France has formally returned a sacred colonial-era “talking drum” to Ivory Coast, marking another significant step in the growing movement to repatriate cultural artefacts taken from Africa during European colonial rule.
The historic Djidji Ayokwe drum, seized in 1916 by French colonial authorities from the Ebrie people, was handed over during a ceremony at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris on Friday, February 20.
Measuring more than three metres long and weighing around 430 kilograms, the drum once played a vital role in Ebrie society, serving as a powerful communication tool used to transmit messages between communities across long distances.
France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati led the restitution ceremony alongside Ivory Coast’s Culture Minister Françoise Remarck, who described the moment as deeply emotional.
“All of Ivory Coast is ready to welcome it,” Remarck said, adding that she was “extremely moved” by the return of a symbol that is “finally coming back to its homeland.” The drum will be permanently displayed in a new national museum currently under construction in Abidjan, the country’s commercial capital.
The handover comes amid increasing pressure on European governments to return artefacts acquired during the colonial period. France has pledged to accelerate repatriation efforts and is preparing new legislation that would authorise the return of hundreds of objects to African nations.
French national museums are believed to hold tens of thousands of cultural items obtained through seizure or purchase during colonial rule. Former colonies such as Algeria, Mali and Benin have all formally requested the return of significant cultural treasures.
European states have begun returning select artefacts in recent years as part of broader efforts to acknowledge colonial-era injustices and rebuild relationships with former colonies. The return of the Djidji Ayokwe drum is being seen as another important milestone in that ongoing process.