demolish the pyramids waaay back in the day and they called for the flattening of the pyramids , in Egypt , again in 2012 . WHY ? Yeah.. Afghanistan was once a beautiful place with great thinkers .. not anymore . And its not because of colonialism .
-
Let them have them. Let them destroy their own history and show the world who they really are. Never unterupt your enemy when they're making a mistake!
-
GIVE OUR INDIAN ARTEFACTS BACK ✊
-
Rafe, every time I hear you speak I wish with all my heart you where leading this Nation. How different life would be with you in the top job . You're an absolute inspiration.
-
I would not be surprised if George Osborne felt that Tibet was not occupied by China, but merely on 'long term loan.'
-
To be honest I'd rather go to a museum and see artefacts from our history in this country.
-
Well these loans will disappear as soon as they leave the BM.
-
Winner takes all long live the WEST
-
Well said Rafe . Did not know about the International angle.
-
They can't preserve them so Great Britain Can 😊
-
Can we please just give them all back, sit back & watch the crap show to prove it right!
