A Landmark Return: France Hands Over King Toera's Skull to Madagascar

Tue Sep 30 2025 05:13:57 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The skull of King Toera, a Malagasy monarch murdered during the colonial era, has been officially returned to Madagascar in a historic ceremony in Paris, marking a significant step towards reconciliation and recognition of colonial injustices.

France has returned the skull of King Toera, a Malagasy king who was killed by French forces over a century ago, to Madagascar during a ceremonial event at the French Ministry of Culture. This handover follows persistent efforts by the descendants of the king and reflects ongoing movements to address historical grievances from colonial rule. The skull had been part of the Museum of Natural History collections since the late 19th century.

France returns slain king's skull to Madagascar

The head of a Malagasy king killed by French troops during a colonial-era war has been formally returned to Madagascar.

The handover of King Toera's skull - and those of two other members of his court - took place at a ceremony at the culture ministry in Paris.

The skulls had been brought to France at the end of the 19th Century and stored at the Museum of Natural History in the French capital. This event marks the first use of a new law meant to expedite the return of human remains from collections in France.

These skulls entered the national collections in circumstances that clearly violated human dignity and in a context of colonial violence, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati stated during the ceremony.

In August 1897, a French force sent to assert colonial control over the Menabé kingdom of the Sakalava people in western Madagascar massacred a local army, resulting in the death of King Toera, whose head was sent to Paris for archival storage.

Though there is no DNA proving the skull's identity, a traditional Sakalava spirit medium confirmed it belonged to the monarch, highlighting cultural methods of verification amid scientific uncertainties.

The return of King Toera's skull has been characterized as a significant gesture of reconciliation, according to Madagascar's Culture Minister Volamiranty Donna Mara, who emphasized that this return addresses a historical wound in the heart of their island.

This act is noteworthy in the context of France’s recent commitments to repatriate colonial-era artifacts and human remains, joining a global conversation about historical injustices in post-colonial societies.