Sara Baartman: Forever 26

    Sara Baartman, also known as Saartjie Baartman, was a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa whose life became one of the most tragic examples of colonial exploitation, racial objectification, and human rights abuses in the 19th century. Born around 1789 in what is now South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Baartman was taken to Europe under false promises of prosperity but was instead subjected to years of public exhibition and degradation. Her story remains a powerful reminder of the brutal intersection of racism, sexism, and imperialism, and her legacy continues to influence discussions about human dignity, racial injustice, and female body politics.

 

   Sara Baartman was born into the Khoikhoi ethnic group, one of the indigenous peoples of Southern Africa. The Khoikhoi had long faced oppression and displacement due to Dutch and British colonization. Baartman’s early years were marked by hardship; her people suffered from land dispossession and increasing European dominance. Some historical accounts suggest that she was enslaved or worked as a servant before being taken to Europe. In 1810, Baartman was brought to Europe by a British surgeon, William Dunlop, and a South African farmer, Hendrik Cesars. She was promised wealth and a better life, but the reality was far different. Upon her arrival in London, she was put on display as a “curiosity” due to her physical features, particularly her large hips and butt, which were common among Khoikhoi women but eroticized by Europeans.

 

   Baartman was displayed in London’s freak shows as the “Hottentot Venus,” a name that combined a derogatory term for her ethnic group (“Hottentot,” a term used by European colonizers to describe the Khoikhoi) with a reference to Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. She was paraded before paying audiences, forced to wear revealing clothing, and made to dance and entertain spectators who viewed her as an oddity rather than a human being. In 1810, British abolitionists took up her cause, arguing that her treatment was akin to slavery. However, in a legal hearing, her handlers claimed she was performing voluntarily. Due to her lack of English fluency and power in the situation, she was unable to truly advocate for herself, and the exploitation sadly continued. In 1814, Baartman was taken to Paris, where she was handed over to an animal trainer named S. Réaux. Her treatment worsened, as she was placed in even more degrading public exhibitions, sometimes alongside animals. Scientists, particularly Georges Cuvier, a prominent French naturalist, examined her body as part of racist pseudoscientific studies attempting to prove European superiority over African people. Cuvier and his colleagues falsely claimed that Baartman’s physical traits linked her more closely to primates than to Europeans, fueling deeply racist ideologies that would persist for centuries.

 

   After years of exploitation, Baartman died in 1815 at just 26 years old. Historians believe she may have suffered from disease, malnutrition, or the effects of prolonged mistreatment. Even in death, her suffering continued. Her body was dissected by Cuvier, who made casts of her corpse and preserved her brain, skeleton, and genitalia for study. These remains were displayed in the Musée de l’Homme in Paris for over 150 years, further dehumanizing her long after her passing. It was not until 1974 that her remains were removed from public display, but they remained in the museum’s possession. Decades later, after years of pressure from South African activists and the post-apartheid government, France agreed to return her remains. In 2002, nearly 200 years after her death, Sara Baartman was finally laid to rest in South Africa, receiving a dignified burial near her birthplace in the Eastern Cape. Sara Baartman’s life and exploitation symbolize the deep racial and gendered injustices of colonialism. Her story continues to provoke discussions about the objectification of Black women’s bodies, the historical mistreatment of indigenous peoples, and the ethical responsibility of museums and scientific institutions in handling human remains.

 

   In South Africa, Baartman has become a national symbol of resilience and dignity. Her name is honored in various ways, including educational programs, historical research, and artistic tributes. Many scholars and activists reference her story in discussions about racism, sexism, and body image, particularly in the media’s portrayal of Black women. Sara Baartman’s life was one of immense suffering, but her legacy has grown into a powerful testament to human resilience and the fight for justice. Her story serves as a reminder of the atrocities of colonialism, the importance of respecting human dignity, and the long-lasting impact of racial and gender-based discrimination. Through historical recognition and ongoing discussions, the world continues to acknowledge and learn from the injustices she endured, ensuring that she is remembered not just as a victim, but as a symbol of strength and resistance. Many of you may have seen Eryka Badu’s costume and thought she was making fun of “BBL’s” but she in fat was spreading awareness about this horrific situation that Sara Baartman faced. Wearing Baartman’s physical shape as a costume actually inspired this post, hoping to dismantle the BBL assumptions and give you some hard facts instead.

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Baartman’s museum display.

Eryka Badu’s costume of Baartman.