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Following more than 50 issues exploring the international Black diaspora, this represents a last column. The journey proved profoundly rewarding, and great thanks directed to all the engaged audience.

Inside the Accra Festival

Attending the displays, presentations and performances of Accra Cultural Week, it becomes clear how superior art feeds and constructs a nation's history and identity. The centrepiece was undoubtedly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s stunning [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which showcased his groundbreaking afrogallonism in full view: a approach that converts plastic containers into mesmerizing works of art, tapestries of metallic tones. The exhibition was created as a tribute to the resilience of the historic district, a historical area of Accra.

Jamestown – predominantly home to the Ga ethnic group, a community of fishermen – is additionally where a great number of returning Africans arrived from Brazil and made their home in the 19th century. Known as the Tabom people, they introduced Brazilian language and customs.

All across Jamestown, one observes a blend of building designs. Standing is a historic building, with its distinct colonial-era masonry and arched doorways. One can also see the prominent Jamestown Lighthouse, built in the 1800s and eventually sporting its recognizable banded exterior.

Traditions of Celebration

Equally remarkable about Jamestown is the ever-present presence of obituary announcements. On every corner, whether affixed to buildings or on sizable billboards, you’ll see service information and expressions of mourning. In Jamestown, similar to the rest of Ghana, final rites are significant community celebrations.

In Clottey’s breathtaking show, every aspect of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are evoked – especially in the engaging shoreline installation. In this space, you’re soothed by the sound of the sea with granules underfoot, while shelters, draped nets and depictions of vessels celebrate its dynamic, generational seafaring tradition. Yet standing in this venue, it's hard to ignore the mountains of textile waste that mar the aesthetics and peace of the region.

Beyond the Headline Act

Accra Cultural Week also features a great deal more. Inside an raw space at the University of Ghana, artist Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an emotionally powerful, austere presentation that displayed three-dimensional works and artworks made in collaboration with artisans.

Another key element is the competition for female artists for female Ghanaian artists. It showcased the first solo show of a recent recipient, whose work references personal family archives to produce a visual impression of life in the nation's recent history. The event also honored a current winner, whose diverse work is deeply invested in the craft techniques of women in a specific region.

A Permanent Impact

Although the overseas community has increasingly been pulled home to Ghana during the western winter, a growing cohort are contemplating journeying earlier in the year to immerse themselves in the region’s festival period. From this festival and other major events, what emerges are art scenes that are not merely emerging or “rising” but have built up an complete universe that is enduring.

Ultimately, the visit leaves one with a image of Accra that resembles a declaration for environmental protection and the preservation of tradition. It is a compelling testament to resilience in all its expressions.