Ivory Coast welcomes return of sacred drum taken during French colonial rule

Описание: (13 Mar 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Abidjan, Ivory Coast – 13 March 2026
1. People hit drums at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport on the arrival of a sacred drum France is returning to Ivory Coast
2. Placard with image of the drum, reading (French) "Welcoming of the talking drum Djidji Ayokwe",
which must remain in a climate controlled box in order to reacclimate to Ivory Coast’s weather
3. Airplane carrying the drum
4. Various of drum being removed from plane
5. Ivory Coast’s culture minister, Françoise Remarck, looking on
6. Remarck stands in front of the box containing the drum
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Françoise Remarck, Ivorian culture minister:
"Your return is a message for our young people who have decided to take ownership of their history, for the communities that are rediscovering their Djidji Ayôkwé, a symbol of social cohesion, peace and dialogue."
8. Various of men dancing to welcome drum
9. SOUNDBITE (French) Serge Akmel, spectator:
“This drum has been gone for centuries, so today, as a young man, I am overjoyed to receive it and to see it. It makes me happy because this drum is sacred. It is a talking drum; it used to transmit information to every Atchan village. But when this drum was taken, it was difficult for us; they took something heavy from us. Today, we received the drum.”
10. People wait for the drum
11. Drum is placed on a red carpet
12. SOUNDBITE (French) Chabel Kouakou, spectator:
"It is a drum that has been lost for centuries. Today, it is an honor to see this drum again on our land. It is a source of pride for us."
13. Various of men in traditional dress
STORYLINE:
France returned a sacred drum that was taken from Ivory Coast during colonial rule at a ceremony in Abidjan Friday, marking the first official restitution of a cultural artefact from France to the West African country.

The Djidji Ayôkwé, described as the "tallking drum" is a massive carved wooden drum once used by the Atchan people of the Abidjan region to communicate between villages, landed in the economic capital early Friday morning.

The artefact will spend a month in a secure location to prevent cracks in the centuries-old wood. It must remain in a climate controlled box most of the time, in order to reacclimate to Ivory Coast’s weather

It is expected to go on display in April at the newly renovated Museum of Civilizations in Abidjan.

"Your return is a message for our young people who have decided to take ownership of their history, for the communities that are rediscovering their Djidji Ayôkwé, a symbol of social cohesion, peace and dialogue,” Ivory Coast’s culture minister, Françoise Remarck, said during the ceremony.

Seized by French colonial authorities in 1916, the Djidji Ayôkwé had been among 148 objects formally requested by Ivory Coast from France in 2018.

“This drum has been gone for centuries, so today, as a young man, I am overjoyed to receive it and to see it,” said Serge Akmel, who came to watch the arrival.

“When this drum was taken, it was difficult for us; they took something heavy from us. Today, we received the drum.”

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to return the drum during the Africa-France summit in 2021, part of broader discussions on the restitution of African cultural heritage.

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