Identités captives : épistémologies du « retour » du patrimoine africain spolié suivi d’une étude de Le silence du totem

Abstract

During the colonial era, cultural artifacts from many African countries were expropriated, classified as art, and held in major museums in Europe and North America. For decades, voices have been calling for the restitution of these items to their original lands. This article draws on the renewed interest in academic, political, and economic circles, among others, in advocating for the “return” of African heritage. It goes beyond legal questions (should restitution be made?) and legitimate ownership (who owns these objects?) to reflect on the issue of “return” and the ability of these objects to reconfigure colonial and contemporary historiography. Additionally, this article explores questions of identity and collective memory associated with these objects. It also offers a critical reflection on the role that this heritage, both tangible and intangible, as a witness to a long history, can play in the (re)creation of imaginaries and their capacity to articulate a historical perspective often suppressed by the hegemonic discourse of former colonial powers. Finally, we analyze Fatoumata Ngom’s novel Le silence du totem (2018) as an example of literary expression that problematizes this issue of “return”.