AFRICAN CULTURAL

The repatriation of an item with deep historical, spiritual, and cultural significance might seem like a mere gesture of colonial redress. But this ceremony was different, and it was about much more than a single physical object. In fact, it was a watershed moment in the West’s recognition of the cultural damage inflicted by colonialism.1 This instance
only acts as one of many testaments to the role art that can play in international relations. In turn, while morality may play a role in a state’s decision to return these looted works, further political and economic incentives may provide a bigger insight into the rationale behind the return of these figures