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world news Diabierna 16 September 2022

London mourners brave 9-hour Berlin museum approaches

wait to say goodbye to queen ethnological collection in new ways

BERLIN (AP) — A Berlin muse-
um opens fully to the public this
week with a very modern take on
the display of cultural items from
around the world and the debate
over demands for some of them to
be returned to their homelands.
LONDON (AP) — Thou- Buckingham Palace for the last
sands of mourners waited for time, borne on a horse-drawn car- The east wing of the Humboldt Fo-
hours Thursday in a line that riage and saluted by cannons and rum contains items from the city's
stretched for nearly 4 1/2 miles the tolling of Big Ben, in a sol- Ethnological Museum and the Muse- A second gallery is dedicated to illus-
(7 kilometers) across London emn procession through the flag- um for Asian Art. It will display some trating the restitution process. In vid-
for the chance to spend a few draped, crowd-lined streets of 20,000 objects, among them dozens eo installations, German and Nigerian
minutes filing past Queen Eliz- London to Westminster Hall. of Benin Bronzes that were stolen in scholars, artists and representatives of
abeth II's coffin while she lies Africa during colonial times — as well museums and the royal family in Be-
in state. King Charles III spent Her lying-in-state, meanwhile, al- as an exhibit explaining to visitors nin City explain from multiple per-
the day in private to reflect on lowed many Britons to say a per- how most of them are soon to return spectives the history and significance
his first week on the throne. sonal goodbye to the only mon- to Nigeria. of the objects and give their view on
arch most have ever known. the current restitution debate.
The queue to pay respects to the The east wing opened Thursday with
late queen at Westminster Hall It's also a huge logistical operation, a preview for reporters and will be Other objects that will be on display
was at least a nine-hour wait, snak- with a designated 10-mile (16 ki- open to the public starting Saturday. include a sixth-century Buddhist cave
ing across a bridge and along the lometer) queuing route lined with The west wing of the museum — lo- temple from Kizil, located near Kucha
south bank of the River Thames first aid points and more than 500 cated in the heart of of the German on the Northern Silk Road in China,
beyond Tower Bridge. But people portable toilets. There are 1,000 capital, next to the neoclassical Mu- an exhibition of textiles and pottery
said they didn't mind the wait, and stewards and marshals working at seum Island complex — opened in from Central Asia, and traditional
authorities brought in portable toi- any given time, and 30 religious 2021. It also contains items from the buildings and houses from different
lets and other facilities to make the leaders from a range of faiths to two collections. regions in Oceania such as a meeting
slog bearable. talk to those in line. house from Palau from 1907, as well
The objects on display offer a sur- as a replica of an Abelam cult house
A week after the queen died at Monica Thorpe said she walked vey of the world's cultures and have from Papua New Guinea.
Balmoral Castle in Scotland after for two hours to get to the back of been chosen to place a new emphasis
70 years on the throne, the focus the line and join the queue. on the importance of art from Africa, Among those shown during the open-
of commemorations was in West- Oceania, Asia and the Americas. ing of the museum, is a collection of
minster — the heart of political "People were just walking and around 60 objects that was compiled
power in London. Her coffin will walking and the policemen were During the development of the ex- by Francis La Flesche, a native Ameri-
lie in state at Westminster Hall un- like 'Keep going, keep going.' It hibition, German curators worked can ethnologist who was born on the
til Monday, when it will be taken was like the yellow brick road," she closely together with teams from Omaha Reservation in the United
across the street to Westminster said. countries and regions where many of States' Midwest in 1857.
Abbey for the queen's funeral. the objects originated.
People old and young, dressed in All in all, the collections of the Ethno-
Late Monday, the queen will be dark suits or jeans and sneakers, In one of the galleries, 40 of the Be- logical Museum and the Museum for
buried in a private family service walked in a steady stream Thurs- nin Bronzes will be presented at the Asian Art comprise about 500,000 ob-
at Windsor alongside her late hus- day through the historic hall, opening. They include iconic cast jects, which were previously shown
band, Prince Philip, who died last where Guy Fawkes and Charles bronze memorial heads, carved ivory in museums in the city's Dahlem dis-
year. I were tried, where kings and tusks and rectangular relief plaques. trict. Less than 3 percent will be on
queens hosted magnificent medi- display in the Humboldt Forum.
After a day of high ceremony and eval banquets, and where previous
high emotions on Wednesday as monarchs have lain in state.
the queen's coffin was carried in
somber procession from Bucking- After passing the coffin, most
ham Palace, the king was spending mourners paused to look back be-
Thursday working and in "private fore going out through the hall's
reflection" at his Highgrove resi- great oak doors. Some were in
dence in western England. tears; others bowed their heads or
curtseyed. One sank onto a knee
On Wednesday the queen left and blew a farewell kiss.