The man who was exhibited in a zoo cage
In short: In September 1906, visitors to the Bronx Zoo discovered a startling sight in the Monkey House. Instead of an animal, they found a young man in a loincloth, holding a bow and arrows. This was Ota Benga, a man whose life became a tragic spectacle of human exploitation.
Ota Benga was born near 1883 within Congo's woodlands, but his world collapsed when he discovered his massacred village after an elephant hunt. This catastrophe led to his capture and subsequent sale as a slave. An American, S.P., located him in March 1904. Verner discovered Benga in a slave market and purchased his freedom, intending to bring him to the United States. He had been part of a group of eight other Batwa people. This specific tribe had been brought along by Verner for the fair.
Benga was initially part of an anthropology exhibit at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. After being returned to Africa in 1905, he eventually returned to America due to personal circumstances. Following an incident where he threw a chair at donor Florence Guggenheim, the American Museum of Natural History transferred him to the Bronx Zoo. There, zoo officials hung his hammock in a cage to create a controversial exhibit. He had previously married a woman from the Batwa tribe. After his second wife passed away, he requested to travel back to America with Verner.
The exhibit was highly controversial, featuring Benga in a cage alongside chimpanzees. His story remains a dark chapter in history, illustrating the dehumanizing practices used to entertain crowds during the early 20th century. During his time at the zoo, he was sometimes permitted to assist the keepers with various chores. He also spent time interacting with the chimpanzees located in the Monkey House.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Human Zoos and Ota Benga
- Also: The Tragic Tale of the Pygmy in the Zoo
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