The ceremony took place in Steinkopf, Northern Cape, with President Cyril Ramaphosa in attendance.
Rows of graves lined the historic site as coffins — some draped in traditional clothing — were laid to rest, accompanied by prayers from community leaders.
One traditional leader, James Mapanga, said the burial marked more than a ceremony, calling it “a restoration of dignity long denied.”
Some of the remains had been taken to Europe over a century ago, with six repatriated from the University of Glasgow, while others were held locally at the Iziko Museums.
Authorities say the remains returned from Scotland were originally exhumed between 1868 and 1924.
President Ramaphosa said confronting such painful history is essential for healing and national reconciliation.
The reburial also revives memories of Sarah Baartman, a Khoisan woman taken to Europe in the 19th century and displayed as a curiosity — a symbol of colonial exploitation.
For many, the ceremony marks a long-overdue recognition of the Khoisan as South Africa’s first indigenous people.
