What leaders and experts said on the return of the Great Zimbabwe Bird

A BOLD and long awaited decision by South Africa to return looted human remains and the last Zimbabwe Bird, forcibly taken centuries ago during the colonial era, has cast fresh light on the powerful role of material culture in shaping how Zimbabwe understands, preserves and asserts its cultural heritage. The moment is both symbolic and deeply emotional, marking a reclamation of history that had long been fractured by displacement and silence.

There is no disputing that the crimes of European colonialism form an undeniable chapter of our history. Across Europe, museums continue to hold vast repositories of African cultural objects removed without consent. In recent years, calls for the repatriation of these artefacts have grown louder and more urgent, echoing across academic, political and cultural spaces. The coming decades, many argue, must be defined by the permanent restitution of Africa’s stolen heritage back to its rightful home.

The return of ancestral human remains and the priceless Zimbabwean Bird stands as a landmark moment, signalling an end to the era in which African heritage was held captive in foreign institutions. In profound ways, South Africa’s act of repatriation helps restore cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property seized from Zimbabwe’s ancestors without what heritage experts describe as their “free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs.”

More than an administrative act, the return reinforces the truth that African material heritage is not merely national property, but a vital pillar of Africa’s collective memory. It carries the stories, identity and lived experiences of its people, anchoring generations to their past while guiding the future.

This report captures the voices of politicians, archivists and heritage custodians following the homecoming of human remains and cultural artefacts — a return that will undoubtedly help Zimbabwe reclaim its historical narrative and reframe how colonial history is understood. The message is clear: Africa must raise the stakes and accelerate the return of artefacts still held by foreign institutions if it is to preserve its identity with integrity.

President Mnangagwa has consistently added his voice to the global call for the repatriation of Africa’s cultural heritage held in Western museums and private collections. Addressing delegates at the opening of the 28th Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (Esarbica) General Conference in June 2025, he articulated the deeper meaning of restitution.

“The claim that we are truly an independent and sovereign continent, as well as masters of our own destiny, will be truly actualised when we close the information gap within our historiography. Africa has a duty to tell its story, recount our history, and preserve our own culture, ourselves.

“It should never be lost to us that culture, in its broad sense, is a critically important pillar of national pride and identity. Properly leveraged, it provides the most reliable and sustainable building block for social and economic development. This conference must heighten our legitimate demand for the Western world to return the artefacts and archives to us, their legitimate owners.”

On the return of the last Zimbabwe Bird, the President reflected on its deeper spiritual and national meaning.
“Our forebears did not merely carve these birds as decorations. They are the physical embodiments of the various spiritual beliefs within our communities. The Zimbabwe Bird is a central symbol that adorns our flag, coat of arms and ZiG currency. To have all eight bird artefacts reunited is a political victory and cultural homecoming. It is a powerful recognition that our heritage belongs here, at the Great Zimbabwe, Dzimba-dzemabwe, where it can inspire future generations and serve as a cornerstone of our national identity.”

South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie described the handover in historic terms.
“Today, history has been made. South Africa has wrongfully kept the Zimbabwean Soapstone Bird for 137 years. We are choosing to say something to every institution and every government still holding what should not be retained: the era of colonial collection is over. The time for return has come.”

Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba, framed the moment as the closing of a long open wound.

“Today marks the completion of a cultural and spiritual journey nearly a century in the making. We have finally restored a vital piece of our national soul. The return of the Sacred Bird of Great Zimbabwe marks a moment of profound restoration. After 137 years, it comes home alongside eight Zimbabwean ancestors, restoring dignity to history and meaning to memory.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the governments of Zimbabwe and South Africa, our cultural institutions, traditional leaders, and all who worked tirelessly to make this moment possible. As Zimbabwe approaches Independence Day on 18 April, this return carries even greater significance — a reminder that true independence includes the restoration of heritage, identity, and dignity. This is not a gift. It is justice. Africa restores what is hers.”
Heritage scholars echoed this sentiment, emphasising the far reaching implications of the return. Professor Munyaradzi Manyanga, Bantu Mosaics Research Associate and Executive Dean of the School of Heritage and Education at Great Zimbabwe University, said the moment transcended symbolism.

“There is more to the return of the bird, it is a profound act of restorative justice. The bird is part of our national emblem – it adorns our flag, our coat of arms and our currency. For years, its absence at the very site where it was carved stood as a silent testament to colonial plunder. Its return to Zimbabwe stands as a powerful symbol of resilience and the successful fight for decolonisation and cultural restitution.”

Anthropologist and Curator of Living Cultures at the Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Prof Njabulo Chipangura described the moment as deeply personal.

“This was more than just a ‘return’ for me as a scholar of heritage practices and repatriations, it was an emotional home sending ceremony of my own heritage.”

University of Zimbabwe Professor of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Prof Plan Shenjere Nyabezi, described the homecoming as historic and spiritually complete.

“To me, the return of the last Zimbabwe Bird is more than a simple repatriation of an artefact. It is a landmark event in our history! With all the other birds already returned, I would say the arrival of this last sacred piece, (together with the human remains), signifies a spiritual homecoming! Its return completes the circle, allowing the full power of their symbolic representation to be realised.”