Overview

• France handed over the three Sakalava skulls at a ceremony at the Culture Ministry in Paris on August 26, with the remains transported in chests wrapped in traditional fabrics.
• A joint scientific committee confirmed the skulls' Sakalava origin, while the attribution of one skull to King Toera remains a presumption after inconclusive DNA tests.
• The handover is the first application of a 2023 French law that allows human remains to be removed from public collections without case-by-case legislation.
• Malagasy officials hailed the return as a significant gesture after decades of requests, following a formal push in 2021 and the creation of a dedicated commission in October 2024.
• The remains are expected to be displayed at Madagascar's embassy in Paris before being flown home for interment on August 31.