A sacred talking drum looted by French colonial authorities more than a century ago has been returned to Côte d’Ivoire in a significant cultural restitution. The Djidji Ayôkwé, confiscated in 1916, arrived at the airport in Port Bouët, Abidjan, on Friday after being handed over to Ivorian officials in Paris earlier this month.
The 4-metre, 430kg drum held deep cultural and political significance for the Ebrié people, serving as a symbol of resistance and used to send messages over several miles. It was seized after villagers resisted forced labour on a road in 1916. French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to return the drum in 2021, but it took four years of discussions for the French parliament to ratify the decision.
Ivorian Minister of Culture Françoise Remarck described the return as “a moment of justice and remembrance,” thanking both President Alassane Ouattara and Macron. She addressed the drum, saying its return is a message for youth reclaiming their history and a symbol of social cohesion. A cultural troupe performed the traditional tchaman dance as the crate was unloaded.
The drum will be permanently housed at the Musée des Civilisations de Côte d’Ivoire, likely in April. UNESCO has donated $100,000 for research and training at the museum. Sylvie Memel Kassi, a former museum director, said the return paves the way for more restitution, with eight other objects currently being studied.
