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In the wake of over 50 installments exploring the global Black diaspora, this marks a final piece. The journey has been incredibly fulfilling, and sincere appreciation directed to all the engaged readers.

Inside Accra Cultural Week

Visiting the exhibitions, artworks and acts of the festival, observers witness how superior art feeds and shapes a country’s heritage and character. The focal point was undoubtedly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s stunning a profound exploration of ritual and time, which put his innovative afrogallonism for all to see: a philosophy that converts water vessels into mesmerizing creations, tapestries of metallic tones. The exhibition was conceived as a homage to the resilience of this area, a venerable quarter of Accra.

Jamestown – largely inhabited by the Ga ethnic group, a seafaring people – is also where many returning Africans came back from South America and settled in the 19th century. Called the Tabom community, they carried with them Brazilian tongue and traditions.

Throughout Jamestown, visitors encounter a fusion of architecture. You'll find a historic building, with its unique colonial-era masonry and arched doorways. Another landmark is the iconic beacon, constructed in the 1800s and eventually given its recognizable banded exterior.

Traditions of Remembrance

Equally remarkable about Jamestown is the ever-present sight of funeral posters. Everywhere you turn, be it affixed to walls or on sizable signboards, there are funeral details and terms of mourning. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, funerals are major social gatherings.

In Clottey’s impressive installation, every aspect of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are present – notably in the enveloping beach-themed work. Here, you’re soothed by the recording of the sea with sand underfoot, while shelters, hanging fishing nets and images of boats pay homage to its spirited, long-standing fishing community. Yet experiencing this venue, the mind turns to the heaps of discarded clothing that compromise the beauty and serenity of the area.

Apart from the Main Event

Accra Cultural Week also features a great deal more. Within an raw space at the campus, artist Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an emotionally powerful, minimalist show that featured three-dimensional works and artworks created in concert with welders.

Another key element is the prestigious art award for Ghanaian women creators. 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 announced a current winner, whose varied work is deeply focused on the weaving practices of women in the Volta region.

A Permanent Presence

While the global African community has grown been drawn home to the region during the western winter, an increasing number are thinking about travelling some months earlier to experience the region’s festival period. Between Accra Cultural Week and regional art fairs, what is evident are cultural ecosystems that are not merely nascent or “upcoming” but have built up an whole universe that is here to stay.

Finally, the visit leaves one with a image of Accra that feels like a manifesto for environmental protection and the keeping alive of heritage. It is a powerful testament to perseverance in all its forms.