The African Venus
The Brutalisation of the African Venus
Sarah Baartman, also known as the "Hottentot Venus," was a South African woman who was exhibited as a freak show attraction in 19th century Europe. Born in the late 18th century in the Eastern Cape of South Africa , She belonged to the Khoikhoi ethnic group.
Baartman was not a willing participant in her own exploitation. She was taken from South Africa to England and later to France by a British ship's doctor named Alexander Dunlop. He promised her a better life, but instead, she was put on display for the public to gawk at.
Baartman's body, particularly her large buttocks and elongated labia, were considered exotic and strange by European audiences. She was forced to perform on stage in a skimpy costume and was even examined by scientists who wanted to study her body.
Baartman's treatment at the hands of Europeans was a form of racism and colonialism. She was dehumanized and objectified for the entertainment and curiosity of white people.
After Baartman died in 1815, her body was dissected and her skeleton, brain, and genitals were preserved and put on display in a French museum. They were not returned to South Africa until the early 21st century and were finally laid to rest in 2002.
Read about the Sacred Pythons of the East.
In recent years, there has been a growing movement to acknowledge and make amends for the wrongs committed against Baartman and other indigenous people who were similarly exploited. The story of Sarah Baartman serves as a reminder of the atrocities of the past and the need for continued advocacy for the rights and dignity of marginalized groups.
Sarah Baartman was a victim of the colonialism, racism and inhumanity of the 19th century Europe, and her story serves as a reminder of the atrocities of the past, and the need for continued advocacy for the rights and dignity of marginalized groups. Never again Africa...never.
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