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flag France returns 1916-looted talking drum to Côte d'Ivoire in landmark restitution.

flag France has returned the sacred Djidji Ayôkwé talking drum, looted from Côte d'Ivoire in 1916, to Abidjan on March 13, 2026, marking the first official restitution of a cultural artifact from France to the West African nation. flag The 3.3-meter-long, 430-kilogram drum, used by the Atchan people for communication and warnings, was handed over at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport following a 2025 law enabling such repatriations and a 2018 request by Côte d'Ivoire for 148 colonial-era items. flag After a month-long acclimatization period, it will be displayed at the renovated Museum of Civilizations in Abidjan. flag The event is part of broader efforts by France and other Western nations to return cultural heritage stolen during colonial rule.

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