Cultural leaders and officials gather around the sacred talking drum during its return to Côte d’Ivoire.
More than a century after it was seized by colonial authorities, the sacred Djidji Ayôkwé talking drum has returned to Côte d’Ivoire from France, marking a milestone in cultural restitution. Confiscated in 1916 and kept for decades at the Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac Museum, the four-meter drum held deep cultural significance for the Ebrié people, who used it to send messages across villages. Its return to Abidjan has been celebrated as both a symbolic act of justice and a reconnection with ancestral heritage. Officials say the drum will eventually be displayed at the Musée des Civilisations de Côte d’Ivoire, while discussions continue over the return of additional artifacts.
The Guardian