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In the wake of in excess of 50 installments delving into the global Black diaspora, this marks a final column. The tenure has been profoundly gratifying, and great gratitude directed to every one of the engaged readers.

Inside the Cultural Week

Attending the showcases, artworks and performances of this event, one sees how the finest art sustains and builds a country’s history and essence. The focal point was without doubt Serge Attukwei Clottey’s stunning [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which showcased his innovative afrogallonism for all to see: a approach that transforms water vessels into mesmerizing works of art, tapestries of golden hues. The show was created as a tribute to the resilience of Jamestown, a historic quarter of Accra.

This area – largely populated by the Ga people, a seafaring people – is also where many returning Africans returned from South America and made their home in the 1830s. Known as the Tabom community, they introduced Brazilian language and culture.

Throughout Jamestown, you can see a mix of building designs. You'll find a historic building, featuring its characteristic Portuguese construction and door arches. Another landmark is the prominent beacon, constructed in the 1800s and later given its distinctive striped facade.

Traditions of Celebration

Equally notable about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of memorial notices. Everywhere you turn, be it covering alleyways or on sizable hoardings, you’ll see service information and phrases of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, final rites are large-scale community celebrations.

In Clottey’s breathtaking installation, the entirety of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are present – notably in the enveloping shoreline work. Within it, one is relaxed by the audio of ocean surf with beach material at your feet, while beach huts, hanging fishing nets and images of canoes celebrate its dynamic, long-standing fishing community. Yet standing in this exhibition space, the mind turns to the mountains of cast-off garments that compromise the aesthetics and serenity of the shoreline.

Beyond the Centrepiece

The festival program included additional highlights. Housed in an incomplete building at the campus, creator Sylvester showcased On the Other Side of Languish, an emotionally powerful, minimalist show that featured three-dimensional works and canvases created in collaboration with metalworkers.

Also featured was the competition for female artists for women artists of Ghanaian origin. It showcased the inaugural exhibition of a prior recipient, whose work utilizes personal family archives to create a visual impression of life in Ghana after independence. The event also honored a new champion, whose multidisciplinary work is particularly focused on the textile traditions of women in Dabala.

An Enduring Legacy

While the diaspora has more and more been drawn back to the region during the western winter, a growing cohort are considering travelling for the cultural season to engage with the area's cultural season. From this festival and similar gatherings, what emerges are cultural ecosystems that are not merely new or “rising” but have forged an complete universe that is permanent.

In the end, the visit offers a image of Accra that resembles a manifesto for environmental protection and the keeping alive of heritage. It is a resonant testament to adaptability in all its forms.