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Dutch return severed head of Ghana chief

Discussion in 'Free Fire Zone' started by Kai-Petri, Jul 24, 2009.

  1. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    Dutch return severed head of Ghana chief - Yahoo! News

    The descendants of an African chief who was hanged and decapitated by a Dutch general 171 years ago reluctantly accepted the return of his severed head Thursday, still angry even as the Dutch tried to right a historic wrong.

    The head of King Badu Bonsu II was discovered last year in a jar of formaldehyde gathering dust in the anatomical collection of the Leiden University Medical Center. The Dutch government agreed to Ghanaian demands that the relic be returned.

    On Thursday, members of the king's Ahanta tribe, dressed in dark robes and wearing red sashes, took part in the hand-over ceremony, honoring his spirit by toasting with Dutch gin and then sprinkling the drink over the floor at the Dutch Foreign Ministry.

    But descendants of the chief said they were not consoled.

    "I am hurt, angry. My grandfather has been killed," said Joseph Jones Amoah, the great, great grandson of the chief.

    The head was taken by Maj. Gen. Jan Verveer in 1838 in retaliation for Bonsu's killing of two Dutch emissaries, whose heads were displayed as trophies on Bonsu's throne, said Arthur Japin, a Dutch author who discovered the king's head when he was working on a historical novel.
     
    Kai-Petri, Jul 24, 2009
    #1
  2. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Oops...what about the descendants of these two? Where is the apology from the family of the original perps to the family of these throne trophies?
     
    Slipdigit, Jul 24, 2009
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  3. texson66

    texson66 Ace

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    Amen, Slip!
     
    texson66, Jul 24, 2009
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  4. bigfun

    bigfun Ace

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    That was my first thought as well. At least they returned the head, they could have kept their mouth shut!
     
    bigfun, Jul 24, 2009
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  5. luketdrifter

    luketdrifter Ace

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    Oh but to bring THAT up is politically incorrect. It doesn't matter what that person did to get wacked. It's the fact HE was killed that is such an injust wrong. If I could swear on here right now I would. It'd have a lot to do with bovine scatology.
     
    luketdrifter, Jul 24, 2009
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    Slipdigit likes this.
  6. Kruska

    Kruska Member

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    I already can imagine members of a certain scottish clan showing up in London -chanting- we want Wallace, we want Wallace, we ...... :D

    Regards
    Kruska
     
    Kruska, Jul 24, 2009
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  7. rhs

    rhs Member

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    U.K. Museums have loads of Ethnic Skulls that various groups want returned. There is this feeling we have to apologise for everything our ancestors did. I may feel personal regret that certain events happened but only those who ordered or carried out the actions can apologise.Standards of acceptable behaviour change as time goes on. Was the world a more violent place in the past? I dont think so, look around and there are plenty of nasty ,almost unheard of wars going on with incredible levels of atrocity carried out. Whatever the colour of the skin crimes are carried out.
     
    rhs, Jul 25, 2009
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