Sarah Baartman (1789-1815)

Sarah Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa, was exploited in 19th-century Europe for her physical features. Her story highlights the harsh realities of colonialism, racism, objectification, and exploitation.

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Table of Contents

1. Who Was Sarah Baartman?
   • Hottentot
2. The Khoikhoi People and Colonial Exploitation
3. Sarah Baartman’s Journey to Europe
   • Her Exploitation in Freak Shows
   • Legal Scrutiny in London
   • Transition to France
4. Scientific Racism and the Objectification of Baartman
   • The Role of Enlightenment Thinkers
5. Tragic Death and Posthumous Exploitation
6. The Journey Home: Restoring Sarah Baartman’s Dignity
7. Legacy: What Sarah Baartman Represents Today
8. FAQs
9. Sources

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Who Was Sarah Baartman?

Sarah Baartman, often called the “Hottentot Venus,” was a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa born around 1789 in the Eastern Cape. Her life highlights the harsh realities of colonial exploitation and racial prejudice. Taken to Europe, she was displayed in public exhibitions due to her distinctive physical features, including her large buttocks. These displays subjected her to both fascination and ridicule, turning her into a symbol of dehumanizing treatment.

Hottentot

The term “Hottentot” was historically used by European settlers to describe the Khoikhoi people, an indigenous group from Southern Africa. The word originated in the 17th century and is believed to mimic the click sounds in the Khoikhoi language, reflecting European settlers’ misunderstanding and mockery of the language.

Over time, “Hottentot” became a derogatory term, often associated with colonial racism and stereotypes. It was used to demean the Khoikhoi people and their culture, portraying them as primitive or inferior. Today, the term is widely recognized as offensive, and it has largely fallen out of use in favor of respectful and accurate identifiers like “Khoikhoi.”

In Sarah Baartman’s case, the term “Hottentot Venus” was used to exoticize and dehumanize her during her exploitation in Europe. This label reflects the racial and cultural prejudices of the time.

The Khoikhoi People and Colonial Exploitation

The Khoikhoi, indigenous to Southern Africa, were among the first to encounter Dutch settlers in the 17th century. This meeting led to the loss of their lands, enslavement, and marginalization by European colonizers who saw them as inferior, setting the stage for the exploitation and violation of individuals like Sarah Baartman.

Sarah Baartman’s Journey to Europe

Her Exploitation in Freak Shows

Sarah Baartman faced significant challenges from an early age. Her father was reportedly killed in a conflict with European colonizers, while her mother passed away from unknown causes. After becoming an orphan, she worked as a washerwoman and nursemaid in Cape Town. In 1810, Alexander Dunlop, a British ship’s surgeon, took her to England under the guise of an indentured servant’s position. Contrary to the promise, she was handed over to Hendrik Cesars, an exploitative showman, who with Dunlop’s collaboration, exhibited her as a spectacle in freak shows throughout England. Onlookers paid to stare at her, especially intrigued by her large buttocks, a feature they found atypical by Western standards.

Baartman’s physical features, particularly her large buttocks and elongated labia, were subjects of scientific curiosity and erotic projection. During her exhibitions in freak shows in places like London’s Piccadilly Circus, Baartman was often displayed in a manner that allowed audiences to scrutinize her body up close. Spectators were allowed to engage in their own informal “examinations,” both in terms of physical stares and sexualized comments. She was forced to endure stares, comments, and objectification by the public. Her body was a commodity for Dunlop and Cesars, but she earned little from these exhibitions.

Some accounts suggest that she may have been coerced into sexual exploitation or became the subject of sexualized interest due to her physical appearance, which was both exoticized and objectified by her European audiences. However, the historical records focus primarily on her exhibition in freak shows rather than any formal or legal involvement in prostitution.

Legal Scrutiny in London

In 1810, the African Association brought a case against Dunlop and Cesars, accusing them of exploiting Baartman. During the legal proceedings, Baartman testified, asserting that she was not being forced to perform. However, many historians believe her testimony may have been coerced due to her precarious position and lack of autonomy.

Transition to France

After her exhibitions in London began to lose public interest, Baartman was sold or transferred to a French showman, where her exploitation continued under similar circumstances. This marked the beginning of her even harsher treatment, including becoming the subject of scientific and medical examinations.

Scientific Racism and the Objectification of Baartman

The Role of Enlightenment Thinkers

During this era, there was an increasing obsession with ‘scientific racism,’ a misguided belief that used physical traits to claim racial superiority and inferiority. Thinkers of the Enlightenment sought to classify humans, and people like Baartman were reduced to mere subjects of this erroneous endeavor.

She was subjected to invasive medical examinations, where she was treated more as a specimen than a person. Doctors and scientists extensively measured her body, particularly her buttocks, hips, and genitalia. These measurements were recorded in great detail, often as part of an attempt to compare her physical features to those of other women, reinforcing the idea of racial and sexual differences. These measurements were invasive, as they focused on her body in ways that were intended to categorize and “prove” the superiority or inferiority of different races.

These examinations further dehumanized her and perpetuated racial stereotypes.

Tragic Death and Posthumous Exploitation

Sarah Baartman died on December 29, 1815, at the age of 26. While the exact cause of her death is not definitively known, it is widely believed that her health had deteriorated due to the harsh conditions she faced during her life, particularly the extreme exploitation she endured in Europe. Several factors likely contributed to her death:

Physical and Psychological Strain: The grueling conditions of her life in public exhibitions, including the physical strain of constant display, public scrutiny, and sexual objectification, likely took a toll on her health. The stress, along with the psychological trauma of being treated as a spectacle, could have contributed to her premature death.

Poor Living Conditions: Baartman lived in poverty and was subjected to mistreatment. Her living conditions, as well as the lack of proper medical care and support, may have further contributed to her declining health.

Possible Alcoholism: Some reports suggest that Baartman may have turned to alcohol, possibly as a means of coping with her circumstances. This could have exacerbated her physical and mental health issues.

Exploitation and Disease: Given the high likelihood of sexual exploitation and the possibility that she may have contracted sexually transmitted diseases, these factors could also have played a role in her deteriorating health.

After her death, French scientist and anatomist, Georges Cuvier, made a cast of her body. Her cadaver was dissected, and her organs were studied by European scientists. Her brain, genitals, and other body parts were removed and preserved. Her flesh was carefully removed from her bones, and her skeleton was cleaned and preserved, as well. Her skeleton and cast were disturbingly displayed in the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, alongside her brain and genitals, where they remained on public exhibition until 1974. European scientists turned her memory into a macabre symbol of colonial objectification and exploitation.

The Journey Home: Restoring Sarah Baartman’s Dignity

It wasn’t until the 20th century that her remains were finally taken off public exhibition, after many years of indignity. In 2002, thanks to the relentless work of activists and scholars, the remains of Baartman were at last brought back to South Africa.

She was laid to rest in her hometown of Hankey, in a solemn ceremony that recognized the injustices she endured.

“I have come to take you home, home! Remember the veld, the lush green grass beneath the big oak trees? The air is cool there and the sun does not burn.” – from the poem “I’ve come to Take You Home” by Diana Ferrus

Legacy: What Sarah Baartman Represents Today

Sarah Baartman’s story is a powerful reminder of the brutalities of colonialism and racism. She has become a symbol of the racism and dehumanization inherent in colonialism, and of a call to confront historical injustices.

Her life continues to inspire discussions about human dignity, racial equality, and the importance of acknowledging the past to build a better future.

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Frequently asked questions about Sarah “Saartje” Baartman

1. Who was Sarah Baartman? Sarah Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa, was subjected to exploitation in 19th-century Europe as a “freak show” attraction because of her physical appearance. She later emerged as a symbol of the racism and dehumanization inherent in colonialism.
2. Why was Sarah Baartman referred to as the “Hottentot Venus”? Sarah Baartman, known as the “Hottentot Venus,” was subjected to the European gaze that exoticized and objectified her due to her Khoikhoi heritage. This fascination with her physical appearance was a blend of racial stereotyping and erotic curiosity.
3. How did Sarah Baartman end up in Europe? In 1810, Sarah Baartman was deceitfully taken to Europe by a British doctor and a Dutch colonist who then exploited her in a “freak show” due to her unique physical characteristics.
4. What were the conditions of her exhibition in Europe? Sarah Baartman was exhibited in scant attire, frequently subjected to intrusive examinations, and regarded more as an object of curiosity than a human being. Throughout her life, she suffered considerable exploitation and dehumanization.
5. What happened to Sarah Baartman after her death? Sarah Baartman passed away in 1815, and her remains were exhibited in a Parisian museum up until 1974. It wasn’t until 2002 that her remains were finally returned to South Africa, where she was laid to rest with the respect she deserved.
6. What impact has Sarah Baartman’s story had on modern discussions about racism and colonialism? The tale of Sarah Baartman underscores the mistreatment and devaluation of black women, igniting discussions on racial prejudice, colonial exploitation, and the commodification of the human form. Her enduring influence motivates ongoing activism and the reevaluation of past wrongs.
7. How is Sarah Baartman remembered and honored today? Sarah Baartman stands as a poignant symbol of the atrocities of colonialism and racial discrimination. Her story continues to fuel important conversations about human rights, racism, and the need for historical redress. In a tribute to her memory, she was laid to rest with honor in her native South Africa in 2002, following the return of her remains.
8. What were the physical features that made her a subject of fascination in Europe? Sarah Baartman faced objectification and exploitation because of her physical attributes, such as her pronounced buttocks, a condition referred to as steatopygia, and extended labia.
9. What is the legacy of Sarah Baartman in contemporary culture and activism? The legacy of Sarah Baartman underscores the exploitation and objectification that black women have endured, sparking important conversations about racism, colonialism, and human rights. Her story continues to be a potent emblem for those fighting for justice and acknowledgment of past wrongs.

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Sources

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