🔗 Share this article

After in excess of fifty installments delving into the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a final dispatch. The journey has been deeply rewarding, with sincere gratitude directed to every one of the attentive readers.

Exploring the Cultural Week

Visiting the exhibitions, artworks and acts of the festival, observers witness how the finest art nourishes and builds a nation's history and identity. The highlight was undoubtedly Clottey's stunning [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which showcased his groundbreaking afrogallonism in full view: a approach that transforms plastic containers into mesmerizing creations, tapestries of yellow, brass and gold. The display was created as a testament to the resilience of this area, a historic neighbourhood of Accra.

The community – largely inhabited by the Ga community, a community of fishermen – is additionally where numerous freed slaves came back from Brazil and settled in the 1830s. Known as the Tabom, they brought Brazilian language and culture.

All across Jamestown, visitors encounter a mix of architectural styles. Standing is Fort Vicentia, featuring its distinct Portuguese construction and door arches. Also present is the iconic lighthouse of Jamestown, erected in the 19th century and later sporting its signature banded appearance.

A Culture of Remembrance

Also remarkable about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of memorial notices. Wherever you look, whether covering buildings or on big signboards, one finds funeral details and phrases of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, final rites are large-scale communal events.

In the artist's impressive show, every aspect of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are captured – particularly in the enveloping shoreline installation. Here, you’re soothed by the sound of the sea with granules on the floor, while shacks, nets and representations of canoes pay homage to its vibrant, multigenerational fishing community. But being present in this exhibition space, one cannot help but think of the heaps of cast-off garments that mar the charm and tranquillity of the shoreline.

Apart from the Headline Act

There is much more. Within an incomplete building at the campus, artist Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an emotionally powerful, stripped-back presentation that featured three-dimensional works and artworks produced in concert with artisans.

And then there is the prestigious art award for women artists of Ghanaian origin. It featured the debut presentation of a 2024 recipient, whose work references personal family archives to create a visual impression of life in the nation's recent history. The event also crowned a latest winner, whose multidisciplinary work is deeply invested in the weaving practices of women in the Volta region.

An Enduring Impact

While the overseas community has grown been drawn home to west Africa in the colder season, more and more are contemplating travelling earlier in the year to immerse themselves in the region’s festival period. From Accra Cultural Week and similar gatherings, what you’ll find are creative communities that are not merely new or “upcoming” but have established an entire world that is here to stay.

Ultimately, the experience leaves one with a perception of Accra that feels like a manifesto for conservation and the keeping alive of heritage. It is a compelling testament to adaptability in all its forms.