France returned three colonial skulls, including King Toera's, to Madagascar on August 26 in Paris Skulls taken as trophies by French troops in 1897 during an assault on the Sakalava Menabé kingdom Remains stored for 130 years at France’s Museum of Natural History French Culture Minister Rachida Dati called it a 'historic event.'. Madagascar’s Minister of Culture called the return 'deeply meaningful.'. First return under 2023 French law for repatriating human remains.