France returns remains from colonial 'human zoos' to French Guiana

France's Senate has unanimously approved legislation allowing the return of remains of Indigenous people who were exhibited in colonial-era "human zoos" in Paris to their ancestral lands in French Guiana, according to France 24.

The bill addresses a dark chapter in French colonial history when people from French colonies were displayed to Parisian audiences in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The unanimous Senate passage signals broad political support for the repatriation initiative.

The measure represents a formal recognition of historical wrongs and responds to long-standing calls from descendants and human rights advocates for the dignified return of their ancestors. French Guiana, an overseas territory of France, will receive the repatriated remains for proper burial and commemoration according to traditional practices.