Approximately 100 years ago, the so-called civilized Western world had a very peculiar form of entertainment. This entertainment wasn't about observing lions, elephants, or giraffes in a zoo. One of their favorite pastimes was watching wild humans in their natural habitats!
This was known as Human Zoos. They would bring people from colonized countries, often referring to them as primitive beings, similar to animals, but purely human. Africans, predominantly from African countries, with dark skin, were exhibited in tree-lined cages, much like wild animals. This shameful display continued intermittently from the late 1800s to 1958.
Influenced by Darwinism and racism, impoverished and oppressed populations from colonial states were portrayed as subhuman creatures, following monkeys. They were paraded behind iron bars and cages, and spectators watched, munching on their snacks, seemingly oblivious to the cruelty. This was a means to reinforce the notion of European superiority and their supposedly superior living conditions.
The concept of Human Zoos originated in Germany. A zoo owner in Hamburg proposed the idea of placing humans alongside exotic plants and animals to attract attention. This idea spread to all imperialist nations. For years, Human Zoos in France, Belgium, and Germany were visited by millions.
The cover photo above is from Belgium in 1958.
By 1934, this Human Zoo phenomenon had escalated to the point of even hosting "Savage Olympics". Human Zoos were so popular that Otto Von Bismarck, known as the Iron Chancellor, visited one in Germany.
This inhumane practice of Human Zoos persisted for years in countries like North America, Belgium, and Germany, which were advanced in colonialism. People were brought from various African countries such as Congo and Cameroon, as well as from places like Indochina, Morocco, and Algeria. Even Eskimos from Alaska and Native Americans in America were brought to these horrifying exhibits, with many succumbing to European diseases they were not immune to. Initially brought as slaves, they were later brought as laborers promised with money, but most perished due to diseases and harsh conditions. After the era of these zoos, the forcibly displayed individuals were either sold to circuses or died from poor conditions and European-borne diseases. These unfortunate souls, exhibited to amuse their white "masters", never returned home.
The white "masters", who considered themselves a superior race, staged theatrical shows, performances, and war reenactments to depict how blacks and Native Americans were introduced to civilization. Even at the time, some segments of society were appalled by these Human Zoos, and today, it stands as a shameful chapter in Europe's history that cannot be concealed. The remnants of these inhumane places can still be found in Paris and Belgium.
The video below contains real footage and images from these inhumane places and the era they existed.
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