Decolonisation of African Cultural Heritage

The year 2025 has been officially declared by the African Union as the “Year of Reparations”, a year of justice for Africans and people of African descent. The choice of the topic indicates the urgency of the problem of overcoming asymmetries caused by colonialism and the slave trade. The article attempts to raise the issue of decolonization of the cultural heritage of African countries and peoples. The key actors and directions of the process are considered. Analyzing the nature and dynamics of African intellectuals’ views on the liberation of material and spiritual cultural objects from colonial influences, the author identifies two components of the process: revalorization and restitution. The author focuses on the context on comprehension and representation of African cultural heritage. The conclusion presents the intersectionality and interconnectedness of the processes of revalorization and restitution

Colonialism · Decolonization · Economic Justice · Restitution · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Cultural Identity and Heritage