A sacred drum that once served as a powerful communication tool for communities in Ivory Coast has returned home more than a century after it was seized during French colonial rule. Known as the Djidji Ayokwe, the massive wooden instrument was taken by French authorities in 1916 and later transported to France, where it remained in museum collections for decades. Its recent return marks a significant moment for cultural restitution and historical justice. For the Ebrie people, the drum is far more than an artefact. It represents a living symbol of identity, tradition and authority, once capable of sending messages across entire communities through sound alone.
The return of the sacred talking drum
The Djidji Ayokwe was officially returned to Ivory Coast after the French parliament approved a special law allowing the artefact to be removed from France’s national collections. The sacred drum had been displayed in Paris for decades, first at the former Trocadero Museum and later at the Musee du Quai Branly.It arrived in Abidjan aboard a specially chartered plane and was welcomed by traditional dancers, local chiefs and cultural officials at Félix Houphouet-Boigny International Airport. The drum was kept inside a large wooden crate marked “fragile” as part of careful efforts to protect the historic object during transport.Ivory Coast’s Culture Minister Françoise Remarck described the moment as deeply emotional and historically important.“This is a historic day with a lot of emotions,” she said. “We are living through a moment of justice and remembrance that finally marks the return of the Djidji Ayokwe to its land of origin.”
A traditional dancer welcomes the return of the Djidji Ayôkwé in Abidjan.
What is the Djidji Ayokwe talking drum?
The Djidji Ayokwe, sometimes translated as “Panther Lion,” is an enormous wooden talking drum that measures more than three metres in length and weighs around 430 kilograms. It is carved from iroko wood, a durable hardwood widely used in West African craftsmanship.Unlike smaller talking drums used by musicians, this instrument was designed for long-distance communication. Its powerful sound could travel across large areas of land, allowing messages to reach multiple villages.The drum belonged to the Ebrie people, an ethnic group historically based around the region that is now Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city. Within Ebrie society the drum was regarded as sacred and was closely tied to leadership and community authority.
Why it is called a talking drum
The name “talking drum” comes from the way the instrument could imitate the rhythm and tone patterns of human speech.Many West African languages are tonal, meaning that the pitch and rhythm of words can change their meaning. Skilled drummers learned how to reproduce these tonal patterns through carefully controlled beats. By adjusting rhythm, tempo and pitch, they could transmit recognisable phrases and signals.For communities living across forests and lagoons, the drum functioned as an early communication system.Through specific rhythmic patterns it could announce gatherings, relay important messages, warn of danger or summon people for ceremonies and emergencies. Villagers familiar with the patterns could interpret what the drum was “saying” even from a distance.
Ceremony marking the return of the Djidji Ayôkwé talking drum.
A drum that carried authority
Beyond its practical use, the Djidji Ayokwe also carried deep symbolic meaning. It represented authority within the community and was closely associated with traditional leadership.The drum was typically used by designated drummers who were entrusted with communicating important messages on behalf of chiefs and elders. Because of its sacred status, the instrument was not treated as ordinary musical equipment but as a cultural object tied to identity and governance.Its presence in a village signalled unity and organisation within the Ebrie community.
How the drum was taken during colonial rule
The drum’s removal dates back to 1916 during the period of French colonial administration in Ivory Coast. French authorities confiscated the instrument, reportedly because they feared its ability to mobilise communities and spread messages quickly.After being seized, the drum was eventually transported to France in 1929. There it became part of museum collections documenting African cultures during the colonial era.For decades the Djidji Ayokwe remained far from the community that created it.
Part of a broader movement to return cultural artefacts
The return of the talking drum is part of a wider international debate about the restitution of cultural objects taken during colonial rule.In recent years France has begun returning several important artefacts to African countries. The process gained momentum after French President Emmanuel Macron announced in 2017 that African heritage should be able to return to the continent.Ivory Coast has requested the return of more than a hundred cultural objects currently held in European museums. The Djidji Ayokwe is the first of these artefacts to be repatriated.Similar returns have already taken place elsewhere. France previously returned royal treasures from Abomey to Benin and a historic sabre belonging to a Senegalese leader.
A new home for the sacred drum
Following its return, the Djidji Ayokwe will be exhibited at the Museum of Civilizations in Abidjan.According to museum director Francis Tagro, the instrument will occupy a central place in the institution’s galleries so that visitors can learn about its cultural significance.“We are deeply happy and proud to receive this sacred drum,” Tagro said. “It means so much to us, and it will elevate the sense of culture of the younger generation.”For many Ivorians, the return of the drum represents more than the recovery of a historical artefact. It restores a symbol of collective memory and reconnects a community with a piece of its cultural heritage that had been absent for more than a century.
