Guinea asks France to return resistance figure’s skull, personal items of various historical figures
CONAKRY: Guinea is asking France to return several skulls and the personal items of various historical figures who fought against colonization in the 19th century, the Ministry of Culture told AFP Thursday.
The restitution requests were submitted in mid-July and include the skull of Boubacar Biro Barry, the last leader of the Muslim theocratic state of Fouta-Djalon, located in modern-day Guinea.
Barry and three others — his son, brother and his war chief — were beheaded in 1896 following a battle against the French. Guinea is asking for all four skulls back.
It has also requested the return of manuscripts and other objects belonging to Samory Toure, a warrior-preacher who took up Islam, battling animizts and French colonial forces to establish an empire of his own.
