Kongolandsbyen Oslo ‘Human Zoo’ 1914
- 10 years ago
Norway “home of the Nobel Peace Prize” is to restage 1914 'human zoo' …that will exhibit Africans as inmates. Artists claim recreating exhibition will help country confront its colonial past. Bwesigye bwa Mwesigire is not convinced
As part of mammoth celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Norway’s constitution, the government is funding two artists to re-enact a "human zoo", which will open to the public on 15 May.
There were several human zoos or "colonial exhibitions" in Belgium, Germany, France, the US and other western countries at the time, exhibiting Africans and other non-western peoples.
These helped to convince the European public opinion of the necessity of colonisation. Exhibiting Africans as animals, uncivilised, primitive and animistic made it seem justifiable to colonise them.
It was also a source of entertainment for the European of the time to see how "backward" Africans were. Indeed after the Norwegian show, one Norwegian magazine, Urd, concluded: “It’s wonderful that we are white”.
Oslo’s original human zoo or Kongolandsbyen was central to Norway’s world fair in 1914. The artists claim that the new project, which they named European Attraction Limited, is meant to provoke a discussion on colonialism and racism in a post-modern world, engaging with Norway’s racist past in the process.
Bwesigye bwa Mwesigire is not convinced… read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/29/norway-human-zoo-africans-as-inmates
http://themarcusgarveyinitiativeagency.com/
As part of mammoth celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Norway’s constitution, the government is funding two artists to re-enact a "human zoo", which will open to the public on 15 May.
There were several human zoos or "colonial exhibitions" in Belgium, Germany, France, the US and other western countries at the time, exhibiting Africans and other non-western peoples.
These helped to convince the European public opinion of the necessity of colonisation. Exhibiting Africans as animals, uncivilised, primitive and animistic made it seem justifiable to colonise them.
It was also a source of entertainment for the European of the time to see how "backward" Africans were. Indeed after the Norwegian show, one Norwegian magazine, Urd, concluded: “It’s wonderful that we are white”.
Oslo’s original human zoo or Kongolandsbyen was central to Norway’s world fair in 1914. The artists claim that the new project, which they named European Attraction Limited, is meant to provoke a discussion on colonialism and racism in a post-modern world, engaging with Norway’s racist past in the process.
Bwesigye bwa Mwesigire is not convinced… read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/29/norway-human-zoo-africans-as-inmates
http://themarcusgarveyinitiativeagency.com/