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France Returns Sacred Talking Drum to Ivory Coast

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France has repatriated a sacred talking drum, the Djidji Ayôkwé, to Ivory Coast more than a century after it was looted during colonial rule. Seized by French colonial authorities in 1916 and later displayed in Parisian museums, the drum was welcomed back by the Ebrié community at Abidjan International Airport, still in its protective crate. The 3-metre-long, 430kg drum is carved from iroko wood and holds deep cultural and ceremonial significance.

The return of the Djidji Ayôkwé is part of France’s broader effort to repatriate African cultural artefacts, a process initiated in 2017. Ivory Coast’s Culture Minister Françoise Remarck called it a historic moment of justice and remembrance, highlighting the drum’s central role in mobilizing communities, warning of danger, and summoning villagers for ceremonies.

This drum marks the first of 148 objects Ivory Coast is seeking to reclaim from France and other countries. The French government has previously returned Abomey royal treasures to Benin and a historic sabre to Senegal, and a new framework law aims to streamline the restitution of colonial-era artefacts from national collections.

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Art News

France fines African activist for his protest in a museum in Paris

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A France court has imposed a huge fine on an African activist who has staged a protest in a museum in Paris by attempting to remove an African artefact from the museum.

The activist livestreamed the whole episode. He alleged that the art piece was the part of art pieces looted from his continent during the colonial era.

He defended his act by saying that his attempt was to reclaim the art piece which was looted from his continent by France.

The act was intended to gain global attention over the matter of colonial looting.

Anyway, the France court has dismissed his defence. It has imposed a huge fine on the activist.

The court has justified its decision saying that the fine has been imposed to deprive others from following the same path adopted by the activist.

The activist has been found guilty fort aggravated robbery.

The judge has pointed out that he could have adopted other methods to invite the attention of the global community into the matter.

The action of the French court has invited mixed response. Many have come forward in support of the activist and the matter he attempted to project with his act to the world.

Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright