Ivory Coast has celebrated the return of a sacred cultural artefact known as the Djidji Ayôkwé, a historic “talking drum” that was looted by French colonial forces more than a century ago.
The drum, which belongs to the Ebrié people, was formally handed back to Ivory Coast in a ceremony in Paris in February before arriving home on March 13, where it was welcomed by members of the community that originally owned it.
The Djidji Ayôkwé is a large wooden drum traditionally used by the Ebrié people to send messages between villages. By beating different rhythms, the instrument could communicate important announcements such as gatherings, warnings, or significant community events.
French colonial troops seized the drum in 1916 and transported it to France, where it was displayed first at the Trocadéro Ethnographic Museum and later at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, a major museum in Paris that houses African and other non-European artefacts.
Its return forms part of a broader initiative by France to repatriate African cultural objects taken during the colonial era. The process gained momentum after French President Emmanuel Macron pledged in 2017 to facilitate the return of African heritage kept in French museums.
For members of the Ebrié community, the drum’s return is seen as a powerful cultural moment and a restoration of heritage that had been lost for generations. Cultural experts say the repatriation reflects growing international pressure on former colonial powers to return artefacts taken during imperial expansion.
Across Africa, similar debates have intensified in recent years, with governments and cultural institutions calling for the return of thousands of artefacts held in European museums.
The homecoming of the Djidji Ayôkwé is therefore viewed not only as the recovery of a historic instrument but also as part of a wider movement to restore African cultural heritage to its rightful communities.
