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Dutch Return Severed Head of African Chief to Descendants
Fox News ^ | July 23, 2009

Posted on 07/25/2009 2:04:54 PM PDT by Lorianne

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 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 chief's head was stored elsewhere at the ministry and was not displayed during the ceremony. It is expected to be flown with the tribe members back to Ghana on Friday.

Tribal elders said after the hand-over that they were also angry because they had been sent by their current chief only to identify the head, not retrieve it. Taking it back without first reporting to the chief would be a breach of protocol, they said.

"We, the Ahanta, are not happy at all," said Nana Etsin Kofi II.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: africa; ghana; netherlands
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1 posted on 07/25/2009 2:04:55 PM PDT by Lorianne
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To: SunkenCiv

-


2 posted on 07/25/2009 2:06:27 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 (Who is Jim Thompson?)
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To: Lorianne

Oh, my God, get over it. Horrible things happened to my ancestors 200 years ago and I’m not still “hurt and angry” about it. Take off those frilly panties and deal with it.


3 posted on 07/25/2009 2:08:49 PM PDT by ottbmare (Ein Reich, ein Volk, ein Obama!)
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To: Lorianne
Kind of ungrateful. Maybe the chief deserved it. I say just keep it and auction it off.
4 posted on 07/25/2009 2:09:39 PM PDT by Lockbar (March toward the sound of the guns.)
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To: Lorianne

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

Translation: “What?? No baksheesh? No payola?? Whaaaa!”


5 posted on 07/25/2009 2:09:40 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Lorianne
>The head of King Badu Bonsu II was discovered last year in a jar of formaldehyde gathering dust


6 posted on 07/25/2009 2:10:54 PM PDT by theFIRMbss
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To: Lorianne

There was a story that beat that a few years ago: The descendants of an Anglican missionary received an apology at a reconciliation ceremony from the descendants of the people who ate him.


7 posted on 07/25/2009 2:11:05 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: Lorianne

> The elders demanded the Dutch government provide aid to their tribe to appease the slain chief.

> Nana Kwekwe Darko III, who tipped the gin on the floor in a Ghanaian tradition of respect for the dead, dabbed tears from his eyes afterward and said he wanted the Dutch to build schools and hospitals for his people.

Ah-huh. I knew if I read further into the article there would be a demand for “compensation”, and here it is!


8 posted on 07/25/2009 2:13:11 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Yeah. Here in America I think that the word reparations should be replaced with repatriation and then passed into law.


9 posted on 07/25/2009 2:16:56 PM PDT by Eagles6 ( Typical White Guy: Christian, Constitutionalist, Heterosexual, Redneck. (Let them eat arugula!))
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To: Lorianne
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.

"What am I gonna do with this?!"

10 posted on 07/25/2009 2:19:53 PM PDT by CaptRon
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To: Lorianne

I’ll take Holland over Ghana in a 2 hour war.


11 posted on 07/25/2009 2:24:16 PM PDT by LiberConservative (I think Liberals are idiots and I VOTE!)
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To: Lorianne

What do the Dutch have to do, give you head?


12 posted on 07/25/2009 2:24:35 PM PDT by Eleutheria5 (www.publishedauthors.net/benmaxwell/index.html. Donate to members.tripod.com/tva_israel/HOME.HTM)
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To: rabscuttle385

“tipped the gin on the floor in a Ghanaian tradition of respect for the dead...”

Just pouring a little out fo my homies who ain’t here!


13 posted on 07/25/2009 2:24:59 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: CaptRon

> “What am I gonna do with this?!”

Jeez if it were me, I’d either make a wicked keychain out of it, or maybe even a shift-knob for my Chrysler...


14 posted on 07/25/2009 2:25:05 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Lorianne
It would be interesting to find out why the Chief was beheaded.
15 posted on 07/25/2009 2:25:55 PM PDT by guitarplayer1953 (Warning: Some words may be misspelled/ You will get over it / Klingon is my 1st language)
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To: guitarplayer1953

> It would be interesting to find out why the Chief was beheaded.

I think the story says it was for killing two missionaries and displaying their heads in his hut.

If so, sounds like the punishment fit the crime perfectly.


16 posted on 07/25/2009 2:27:32 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter
You must have HUGE hands!

And equally huge pockets!

17 posted on 07/25/2009 2:30:58 PM PDT by CaptRon
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To: Lorianne
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,

I knew there was more to this story than just returning the head it appears that it was in retaliation for them beheading tow of the Dutch emissaries.

18 posted on 07/25/2009 2:31:51 PM PDT by guitarplayer1953 (Warning: Some words may be misspelled/ You will get over it / Klingon is my 1st language)
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To: CaptRon

You mean it’s not a *shrunken* head?

Dang!

OK then, I’d make it into a hood ornament, with blue LEDs in the eye sockets...


19 posted on 07/25/2009 2:34:22 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Lockbar

would bring in good money on ebay.....


20 posted on 07/25/2009 2:34:37 PM PDT by goat granny
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