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Following in excess of fifty installments navigating the international Black diaspora, this represents a concluding dispatch. The tenure was incredibly fulfilling, and immense appreciation directed to every one of the attentive followers.

Exploring the Cultural Week

Attending the exhibitions, artworks and performances of Accra Cultural Week, observers witness how the finest art sustains and constructs a country’s heritage and identity. The centrepiece was undoubtedly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s stunning a profound exploration of ritual and time, which put his groundbreaking afrogallonism for all to see: a concept that transforms yellow jerrycans into illusory creations, tapestries of metallic tones. The exhibition was designed as a homage to the strength of the historic district, a historic area of Accra.

The community – largely home to the Ga community, a fishing community – is also where many freed slaves came back from South America and settled in the 19th century. Known as the Tabom community, they introduced Brazilian tongue and traditions.

Throughout Jamestown, one observes a blend of architectural styles. There’s Fort Vicentia, with its unique Portuguese masonry and arched doorways. One can also see the iconic lighthouse of Jamestown, constructed in the 1871 and subsequently sporting its signature banded exterior.

A Culture of Mourning

Also striking about Jamestown is the ubiquitous presence of funeral posters. Everywhere you turn, whether affixed to walls or on larger signboards, you’ll see announcements and terms of mourning. In Jamestown, similar to the rest of Ghana, final rites are large-scale community celebrations.

In this impressive installation, the entirety of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are captured – especially in the immersive beach-themed installation. Within it, visitors are calmed by the recording of crashing waves with sand underfoot, while beach huts, hanging fishing nets and images of canoes honour its dynamic, generational seafaring tradition. However standing in this venue, it's hard to ignore the heaps of cast-off garments that compromise the charm and serenity of the region.

Beyond the Main Event

Accra Cultural Week also features additional highlights. Housed in an raw space at the University of Ghana, artist Reginald Sylvester II exhibited On the Other Side of Languish, an emotionally powerful, stripped-back show that featured three-dimensional works and canvases created in partnership with welders.

And then there is the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for female Ghanaian artists. It included the inaugural exhibition of a prior laureate, whose work references historical documents to create a depiction of life in post-independence Ghana. The event also crowned a new champion, whose diverse work is deeply focused on the craft techniques of women in Dabala.

A Permanent Impact

While the diaspora has increasingly been pulled back to west Africa during the winter months, a growing cohort are thinking about journeying earlier in the year to experience the region’s festival period. Between this festival and other major events, what is evident are creative communities that are not simply emerging or “upcoming” but have established an entire landscape that is here to stay.

In the end, the experience leaves one with a image of Accra that serves as a manifesto for environmental protection and the keeping alive of culture. It is a compelling homage to perseverance in all its manifestations.