In the second episode of the second season of Stuff the British Stole, airing on ABC TV on Monday 24 June, Marc Fennell travels to ancient Egypt and the heart of the British Empire to uncover the story behind a mummified Egyptian child that now resides in Australia’s oldest university. Was its acquisition legal, and what does it tell us about colonial attitudes?
Before Australia’s colonization, the land was viewed by some Britons as lacking culture. Charles Nicholson aimed to change that by acquiring ancient antiquities from Egypt, including the mummified remains of a 7-year-old child. Over a century later, the child resides at Sydney University, shrouded in mystery.
Fennell takes viewers on a wild ride, from the streets of colonial Sydney to the world of young Egyptian rapper Kid Pharaoh, mummy-unwrapping parties in London, and the breathtaking pyramids of Egypt. This episode challenges colonial attitudes and explores the complex ethics of cultural appropriation.
Stuff the British Stole airs Monday, June 24 at 8.00pm on ABC, with all episodes also available to stream on ABC iview.
