Bokani
Title
-
Bokani
-
Bokane
First name
-
Bokani
Place of birth
Place of death
Biography
-
A tribesman of the Mbuti Pygmies based in the Ituri Rainforest (now in the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
-
In 1905 "Chief" Bokani was one of six Congolese Pygmies who arrived in the United Kingdom at the behest of Colonel James Harrison. They spent 30 months on display treated as 'living specimens' and appeared at various venues throughout the country. During this time, they were viewed by millions of people and even met the British King and Queen. When not on display, the group stayed at Harrison's estate, Brandesburton Hall, in East Yorkshire. They returned home in 1908.
-
During "Chief" Bokani's time in the United Kingdom a portrait bust was created of him by Welsh sculptor, William Goscombe John. Also, a gramophone recording of him speaking in Swahili was made in 1905 and sold commercially from 1906 onwards. It was the first commercial recording of African music or language in Britain.
Occupation
-
Tribesman of the Mbuti Pygmies
Gender assigned
-
Male
Nationality
Item sets
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
 Bokani, a Pygmy Chief |
Identity of Black person (real or fictive) | E22 Man-Made Object |
 Bokani, a Pygmy Chief |
Identity of Black person (real or fictive) | E22 Man-Made Object |
‘Bokani’ (no date), Black People in European Sculpture, accessed May 5, 2025, http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/770
