France returns looted sacred talking drum to Ivory Coast after a century

France has officially returned the Djidji Ayôkwé, a sacred “talking drum” taken in 1916 during the colonial era to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Once used by the Atchan people to send messages between villages, the carved wooden instrument is a powerful cultural symbol. The restitution marks the first time France has returned a looted artifact to the West African nation.