Jan 14, 2020
Sarah Baartman was born in the year 1789 and died in 1815. She is from the khoikhoi tribe. Women from the khoikhoi tribe are known to have large buttocks, it was a sign of beauty. But the Europeans who lacked such, considered it to be a deformity and as such, the women from khoikhoi are exhibited at shows in the 19th century under the name of Hottentot.
Sarah was promised a life of fortune in Europe. She left South Africa to Europe, only to be sold as a slave and to be displayed naked, paraded around for shows, displayed as a freak, she was humiliated just because of her nature.
The European saw her as an element of fun, she became an object of molestation. She was later forced into prostitution. A life she never thought she would go through. Her suffering and pains never did stop. Sarah got infected due to what she was forced into, that led to her death.
A life started with a dream and ended in pains and tears. The pain did not stop upon her death. Scientist dissected her body. Her brain, skeleton and genitalia were displayed at a museum. After a long legal battle, her remains were returned to South Africa where she was later buried in 2002.
Her story has garner a global recognition. The name Sarah Baartman is now a symbol for advocating for equality and race tolerance.
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