Abyssinia Ethiopia Pygmy Circus Sideshow Real Photo Postcard

Abyssinia, the historical name for the Ethiopian Empire, refers to a region distinct from the Central African territories traditionally inhabited by groups historically labeled "Pygmies." The term "Pygmy" itself is a problematic, colonial-era blanket classification often applied inaccurately to diverse indigenous African peoples known for their short stature. The title's claim likely reflects a broad, often uninformed, ethnographic categorization common during the early 20th century.

This postcard serves as a historical document illustrating the widespread practice of "human zoos" or ethnographic exhibitions that flourished from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. These displays, common in circuses, world's fairs, and amusement parks, presented non-Western individuals as exotic spectacles for Western audiences. Such exhibitions reinforced colonial narratives, racial hierarchies, and pseudo-scientific racism, often subjecting participants to exploitative conditions and misrepresentation.