By Staff Reporter
PRETORIA – In a historic act of cultural restitution, Switzerland has voluntarily returned three sacred artefacts belonging to South Africa’s Nkuna royal family, marking a milestone in the global movement to restore African heritage to its rightful custodians.
The official handover took place during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State Visit to Switzerland, symbolising a powerful moment of reconciliation, respect, and the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two nations.
The artefacts — a carved wooden stick, a divination basket, and a bovine astragalus amulet — date back to the 19th century and once belonged to the Nkuna royal family of Limpopo. They were used in traditional ceremonies, symbolising leadership, healing, and ancestral protection.
The items were part of the Ethnographic Museum of Neuchâtel (MEN) collection and were returned voluntarily by the City of Neuchâtel, following years of dialogue between the museum, the Nkuna family, and South African cultural authorities.
“This act of repatriation speaks to who we are – both Switzerland and South Africa. It speaks to our shared belief that dialogue can heal what conflict has broken, and that the dignity of every human being transcends borders and time,” said President Ramaphosa during the ceremony.
Representing the Nkuna royal family were Petronella Nobantu Mokoena, Abel Mxolisi Shilubane, Sipho Thammy Shiluvana, and Slate Shiluvane, who joined President Ramaphosa, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, and Aurélie Carré, Director of the Ethnographic Museum, at the formal presentation.
Each artefact carries profound meaning. The wooden stick, believed to have belonged to Regent Nkuna Mankhélouaround 1850, represents indigenous authority and artistry. The divination basket, containing bones and shells known as “Boula” or “Nhlolo,” was traditionally used by healers for fortune-telling and ancestral communication. The bovine astragalus amulet, once part of a sacred altar, symbolises protection and spiritual strength.
The artefacts were originally collected by Protestant missionary Henri-Alexandre Junod (1863–1934), who lived and worked in Shiluvane between 1889 and 1921. Historical accounts show that Junod purchased the items directly from the royal family and developed a strong friendship with Regent Mugevisa Mankhelu Shilubana — a relationship that later inspired the establishment of schools, a hospital, and a missionary church in the area.
In 2016, descendants of the Nkuna family reached out to the museum, seeking the return of the items as part of their spiritual and ancestral legacy. The museum embraced the request as a chance for cultural collaboration and healing. The Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC) supported the restitution, describing it as a “gesture of mutual respect and ethical cultural cooperation.”
According to Swiss authorities, the voluntary return underscores the country’s growing recognition of Africa’s cultural heritage and its commitment to addressing historical imbalances.
The artefacts began their journey home on 28 October, more than a century after leaving Shiluvane. Their return is seen as a bridge between past and present — a reunion not only of objects and people but also of memory and identity.
“The return of these artefacts to their country of origin attests to the excellent state of relations between Switzerland and South Africa,” read a statement from the City of Neuchâtel.
Abel Mxolisi Shilubane, South Africa’s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo and descendant of the Shilubana family, expressed deep gratitude for the gesture, calling it “a restoration of both cultural pride and ancestral dignity.”
The artefacts will be received in Limpopo, where the Nkuna royal family and local communities plan to hold a homecoming ceremony to celebrate their long-awaited return.
