After more than a century, France has officially returned the Djidji Ayôkwé, a sacred “talking drum,” to Côte d’Ivoire. The repatriation, completed on Friday, March 13, 2026, marks a significant moment in the ongoing global conversation surrounding the restitution of cultural artifacts acquired during the colonial era. The drum, seized by French colonial authorities in 1916, had been housed in the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris for over a hundred years.
The return of the Djidji Ayôkwé is not merely the handover of an object, but a symbolic act of reconciliation with a deeply resonant cultural and historical significance for the Ebrié people of Côte d’Ivoire. The four-meter-long, 430-kilogram drum served as a vital communication tool, capable of mimicking the tones and rhythms of human speech, allowing messages to be relayed across distances before modern technology. This repatriation follows years of negotiation and lobbying, with French President Emmanuel Macron initially pledging the drum’s return in 2021, a commitment finally approved by the French Parliament after four years of deliberation, as reported by iDNES.cz.
A Sacred Object Returns Home
The formal handover took place earlier in March in Paris, but the drum arrived at Port-Bouët Airport in Côte d’Ivoire on Friday at 8:45 a.m. Local time (9:45 a.m. CET). Its arrival was met with a traditional welcome, featuring performances by shamanic dancers, according to Novinky.cz. “After a long stay outside this country, It’s returning to its people, and it is an honor and a relief for us to welcome it,” stated Aboussou Guy Mobio, chief of the Adjamé-Bingerville community, during the welcoming ceremony. “This is a missing piece of the puzzle that is returning today… Receiving this sacred instrument is a relief, but it is also another form of connection with our ancestors, who were very close to it.”
Talking drums, known as “tama,” are designed to imitate human speech, and the Djidji Ayôkwé held particular importance for the Ebrié ethnic group, whose name is also associated with the lagoon surrounding Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s economic center. Before and during French colonization, the drum was used to announce deaths, celebrate events, and even warn of impending danger. The French colonial administration seized the drum in 1916 from local communities resisting forced labor.
Broader Implications of Restitution
Côte d’Ivoire is only the third African nation to receive an artifact restituted by France following a colonial-era seizure, highlighting a growing, though still slow, trend toward acknowledging and addressing the legacies of colonialism. As Aktuálně.cz notes, France has been comparatively slow in returning illegally taken artworks compared to other European nations.
The drum is scheduled to be permanently installed in the Abidjan Museum of Civilizations of Côte d’Ivoire in April. The restitution of the Djidji Ayôkwé is viewed as a significant step towards cultural justice and a recognition of the importance of preserving and celebrating African heritage. This act of repatriation is part of a wider movement across Europe to re-evaluate the provenance of museum collections and address calls for the return of cultural property to its countries of origin.
The return of the Djidji Ayôkwé sets a precedent for future claims and negotiations regarding the restitution of cultural artifacts. It remains to be seen how this momentum will influence other European nations and their approach to addressing the complex issue of colonial-era acquisitions. The ongoing dialogue surrounding restitution is likely to continue shaping international cultural policy and fostering a greater understanding of shared histories.
What comes next will be the drum’s integration into the Abidjan Museum of Civilizations, and the development of programs to educate future generations about its history and significance. The successful return of the Djidji Ayôkwé may also encourage other communities and nations to pursue the repatriation of their own cultural treasures.
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