Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman (ca. 1788-1816) is not a name most are familiar with, but it is a name we all will remember after this.
As mentioned in the video, after Baartman’s death in 1816, George Cuvier dissected her genitalia and brains and made a plaster cast of her body which were then placed on public display at the Musée de l’Homme (Museum of Mankind) in Paris as late as 1974, under the name “Hottentot Venus“. Baartman was one of many other skeletons, whose remains were gathered by European scientists to prove the “inherent inferiority” of non-white individuals.
Baartman was born during a period of Dutch colonization in South Africa and was a descendant of the Khoikhoi people, derogatorily referred to by white colonists as the Hottentots, which meant “stutterer” or “stammerer” in the colonists’ northern dialect of Dutch. The Khoikhoi were considered “missing links” between humans and apes in racist scientific arguments because of their hunter-gatherer lifestyles and unusual speech patterns, which the Dutch dismissed as guttural animal sounds.
Baartman was a slave of Dutch farmers who lost her husband and family during a raid to exterminate the Khoikhoi people. The brother of her slave owner conceived the “Hottentot Venus” show and suggested she travel to England for exhibition, promising her that she would become wealthy. The “Hottentot Venus” show would capitalize on the lustful interests in so-called primitive sexuality, described in the tall-tale accounts of explorers who fabricated stories of “Hottentot” women’s over-sized buttocks and mysterious “Hottentot apron,” an extra flap of skin covering the vaginal area.
(Photo: Wikipedia)Baartman arrived in London in September 1810 and was billed as the “most correct specimen of her race.” The “Hottentot Venus” exhibition was instantly popular and inspired bawdy ballads and political cartoons, demonstrating how the icon of the “Hottentot Venus” became a fixture in the culture. This image created a fetish out of her backside and possibly served as the basis for a major fashion development with the mid-to-late nineteenth century bustle, which gave the illusion of a large bottom.
In 1814, Baartman relocated to Paris and attracted the attention of three revered natural scientists, including George Cuvier. The following year, Baartman was subjected to scientific observations; she was an alcoholic and the scientists enticed her with alcohol and sweets to pose nude. Baartman refused to reveal what they had hoped to witness: a view of her “Hottentot apron”.
(Photo: Mail and Guardian On-Line)Within a year, though, Baartman died and Cuvier acquired her body, using it to write his 1817 scientific thesis unveiling the mystery of her “apron” and illustrating the African woman’s “primitive sexual appetite” and their oversexed and subhuman status. Cuvier noted in his monograph that Baartman was an intelligent woman who had an excellent memory and spoke Dutch fluently. Her skeleton, preserved genitals and brain were then placed on display in Paris.
When Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa in 1994, he formally requested that France return Baartman’s remains. Her remains were repatriated to her homeland, the Gamtoos Valley, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, on May 6, 2002, over 200 years after her birth.
“The story of Sarah Baartman is the story of the African people,” President Thabo Mbeki said at the funeral. “It is the story of the loss of our ancient freedom … It is the story of our reduction to the state of objects who could be owned, used and discarded by others.”
Be sure to check out the reference links below for more information.
The Life and Times of S. Baartman, The Return of S. Baartman
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Concrete Loop will feature ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week. These features honor black people through the years and submissions are welcome.
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I never knew this…
I saw this last year ,and it was so educational.It made me take more pride in the way that I dress,and carry myself.
Major propz on this post… I’ve already read about Baartman, but each time I’m still horrified at how she was treated… Or just how Black people were treated at the hands of ignorant and racist whites….
It seems as though we’ve come a long way but then you see stories such as the reporter who was assulted simply because of the colour of her skin….
CL these Black History Spotlight posts are what set you apart from all the other blogs, keep em coming
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I’m glad a black woman had the guts to do such a powerful video. Very educational and insightful. I appreciated CL. I really do. Take heed black women. If we don’t value ourselves, no one else will.
LG
WAKE UP BLACK AMERICA!!!! WAKE UP YOUNG BLACK AMERICA!!!!!
Damn this is deep. I truly feel that what Sarah Bartman went through is equivelent of what the “video vixens” today, are allowing to happen..put on display for the world to see their large asses and tits…
Wow.. i didnt know the story behind this Sarah Baartman…now im even more mad
at how the negative stereotype of the black woman continues to be perpetuated
mainly by our black entertainers..
Educational. BUT, the shit makes me mad every time I see or read something about it. The sista was right. She WAS the first prototypical VIDEO VIXEN. Objectified by White Racists. The damage is frightening and ongoing. Look at today’s videos and societal culture in general. Our sisters are more than just genitalia, more than just pieces of meat. I like the fact that you posted this TODAY. Not just in February when everyone is spoon fed certain “non-threating” info, like how they give us the same ones every year. We’ve been contributing to the world since the world was thought of as a…WORLD. In 2008, let’s TAKE BACK our BIRTHRIGHT as THE CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH. If we’re all made in HIS image, then call us by our names. There is an AWAKENING going on. You still SLEEPIN?
I had never heard of Sarah before. The story and video was cute interesting.
Proof that the obsession of Black women’s bodies is not new and was not a result of hip hop videos.
One major difference now is – we have a choice, and too often choose to reduce ourselves and our people to body parts and purely sexual beings.
CL – Excellent idea to continue to feature the Black History Highlihghts – all of the time.
Angel and CL are doing a good job of highlighting positive role models and giving information. i came across this article in a South African ‘O’ magazine and was moved. it is so important that we all realize and appreciate how far we’ve come. God bless us all.
Whites used a fat ass for laughs now blacks use it for objectification.
In my Black Feminism class we learned about her. It was very disturbing to hear about her “freak show”.
Thank yah soooooo much for posting this!! I had posted info about Sarah on a particular blog and people didn’t know how to act right…Its cool to know that concreteloop is willing to provide something like this that is relevant today (Whether people want to believe it or not). Thanks again in honor of Sarah Baartman!
I studied her in my women of color class. Sad. Our people still have a long way to go.
“she was an alcoholic and the scientists enticed her with alcohol and sweets to pose nude.”
And today they use cocaine, money, and clothes….. Damn shame
It makes me so sad everytime I read about this woman! I wonder how she felt and what was going through her mind in those 5 years she was in London up until her death….
I heard about this story on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. This is a very interesting story that needs to be told to us and our children! I am so glad you will be doing weekly post on African American History.
Whites enticed the Native Americans with alcohol too, and they fell for it, like a bunch of dummies. When are people gonna open their fucking eyes & minds to what’s really going on?!
Thank you for the knowledge…although it’s just made me upset.
this was deep! I knew some of the history but not this much. Thanks for the lesson but now you got me in the office with all these ‘Europeans’ and I’m not feeling all that nice now…lol….i hope that sistah (I forgot her name already) does some more videos…way off track here but her voice reminds me of Sistah Souljah. But anyhow, excellent post CL!!!!
It’s funny I was just reading about this on Black America Web, great article.
I am in tears. I don’t want to dislike these people because I have met some nice ones. I cannot help it sometimes because some of them are ignorant. It is just lack of exposure. Many Africans are well travelled than some westerners. I am one of them. Some whites ask me silly questions about my country in Africa. They ask; “do you see lions running in front of your house?” and I reply, “I would not be alive today If I did.”
This lady was taken from Africa against her will and put on display because of Racism
towards blacks. To suggest she left her homeland in search of Fame is a flat out lie.
This womand is a victim of RACISM. The person that authors this youtube video is guilty
of exploiting ths woman once again. Making up lies because you hate video women and
using this woman’s photos make you just as guilty. It also hurts your argument. Blacks
had no voice with their dispositon when they were taken from their homeland. Even as
you read this comment women from eastern europe and asia are being mislead to live
their countries sold into the sex slavery. How can you compare that to a woman in
america standing is a casting line to be paid 3000 to 6000 dollar a day to appear in a music video that will has the potential to make her famous. Black women like the
author of this video display the same self serving interests that those racist men
displayed when they made that woman a social display. Buffy the Body has become
rich because of her unique body. This woman is just another victim of a racist sociaity. If she was living today she could get rich but like many others she was exploited. If she had been born with 3 legs she would have been placed in a circus.
Have you ever heard of SIde show freaks. Most of them were disformed people that
had very few options but to join the circus. I think in her case she was taken advantage by racist people. You can not confuse that with grown women appearing
in music videos. What about the porn industry? They make billions of dollars while
rap music only grosses 800 million a year. Porn makes billions of dollars and the
stupid author of this video leaves that out of her self serving arugment. She is guilty
of exploting this woman herself. Telling made uf lies about her death and how she
was obtained does not justify your so called cursade for women. It makes her death
seem cheap because you are a liar. Men do exploit women but not in this case and
not in hip hop videos. Try the strip clubs and maybe the sex slave industry.
Great answer to such a trivial question #22, spoken with common sense and tact.
Keep Up the Good Work J.Dakar !!!
We appreciate you, and the information & knowledge that you provide us on a daily basis.
It’s rare for a Black Entertainment Blogs to post educational & political commentary, and I would like you to know sir that this is greatly needed in this day & time.
Thank You for your efforts !
Wow!! I’ve never heard of her until now. Thanks for this bit of history!
I applaud you Angel, this is vital to today’s youth. You can’t save everyone, but you sure have opened some peoples eyes.
They can’t blame hip-hop for this shit! I heard about Sarah Baartman before, but never knew the whole story… very touching and deep. Thank you Concreteloop for displaying these stories, so many of our people do not know the truth! It is sad that Black women are choosing to do this to themselves now!
#23 I feel your argument, indeed Ms. Baartman was taken against her will, possibly under false pretenses, but once she got to Europe where they were using her as a sideshow freak they did use novelties to manipulate her into complying.
The so called video vixens are different in that they WILLINGLY want to be exploited for their shapely bodies, however this is due to misguided notions of what it means to be sexy and the belief that sex equates love, money over integrity, etc….
Bravo for such a great post! I feel like I’m in grad school again. I didn’t know that Mandela was the reason for her being returned home & while I’ve heard her real name, I definitely had forgotten it.
to #23, i think i feel your argument but i think you contradict yourself too. either way men are behind music companies, they direct and select the women for vidoes so men are still exploiting the Buffy’s that are letting themselve be exploited. i hope that made sense what i just said. today both parties are at fault is what i’m saying and despite that neither can be exscused especially when both parties are profitting albeit unevenly.
Damn! No words to describe my feelings about this. But the crazy ish is that like someone said it is still going on today under the name of Flavor of Love, video chicks, etc. We got to do better. SMDH
Good looking out CL.
Good piece…..congrats concreteloop! but watch someone is going to call themselves Hottentot….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4YKA5rF3HU
BUFFY EXPLOITS GUCCI…WHAT A SHAME.
this is my first time finding out about this and it’s so sad; what they did to her. Dede Hunt was on point!!! I loved her words, hopefully this will knock some of them girls in the head. ? Right?
I don’t think you can compare a video model with Baarman because women now openly go to castings to be in the videos, plus a lot men like to see women.Why can’t people get that in their head?They know exactly what they getting into when they appear in the videos.
This post was interesting, didn’t know anything about her until I read it.Good CL!
So deep…. thanks CL for posting this!
Very insightful. while there is nothing wrong with women appreciting their bodies or even modeling or being in videos , this makes you think about how for years women of color have been exploited and used for sexual purposes only. the comparisons with how women of color are treated today is very strong, but the difference is that we as women have a choice to be treated a certain way. we can control our image. the more we give into the male standard (both black and white now) of what they think beautiful is, and allow them to exploit us, then we are just still like Sarah in alot of ways.
#27 You said “Misguided notions” You have no right to decide what a grown person
can do. Doing Porn Videos is a good profession. Working in a strip club is a good
job in comparrion to picking tomatoes or washing dishes. If depends on a person
options. This lady was a slave. She went to Europe and was put on display as a
side show freak. One could suggest that she eat better and lived better as a side show
freak than a slave. She became addicted to drugs not unlike what we see with Lindey
Lohan, Paris Hiltion and Britnety Spears and crack head Any Winehouse. They used
the drugs to manipulate her. They were wrong but back during those times they took
adavantage of many people. Whites were given and some were sold to side shows
when they were born with disfigurements. 4 arms no legs. Many of these side show
oddities that lived during that time were exploited. Promised to be famous only to die
a painful death in a train box car. Midgets, Simease twins, often once found were
sold to the circus by familes. She was a slave. The story is sad but you can not compare here story to that of BUFFY THE BODY. This woman is a millionare
because she has a famous ass. The drug addiction of HoTtENTOt was because
she had money. I put her in the same class of a Amy Winehouse.
What got me is the fact that they basically mutilated her body after her death, to show/try and prove that blacks are closely related to monkeys.
Well you know what I would rather be closely related to a monkey than any other species, they seem to be the ones who have the most common sense. The evolution of man was generated by a white mans theory, but what baffles me is, WE have never seen an ape turn into a man aka a “caveman” in thousands of years.
Where do they come up with this logic of thinking.
I tell my daughter on the regular, you have to strive more, because you were born with two strikes against you……….one being a woman, the other being black.
Be not discouraged black women of the world, but push forward, regardless of the lack of appreciation shown you. Hate has no medicine.
Ben I suppose it depends on one’s value system. Perhaps being objectified but making lots of money to obtain superficial clothes, jewelry and cars are respectable goals to some.
But for the women out there who value respect above everything, such practices would be avoided at all costs.
never heard this before but I am glad that I did! I live in Europe and the locals still stare at us and they want to touch my kids hair and rub their cheeks and this is 2008 so I can imagine what she she went through with them having full control of her. Very sad and it should be a wakeup call.
thanks for posting this
I’m glad to learn something new…THANKS J
Thank you SO MUCH CL for using the popularity of the site to give us insight into our own history! I hope her story echoes to the right ears. Her birth name was beautiful.
So deep, excellent post!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for posting this. We had to learn about her while I was at Spelman. I think my mom may have told me about her once before then too. On other blog sites when Deelish was mentioned, quite a couple of folks brought up the story of Ms. Baartman – and I was thinking the same thing. I’m just glad ya’ll caught on and posted this so that this message could reach so many! Maybe this will help in the cause for positive change in our image and the way we carry ourselves.
Ben Said:
“Doing Porn Videos is a good profession. Working in a strip club is a good
job in comparrion to picking tomatoes or washing dishes”
Bill Said:
Really ?
Would you encourage your daughter to work in the Porn Industry or at a strip club, instead of McDonanlds ?
I’ve heard of this before and I know there were several books written one that was even like a semi-autobiographical/fictional book about her. What’s sad is that this is the kind of history that should be taught in schools. I’m not disavowing what MLK did, Rosa Parks or Harriet Tubman but its more to our history, American and otherwise, than what has been offered in the schools.
very interesting.
dayum…..shorty is mad thick. would sop her up wid a biscuit
Damn, I’m so speechless and really ( for real) in tears…… I can’t even begin to imagine what our ancestors have gone through so that us black women of today no longer have or even need to…… I am truly apologetic for any shame I may have brought upon my ForeMothers
@blk dds evolution doesn’t work that way. you should take a class on it. it’s really interesting. i personally believe in evolution and i believe that ALL men did come from apes. i don’t believe in the bible’s theory b/c i think the bible is metaphorical
but back to the matter at hand, yeah i heard about this woman a long time ago. i think curiosity and ignorance also played a part in this (besides racism). and unfortunately they were able to manipulate Saartjie. i do see how ppl think this is similar to the video vixens- being put on display for your body. i think that if black women want to be in the porn industry or strip, that’s their choice and white women do it too so we can’t make it into a race thing but how many videos show white women practically nude like we see with black/latina women in so many hip hop videos. hip hop shines a bad light on itself so they need to stop complaining about how they’re viewed. they sound like little kids who do something wrong and then say “but what did i do?” yes there is a lot of good hip hop b/c we can’t expect the whole world to see that especially when violence and sex in certain hip hop vids are being highlighted so much. that’s my hip hop rant. anyway i think it’s nice that CL isn’t doing the expected. you’re searching for ppl that not everyone knows about and i think that’s cool
Good upload, but I’m tired when people putting there own race in front but not others, theres only one race = Human Race, and we gotta look after everyone not just us Africans but imo everyone, you gotta extend love n compassion n thats the only way u gonna get some luvin bak. Thats what I don’t understand because when a person is put under these circumstances and you are aware of it n u know how it would feel its funny that the some people choose to treat someone else that isn’t of his race disrespectfully n I’m tired of that. People gotta respect regardless of race/religion u gotta care for everyone imo. Thats how it gotta be. No room for hate. Its 2008.
Perhaps being objectified but making lots of money to obtain superficial clothes, jewelry and cars are respectable goals to some.
That sounds like the majority of Todays youth. We live in a Capatalistic society that
does not give a damn about poor people. You can walk around any major city and you
will see homeless men and women all around you. Casting lines for music video sometimes go around a coner. That is not exploitation. Porn is not exploitation.
These are money making opportunties. We have no right to suggest they should not
do these things based on our belief systems. If were are going to tell women that they should not appear in Music Video then we must also feed and chothe the homeless
women that sleep on park benches right now. I dont see anyone doing that. I do see
a lot women “Hating” on the girls that get pick to get in the video. Oh and men do
the picking because men do the paying.
Exploitiation of women no longer exsist in America. In fact the women make much
more than the men in porn and Strip clubs.
@DD maybe ppl think your kids are cute lol i’m black and i touch my cousins’ hair all the time b/c i think they’re absolutely adorable. and i have a guy friend who loves to touch girls’ hair regardless of the race. he likes to touch my cheeks too. i don’t understand how that can be connected to what this woman went through
wow I did not know any of this. Thanks CL for the information. I’m so glad you continued the black history post because some of the things you post about I did not know.
great post J !!!!!
i never knew about her until today and i agreed with every word of that video! that sister is speaking the truth
Thank you so much J for this entry, i’m a South African woman and know this story. there’s much more stories of this kind
omg!…we did this play in high school a couple of years ago…except we called it Venus Hottentot…exceptional story to say the least