Culture: Switzerland returns sacred objects to South African royal family in historic gesture
In a historic act of cultural restoration, Switzerland voluntarily returned three sacred objects to South Africa’s Nkuna royal family on Wednesday. The ceremony in Neuchâtel coincided with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state visit to Switzerland.
The restitution of the 19th-century artifacts a carved wooden stick, a divination basket, and a bovine ankle bone amulet marks the culmination of years of dialogue between the Neuchâtel Ethnographic Museum (MEN), the Nkuna family, and South African cultural authorities.
These items were traditionally used in spiritual ceremonies by the Nkuna royal lineage in Limpopo province.
“More than mere museum pieces, these objects carry the memory of generations and the identity of a people,” President Ramaphosa stated during the ceremony.
He described the restitution as demonstrating “our shared conviction that dialogue can heal the wounds of conflict” and reflecting the common identity between Switzerland and South Africa.
The objects were originally collected in South Africa by Swiss missionary Henri-Alexandre Junod between 1889 and 1921.
Historical records indicate Junod acquired them directly from the Nkuna family while showing deep respect for their cultural traditions.
The handover ceremony brought together Nkuna family representatives, President Ramaphosa, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, and museum director Aurélie Carré, signaling a significant step in international cultural reconciliation.
