ICoast set eyes on talking drum, looted by France, for first time
Ivory Coast Welcomes Historic Talking Drum Home After Century in France
Bharatmorningnews.com – The sacred Djidji Ayokwe drum has finally returned to its village of origin after more than a hundred years abroad. French colonial forces removed the artifact in 1916, carrying it across the ocean to Europe where it remained for decades. On Friday, the drum made its journey back to Ivory Coast, arriving during the nation’s independence day celebrations.
For the first time in living memory, contemporary Ivorians witnessed the magnificent instrument in person. The ceremony marked a significant moment of cultural reclamation for the community.
A Monumental Return
The imposing wooden drum measures over three meters in length and weighs approximately 430 kilograms. Crafted in black, white, and red, the instrument served as a vital communication tool for the Ebrie tribe, transmitting messages across distances and alerting communities to threats.
Although officially handed over in February and transported back to Ivory Coast in March aboard a specially chartered aircraft, the drum remained sealed inside its massive wooden crate until Friday’s celebrations. It was then carried through the Yopougon district of Abidjan in a military parade before proceeding to Adjame, the village where it was originally created.
The artifact traveled in a glass-fronted case mounted on a large, ornately decorated float. It was greeted by Culture Minister Francoise Remarck, traditional leaders, and hundreds of local residents who gathered to celebrate.
Historical Context
Ivory Coast formally requested the drum’s return in late 2018 as part of a broader appeal for 148 artworks taken during the colonial era. The talking drum joins hundreds of stolen artifacts that Paris is preparing to repatriate to African nations, a process facilitated by new French legislation approved in May.
The drum was seized by French colonial authorities in 1916 and subsequently shipped to Europe in 1929. It spent decades on exhibition in Paris before beginning its journey home.
Ceremonial Celebrations
During Friday’s festivities, a dozen individuals performed a libation ceremony, pouring liquid onto the earth as an offering to ancestral spirits. The atmosphere was one of profound cultural significance.
“A nation cannot develop if it doesn’t preserve its memory and promote its heritage,” said Adjame mayor Farikou Soumahoro.
“We want to see the drum with our own eyes so we can truly believe it belongs to us,” explained 69-year-old villager Jacqueline Akrebie.
Traditional leader Cyriaque Ahoure, aged 63, expressed that he had come to share a moment of “great joy, when we remembering our ancestors.”
More Than Music
The Djidji Ayokwe transcends its role as a musical instrument. The Ebrie community utilized it to warn of dangers, particularly from colonial forces, to call people to war, and to summon villagers for ceremonies.
The drum is scheduled to be displayed at the Museum of Civilisations in Abidjan, which has undergone special renovation to accommodate the historic artifact. The return of cultural objects from former colonies has emerged as a globally sensitive matter, with European and American museums, institutions, and private collectors facing mounting pressure to repatriate stolen heritage.
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