ABIDJAN, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The talking drum Djidji Ayôkwè, a sacred object of the Atchan people of Abidjan that was confiscated by French colonial authorities in 1916, has returned to its land of origin, it was observed Friday during an official ceremony.
In the presence of traditional chiefs of the Atchan community and several officials, including the French ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire, Jean-Christophe Belliard, Ivorian Minister of Culture and Francophonie Françoise Remarck received at the Felix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan the crate shipped from Paris containing the Djidji Ayôkwè.
After an installation ritual conducted by an Atchan chief and a war dance performed by youths from the village of Anoumabo, in southern Abidjan, Françoise Remarck welcomed the return of the drum to its land of origin.
"This Friday, March 13, 2026, marking the physical handover of a drum originating from Cote d'Ivoire by the French authorities to the Ivorian authorities, constitutes a historic day," she said, stressing that it represents "a moment of justice and remembrance."
The return of the Atchan talking drum is part of the process of restituting African cultural property confiscated and transferred to France during the colonial period.
The restitution of the talking drum, enacted by a French law in 2025, follows the signing in Paris on Feb. 20 of the deed transferring ownership and the physical handover of the heritage object between the French and Ivorian authorities.
The return of Djidji Ayôkwè, the first item on a list of 148 cultural objects whose restitution Abidjan has requested from France, is seen as a cultural victory for Cote d'Ivoire.
"The return of this sacred drum is a message to our youth who wish to reclaim their history, as well as to the communities that are rediscovering their Djidji Ayôkwè, a symbol of social cohesion, peace and dialogue," the minister added.
In accordance with the protocol established between the Quai Branly Museum in Paris and the Museum of Civilizations of Cote d'Ivoire, the talking drum will first be placed in a "secure space" to allow for its "acclimatization."
"At the end of this stage, we will proceed, according to modalities yet to be defined, with its official presentation before its permanent installation at the Museum of Civilizations of Cote d'Ivoire," Remarck specified.
The Djidji Ayôkwè, a ritual wooden instrument measuring 3.3 meters in length and weighing 430 kg, is split at its center and decorated with a leaping leopard. It once served as a tool for community communication, an alert signal and a symbol of authority for the Atchan people. ■