Mwazulu Diyabanza
Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza is a Congolese pan-African political activist. He wants to get rid of items in European museums which he says were stolen from the original people of Africa when people from Europe colonised them.
Mwazulu Diyabanza | |
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| Born | Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza |
| Occupation | Pan-African political activist |
| Known for | Getting rid of items from European museums which he thinks were stolen from native people |
Personal life
Diyabanza was born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but fled to France as a political refugee. In 2020, he was 41 years old.[1] He splits his time between France and Togo.[2]
Diyabanza says his family were royalty on his mother's side, since the 15th century, and that his grandfather, governor of Mpangu province in the Kingdom of Kongo, was in charge when the king was not around. He says that when his grandfather was leader, Europeans came and stole artefacts, including a hat made from the skins of different animals, a cane, a copper bracelet, and a leopard skin worn in rituals.[3]
Political activism
Diyabanza is the head of a pan-Africanist movement called Yanka Nku (Unité Dignité Courage, or Unity, Dignity and Courage).[4][5] He also founded the Front Multiculturel Anti-Spoliation (FMAS, or the Multicultural Front Against Pillaging), which tries to give native people items back from European museums.[4] He also campaigns against the use of the CFA franc currency in West and Central Africa.[2]
References
- ↑ Yeung, Peter (11 November 2020). "Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza: ‘France is still a colonial country’" (in en). Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/11/11/emery-mwazulu-diyabanza. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bouboutou, Rose-Marie (24 September 2020). "Mwazulu Diyabanza: cinq choses à savoir sur l'activiste panafricain jugé à Paris" (in fr). BBC News Afrique. https://www.bbc.com/afrique/region-54270423. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ↑ Feiger, Leah (22 September 2020). "Colonizers Stole Africa's Art; This Man Is Taking It Back". Vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3z77y/a-real-life-killmonger-is-trying-to-decolonize-european-museums. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Willsher, Kim (7 February 2021). "'We want our riches back' – the African activist taking treasures from Europe's museums". The Observer. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/feb/07/mwariches-african-activist-stealing-europes-museums. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ↑ "Activists released after taking statue from museum in colonialism protest" (in en). NL Times. 14 September 2020. https://nltimes.nl/2020/09/14/activists-released-taking-statue-museum-colonialism-protest. Retrieved 8 February 2021.