Hostages: A Counter-History of Colonial Plunder

Finnish journalist and filmmaker Taina Tervonen, author of The Bone Whisperers, returns to her roots in Senegal to investigate the mystery behind a group of culturally sensitive artifacts that had been captured by the French army in the late 19th century. Among these objects of particular interest to her investigation were a sword and scabbard that belonged to the Senegalese Cheik Oumar Tall, a religious leader who waged a holy war against the French occupiers. This sword was taken from the hands of Tall's nine year-old grandson Abdoulaye, captured along with his sister by a French officer who then had them sent to France. In Hostages, Tervonen has unraveled an historic mystery in which the epic and poignant story of the repatriation of these stolen artifacts is brought to light. Her riveting investigation reveals a tragic case of inhumanity and cultural erasure that will appeal to readers of historical inquiry.