Contribution short abstract:

The restitution of ethnographic collection and human remains to source communities is a political process that involves negotiations between various actors. This paper demonstrates how affect and emotions mediate the political dimension of restitution.

Contribution long abstract:

The restitution of ethnographic collection and human remains to communities of origin is a political process which involves negotiations between various actors. Students of politics assume that the restitution debate – despite its complexities – should be deliberative judgments. I argue that restitution is, at its core, an affective encounter.

I draw on two scenarios I experienced in 2024 that underscore the role of affect and emotions in restitution process. The first concerns a talk with four descendants on the restitution of their ancestors to Tanzania at the Tieranatosches Theater in Berlin. The room was affectively arranged with people and the chairs they sat on, tables, cameras, microphones, notebooks, and laptops. It was also laden with a sacrificial ritual. One of the descendants fed wine from a green bottle to a living plant placed in a white pot. He asked participants to stand up and chanted a few words of grief, asking their ancestors for permission to speak about them. The atmosphere in the space was heavy and bodies, taking mine as a reference, trembled during the discussion.

The second scenario was a commemoration of Mangi Meli and eighteen other chiefs hanged by German colonial troops in Old Moshi, Kilimanjaro. The event began outdoors under the tree on which the chiefs were hanged. The descendants and invited guests placed wreaths and fresh flowers around Meli’s monument. Here, affect and emotions were palpable among participants.

By analyzing these encounters, I demonstrate how affect and emotions mediate the politics of restitution.