Human zoos: a shameful page of history (21 photos)

So-called human zoos were common in Western Europe and the USA in the last century. In them whites are rich and successful people went to see the natives.





See the group of Filipinos in the foreground? And American gentlemen in bowlers, ties and polished shoes behind the fence? The exhibition was called "The World in Miniature" and was held in 1906 in Coney Island (New York).

Here is another documentary photo from the same zoo. How do you like such an "exhibit", which, so as not to leave, was tied to a pole?



Thousands of indigenous peoples, including women and children, from Asia, Africa, Alaska and other parts of the world, legally or not have been taken to similar human zoos to entertain bored inhabitants of the progressive West by the spectacle of primitive people, so famously described by researchers and historians.



Now they could see them in person. Well, it's a beauty, isn't it?! They can throw a banana or an apple and they will eat it with gratitude, and your rosy-cheeked offspring can throw a stone at a native and he nothing will happen at all.

Often people-exhibits, however, like animals, did not live in the most favorable for them, and often harsh conditions. Even if they have there were decorative huts or wigwams, then in winter they, of course, had Cold. But they should look as authentic as possible, so round year "exhibition samples" had to wear their traditional clothes. Even if it's just a loincloth.



In addition, unlike the same animals that can just sleep in your enclosure, the exhibited people had to do something for the amusement of the public. Fight, shout, dance, sing, dive, etc. Because the white gentlemen are not interested in looking at the sleeping black Indian or Eskimo.



Some even showed acrobatic studies, like these Indians in the popular Hamburg zoo "Hagenbeck":



And here is a group of Ethiopians who were taken out as children in the same German zoo, sitting in a corral right with zebras. Like at home in Africa, yes.



In different zoos, these people lived, both in prison and without, however, if your home is on another continent, it’s easy for you to run nowhere.



In his memoirs, the founder of the zoo in Hamburg, Karl Hagenbeck, emphasized:

"I was honored to be the first in the civilized world to present these multi-racial shows."

And after him there were human zoos in Brussels, Barcelona, London, Milan, Madrid, Cologne, New York and some other European and American cities. Below are some shots from the popular Parisian zoo "Jardin d'acclimatation":






One of the most progressive and safe for the people contained in it, was considered the Madrid zoo "Retiro". There in a huge and luxurious

greenhouse

called the Crystal Palace, among tropical plants in 1887 settled 43 people of the Igorot people (Philippines), as well as their livestock.

Next to the palace, the organizers of the park arranged bamboo dwellings and dug a small pond, to which they launched fish. live the exhibits were supposed to catch her under the admiring glances of the Spaniards.



It is reported that in Retiro, in relation to other such parks, had a very low mortality rate. Only four Igorots out of forty three died due to unfavorable conditions. And they were also called tour to Paris, but the Madrid owners feared that back to Not everyone will return to Spain and they refused.

By the way, there are several photos on the Internet that claim that a certain touring "menagerie" with people was also in our St. Petersburg. Here is one of them:



However, let's compare the two shots:



The German signature translates as follows:

First international hunting exhibition, Vienna 1910. African hunters village (Ethiopia)

And after viewing a series of photographs from this exhibition below, you will see that in St. Petersburg there was no "village of Somalia" in the Luna Park. This is an obvious fake, but who, why and when launched it is unknown.



Photo: Clemens Radauer/ voelkerschau.net



Photo: Clemens Radauer/ voelkerschau.net



Photo: Clemens Radauer/ voelkerschau.net



Photo: Clemens Radauer/ voelkerschau.net



Photo: Clemens Radauer/ voelkerschau.net



Photo: Clemens Radauer/ voelkerschau.net



Photo: Clemens Radauer/ voelkerschau.net

By the way, here is the German poster for you:



Some historians (by the way, Western ones) believe that such "recreational" establishments were not at all out of considerations of suddenly awakened humanity. No, it’s just that the Great Depression crippled the incomes of citizens and they became entertain yourself a lot less. And the content of entire "tribes" on the balance sheet cost the owner of the park a pretty penny.

The further fate of the "exhibits", of course, is not reported.