Negro of Banyoles
Encyclopedia
The "negro of Banyoles" is a controversial piece of taxidermy
of a bushman
which used to be a major attraction in the Darder Museum of Banyoles
(Catalonia
, Spain
). In 2000, the remains of the man were sent to Botswana
for burial.
. In 1916, it was acquired by the Darder Museum of Banyoles
. The body remained in the museum without any controversies until 29 October 1991, when Alphonse Arcelin, a Spanish doctor of Haitian origin living in Cambrils
where he was a PSC councillor, 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.
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 also spoke with the mayor of Banyoles.
By that time, the "negre" had become so notorious that it was quite usual to hear references made to the mounted bushman in diplomatic announcements. 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.
In 1997, the issue was discussed in several sessions in both the UN and the Organisation of African Unity. Later, in March of that year, the item was removed from the Darder Museum. While it was described in El Mundo
as a relic of colonialism The removal bothered people in Banyoles because there he was considered as "a member of the family".
's government offered help to the OAU to bury the man, once all of his remains had been returned to Africa
. In 2000, after the loincloth, feathered head-dress and spear he had worn in Banyoles were removed, the body was sent to the National Museum of Anthropology of Madrid
where artificial parts including a wooden spine, eyes, hair, genitals and other external organs were removed. The skull and remaining bones were then sent to Botswana in a coffin where they arrived on 4 October. He was buried on 5 October in the national park of Tsolofelo.
Different books have dealt with the "el negre" controversy, most notably El Negro en ik (El Negro and me) by Frank Westerman, which shows that even naturalist
Georges Cuvier
knew about the man.
Taxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
of a bushman
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
which used to be a major attraction in the Darder Museum of Banyoles
Banyoles
Banyoles is a city of 17,309 inhabitants located in the province of Girona in northeastern Catalonia, Spain.The town is the capital of the Catalan comarca "Pla de l'Estany"...
(Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
). In 2000, the remains of the man were sent to Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
for burial.
History
In the early 1830s, the Verreaux brothers mounted the corpse of a bushmanBushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
. In 1916, it was acquired by the Darder Museum of Banyoles
Banyoles
Banyoles is a city of 17,309 inhabitants located in the province of Girona in northeastern Catalonia, Spain.The town is the capital of the Catalan comarca "Pla de l'Estany"...
. The body remained in the museum without any controversies until 29 October 1991, when Alphonse Arcelin, a Spanish doctor of Haitian origin living in Cambrils
Cambrils
Cambrils is a coastal town in the comarca of Baix Camp, province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The town is nearby the tourist town, Salou and is frequently visited by those travelling by air using Reus Airport and major transport links such as the Plana Bus and the RENFE.-History:-Roman empire...
where he was a PSC councillor, 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
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
which made it widely known.
The first step for the return of the "negre" to Botswana was made in 1991, when the then-secretary of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, Federico Mayor Zaragoza
Federico Mayor
Federico Mayor Zaragoza is a Spanish scientist, scholar, politician, diplomat and poet. He served as Director-General of UNESCO from 1987 to 1999.He is currently the Chairman of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace and member of the Honorary Board of the International Decade for the Promotion of...
, met the mayor of Banyoles. Later, when Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
reached the position of Secretary-General
United Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, he became interested in the issue and also spoke with the mayor of Banyoles.
By that time, the "negre" had become so notorious that it was quite usual to hear references made to the mounted bushman in diplomatic announcements. Some African
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
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.
In 1997, the issue was discussed in several sessions in both the UN and the Organisation of African Unity. Later, in March of that year, the item was removed from the Darder Museum. While it was described in El Mundo
El Mundo
El Mundo may refer to:*El Mundo , 1983 album recorded by Diomedes Diaz*El Mundo , Puerto Rican newspaper*El Mundo , Spanish newspaper*El Mundo , Venezuelan newspaper*El Mundo , Argentine newspaper...
as a relic of colonialism The removal bothered people in Banyoles because there he was considered as "a member of the family".
Return to Africa
BotswanaBotswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
's government offered help to the OAU to bury the man, once all of his remains had been returned to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. In 2000, after the loincloth, feathered head-dress and spear he had worn in Banyoles were removed, the body was sent to the National Museum of Anthropology of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
where artificial parts including a wooden spine, eyes, hair, genitals and other external organs were removed. The skull and remaining bones were then sent to Botswana in a coffin where they arrived on 4 October. He was buried on 5 October in the national park of Tsolofelo.
Legacy
The Darder Museum currently avoids any references to the controversy of the "negro of Banyoles". The only remembrance of the bushman in the museum 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 being removed from the museum.Different books have dealt with the "el negre" controversy, most notably El Negro en ik (El Negro and me) by Frank Westerman, which shows that even naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
Georges Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
knew about the man.