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Sacred Drum Returns Home After Century Abroad
13 Mar
Summary
- A 4-meter talking drum, Djidji Ayôkwé, was returned to Côte d'Ivoire.
- The artifact was looted by French colonial authorities in 1916.
- Unesco donated $100,000 for research and training at the museum.
A sacred talking drum, known as Djidji Ayôkwé, has been returned to Côte d'Ivoire more than a century after it was confiscated by French colonial authorities. The artifact, seized in 1916, arrived in Abidjan on Friday, marking a significant cultural restitution for the former French colony.
The 4-meter-long drum, weighing 430kg, holds deep cultural and political significance for the Ebrié people, symbolizing resistance. Colonial administrators took the drum after local villagers resisted forced labor. Its return is seen as a moment of justice, remembrance, and a strengthened connection to ancestral heritage.
French President Emmanuel Macron had pledged its return in 2021, with the French parliament finally approving the decision. Ivorian officials expressed deep emotion, calling it a historic day and a message for youth to reclaim their history. The drum is slated for permanent installation at the Musée des Civilisations de Côte d'Ivoire.
Unesco has donated $100,000 through its Abidjan office to facilitate research and training at the museum in preparation for the exhibition. The successful restitution of Djidji Ayôkwé is also anticipated to pave the way for the return of at least eight other Ivorian objects.
