Britain's Human Zoos: Tragic Exhibition of Africans in 1904 Revealed in New Documentary

Paraded in front of a packed audience at London's Hippodrome, six members of the Bambuti tribe were put on display as a form of entertainment in 1904. They had been brought to Britain from the Congo region of Africa by British explorer Colonel James Harrison. This revelation has been exposed in a Channel 4 documentary called Britain's Human Zoos. The film, led by author Nadifa Mohamed, uncovers how hundreds of Africans were exhibited around Britain as a means of touring entertainment from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. The documentary showcases archived footage dating back to 1899 of a staged battle performed by a large group of Africans in London's Earl's Court. Members of the Zulu and Swazi tribes were recruited to recreate the British defeat of the Matabele people. The show, named Savage South Africa, aimed to validate the idea of British imperialism. The exhibition attracted over 16,000 paying spectators who could visit Kaffir Kraal, a mock village, where they would witness the African performers' lives. The sight of the half-naked African men overwhelmed English women, causing a "national moral panic" at the time. One person featured in the exhibition was Peter Lobengula, the grandson of the King of Matabele. He caused controversy by falling in love with Cornish woman Kitty Jewell, whom he married in 1899 amidst harsh criticism in the press. The Bambuti tribe members spent 14 weeks at the Hippodrome and continued to tour across Britain and Europe under the guidance of circus impresario Frank Fillis. They were invited to the House of Commons and Buckingham Palace, even releasing a record - the first made by Africans in Britain. The documentary also uncovers disturbing images of the Bambuti members that were taken by photographers without their consent, reinforcing the dehumanization they faced. Britain's Human Zoos sheds light on this tragic history and the exhibition's lasting impact. Nadifa Mohamed's exploration of lost figures and imperialist fantasies exposes the disturbing realities of this dark chapter. The documentary forces us to confront the questions of our past that still resonate today.