Famous Ethiopian Fossil Shrouded in U.S. Controversy
Ethiopians, Archaeologists Say Lucy Should Be Returned
Washington Afro-American, News Feature, Valencia Mohammed Posted: Aug 25, 2007
Editor's note: The archeological community in the United States has improved the protocols related to skeletal remains and religious claims, particularly due to pressure from the Native American population. Yet, the issue of who has the right to make a decision about human artifacts is still controversial, particularly when a government has vocal critics in exile.
A controversy has developed with three weeks remaining before the Ethiopian/African Millennium Celebration on Sept. 12. It was to be one of the biggest celebrations for Africans across the globe who recognized the Ethiopic calendar as a measurement for documenting events and places.
For many celebrants, the festive occasion has turned to anguish with the removal of Dinkinesh, the 3.2-million-year old fragile skeletal remains that were found in Ethiopia 33 years ago. Dinkinesh, commonly known as Lucy, the world's most famous fossil, will now become part of a six-year-long exhibit here in the United States.
According to Dirk Van Tuerenhout, curator of anthropology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the negotiations to remove the fossil began with government officials six years ago. The Ethiopian government sought an exhibition to display its treasures to show what the country has contributed to the world. Van Tuerenhout said he has been given the approval by the government of Ethiopia to be the sole proprietor of the exhibit.
"I find myself very lucky to be in the right place at the right time," said Tuerenhout in an interview with the AFRO. "When I first heard that the Ethiopian government and the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis, Ababa were soliciting proposals for an exhibit of this nature, I immediately made contact."
The Belgium native said he made more than nine visits to Ethiopia to solidify the deal for the fossil's removal.
"I assure everyone that all proper procedures and secure measures have been taken," said Tuerenhout.
The fossil's departure from Ethiopia has created a cloud of suspicion among archaeologists and paleontologists; a quiet rebellion among Ethiopians and drawn strong criticism from Africans throughout the Diaspora.
"Lucy is one of the most important specimens relating to human origins in the world and it is too much of a risk to have it travel for the purpose of public display," said Randall Kremer, spokesman for the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
Dinkinesh and more than 150 artifacts from Ethiopia will begin a six-year exhibition on Aug. 31 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Houston, Texas, and will travel to undisclosed places in the future.
Several Ethiopian American organizations claim the exhibition violates the 1999 UNESCO international resolution on the transport of "hominid" fossils. The resolution states that it strongly supports the use of 'replicas' of hominid fossils, rather than originals, for public display and recommends that original fossils should not be transported beyond the country of origin "unless there is some compelling reason" that the research cannot be conducted where the fossil lies in state.
Gigar B. Asfaw, chairman of the Ethiopian Community Organization in Houston, said the current "junta" of the museum transaction has alienated the majority of Ethiopians by wrestling power by force. The organization sent 30 questions to museum authorities and the Ethiopian embassy that have not been answered, he said.
"The Lucy transaction is no exception to the reckless behavior of the regime now in power in Ethiopia to enrich the lives of its relatives, friends and lobbyists at any cost against the interest of the Ethiopian people," said Asfaw.
But according to museum officials, money is not an issue.
"Quite frankly, we have no idea whether it will be profitable or not. The museum is a non-profit entity," said Joel Bartsch, president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. "As it is with all museums, the details of the contract are confidential. But a portion of the proceeds will go back to the Ethiopian museums."
According to Bartsch and Tuerenhout, the museum has exhibited many treasures such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Faberge Eggs and other priceless objects. The University of Houston is scheduled to perform a CAT scan of the fossil to obtain data never discovered.
"I am concerned by the reports from experts that Dinkinesh is in grave danger," said Tamrat Medhin, president of Little Ethiopia D.C. Chapter. Medhin has hosted several radio talk shows on topics that relate to Ethiopians.
On a recent radio program on WCHF 1390AM, Tamrat reached out to African-American leaders and others to promote the safe return of the fossil.
The national funding for the exhibit, "Lucy's Legacy: the Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia" is provided by The Smith Foundation and Ethiopian Airlines. Local funding is provided by British Petroleum and the Hamill Foundation.
"Our commitment is to people around the world to keep Lucy safe. We are using extreme precautions and bringing all professionalism to this exhibit promise the utmost security," said Bartsch.
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