Some South Africans are urging Britain to return the world’s largest diamond, the Star of Africa, contained in the royal scepter which will be held by King Charles III at his coronation on Saturday.
The diamond, which weighs 530 carats, was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to the British monarchy by the then British colonial government.
Now, amid a global conversation about the return of art and artifacts looted during the colonial era, some South Africans are calling for the diamonds to be returned.
“The diamond has to come to South Africa. It must be a sign of our pride, heritage, and culture,” said Mothusi Kamanga, a lawyer and activist in Johannesburg who promoted an online petition that garnered about 8,000 signatures to return the diamond.
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“I think generally the African people are starting to realize that to decolonize is not just to let people have certain freedoms, but it’s also to take back what has been expropriated from us.”
The diamond on the scepter, officially known as Cullinan I, was cut from the Cullinan Diamond, a 3,100-carat stone quarried near Pretoria.
A smaller diamond was cut from the same stone, known as the Cullinan II, in the Imperial State Crown, worn by British Royalty on ceremonial occasions. Along with the scepter, it is kept in the Tower of London with the other crown jewels.
A replica of the full Cullinan diamond, about the size of a man’s fist, is on display at the Cape Town Diamond Museum.
“I believe it should be brought back home because at the end of the day, they took it from us while they were oppressing us,” said Johannesburg resident Mohamed Abdullahi.
Although, others have claimed that they simply do not feel strongly about the diamond and whether or not it is returned.
