VISUAL artist and cultural producer, Richard Mudariki, is advocating for the return of the Zimbabwean bird from Groot Schuur Estate in Cape Town, South Africa, to Great Zimbabwe,.
Mudariki, who visited the Groot Schuur Estate in 2014, reckons the move can be smoothly implememntedwith the cooperation of South African and Zimbabwe governments.
He is also calling for the return of other collections seized from local art galleries by foreigners. This comes at a time when demands for the repatriation of stolen African relics are getting louder.
A few weeks ago, University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art returned two Benin bronzes to the Oba of Benin. A ceremony was held on July 15 at the Benin Palace where brass plaque and a wooden altarpiece were returned to Oba Ewuare II.
In his research titled "Cultural Justice: Advocating for the return of the Zimbabwe Bird from Groote Schuur to Great Zimbabwe", Mudariki noted the significance of the sculpture seized by Cecil John Rhodes, which should be returned to Great Zimbabwe in Masvingo.
"My research, which involved consultations with experts in the field, indicates that the legal process for repatriation involves a formal request from the Zimbabwean government to the South African government.
"This government-to-government request is a necessary step to ensure that the process adheres to international heritage laws and UNESCO treaties.
"An elegant and diplomatic solution would be for the Zimbabwean and South African ambassadors to facilitate this request, possibly introducing key stakeholders such as the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe and the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) in Harare and Pretoria to discuss the matter," said Mudariki in his research.
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Mudariki highlighted that cultural exploitation should come to an end.
"The Zimbabwe Bird's presence at Groote Schuur, the former residence of Cecil John Rhodes, is a poignant reminder of the colonial exploitation that led to its removal.
"Rhodes, who purchased the property in 1893, commissioned architect Herbert Baker to restore the house.
"Among the many artefacts displayed, the Zimbabwe Bird stands out due to its significant cultural and historical value.
"When he remodelled the Groote Schuur house in 1893, Rhodes even had Baker, his architect, incorporate the bird into the decorative motifs found throughout the house. Rhodes willed the house to the government of South Africa, and it has been the residence of many of their previous heads of state from 1911.
"Even after Rhodes' death in 1902, the obsession with the Zimbabwe Bird continued yet again, as Baker incorporated its imagery into the design of Rhodes House in Oxford, United Kingdom," said Mudariki.
