The Return of the Skull of Mkwawa

Sir Edward Twining, Governor of Tanganyika, in his report of autumn 1954 extensively describes the story of the skull of Mkwawa: In September 1951 he had been told by Adam Sapi, Governing Chief of the Hehe and grandson of Mkwawa, that his people would greatly appreciate the return of the skull. First inquiries showed no results. But in February 1953 Twining had received a hint from Germany that the skull might be in the Bremen Museum of Völkerkunde.

Summer this year Twining accompanied by the British Consul W.E.D. Massey visited Dr. Wagner, the director of the Museum in Bremen. In his report Twining writes "consul Massey might have felt his mission somewhat uncomfortable and singular." Mr. Wagner took them "up to a large room filled with a great variety of exhibits of stuffed animals, birds, reptiles and with skeletons of every sort and there he opened some large cupboards and revealed no fewer than 2'000 human skulls." Twining began to fear for his mission. But director Wagner reassured him that only 84 of these skull originate from German East Africa and that there are no other skulls in Germany with this provenance (this has to be left open). Thereupon the 84 skulls have been arranged according to their cephalic indices.

For once skull measuring seemed to have been useful. Adam Sapi's measures of his head and those of other members of his family turned out to be in the group 71. In this small group a skull with a bullet-hole through the temple and an injury due to some sharp instrument was found. In Africa the Governor had been told that the incisors of Mkwawa had been complete and in good shape. They were found too and also the lower jaw. Forensic expertise came to the conclusion that the hole in the temple was caused by a bullet of the kind used in rifles of the German colonial troops at the time. The eye-catching brightness corresponded with the tradition that the skull had been dried. Twining submitted his extensive report together with photos to the grandson who thereupon accepted the skull as genuine.

On June 1953 the skull of Chief Mkwawa has been returned to the Hehe. Twining said it was "a most moving and dramatic ceremony": The Kings Africa Rifle Guard, the Hehe police and 400 veterans of WWII paraded in front of more than 30'000 people. There was dead silence and a highly charged atmosphere. Two unarmed policemen had to pave the way for 500 agitated Hehe armed with spears.

The skull of Mkwawa was brought in a specially built mausoleum in Iringa guarded by members of a body-guard. Older members of the tribe got permission from Adam Sapi to spend the night in dialogue with the skull.
Twining wrote that his last doubts about the authenticity of the skull vanished after he had read the report of Magdalena Prince. The Hehe had no doubt at all. Twining diplomatically describes their position towards the Germans as "chivalrous" and they expressed their gratitude by presenting as a token some tribal objects of ethnological interest to the museum.

A later inquiry in the Oversee Museum of the Free Hansa City of Bremen whether the description of Twinings is correct and what might be added to it has been answered by its director Dr. Herbert Ganslmayr on January 27th 1988 quite evasive: "As I had not been at the Überseemuseum in 1954 I tried to get more information from still living collaborators about the return of the skull. In the meantime it has been confirmed that the information in 'The Times British Colonies Review autumn 1954' is correct. Further information or documentation are not to be found in the archives of the Oversee Museum."

Today the skull is not anymore in the mausoleum in Kale but in some "secure place". In the mausoleum remain only photos and a posthumous portrait of Mkwawa.

Answering the question whether the Hehe live now again in peace and freedom professor Winter writes: "In 1964 I had the chance to speak with members of the family of Mkwawa in Heheland. We also spoke about the skull, given back a decade ago. The point of view of the family was about the following: 'Now everything is o.k. again.' The point of view of the ordinary members of the Hehe people is about: 'What does this bother us? That was a matter of the Mkwawa family and the colonialists'."