The Djidji Ayôkwé, a monumental sacred drum seized by French colonial troops over a century ago, has finally been unveiled to its community of origin. The artifact was presented in the village of Adjamé, within the Abidjan district, on Friday, marking a deeply symbolic homecoming during Côte d’Ivoire’s national independence day celebrations.
A Colonial Wound Begins to Heal
More than just a musical instrument, the “talking drum” served as a vital communication tool for the Ebrié people, transmitting messages across long distances and playing a central role in important ceremonies. It was also used to warn villagers of danger during the colonial era. Confiscated in 1916 by French authorities, the drum was shipped to France in 1929, where it remained on display, first at the Trocadéro Museum and later at the Musée du quai Branly in Paris.
The official restitution process was initiated by France in 2017 and culminated in a dedicated law passed in May to facilitate the return of cultural property. The drum was formally handed back to Ivorian authorities in Paris in February, but it remained in its shipping crate upon arrival in Côte d’Ivoire in March. Friday’s ceremony, therefore, was the first time the Ivorian public could lay eyes on the returned treasure.
A Parade and a Libation Ceremony
The return was woven into the fabric of the nation’s independence festivities. The imposing 430-kilogram artifact, carved from iroko wood and measuring 3.30 meters long, was transported on a decorated float during a military parade in the Yopougon district. It then made its final journey to Adjamé, its ancestral soil.
There, in the presence of Culture Minister Françoise Remarck, traditional chiefs, and hundreds of residents, a libation ceremony was performed. Around ten people poured liquid onto the earth as an offering to the ancestors, sanctifying the drum’s return.
“The development of a nation be built without the preservation of its memory and the enhancement of its heritage,” declared Adjamé Mayor Farikou Soumahoro, expressing “deep emotion and great pride.”
For the local population, the moment was one of both joy and vindication. “We want to see with our own eyes to believe that the drum belongs to us,”69-year-old resident Jacqueline Akrébié told AFP. Nearby, 63-year-old traditional leader Cyriaque Ahouré shared a “great joy, while remembering the ancestors.”
Following its emotional homecoming, the Djidji Ayôkwé is scheduled to be permanently housed at the Museum of Civilizations in Abidjan, where its voice, silent for so long, will now speak to future generations.
