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After over 50 installments delving into the international Black diaspora, this marks a concluding dispatch. The tenure was incredibly gratifying, and immense thanks directed to every one of the attentive readers.

Inside the Accra Festival

Experiencing the exhibitions, installations and shows of the festival, one sees how exceptional art sustains and builds a nation's past and identity. 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 plastic containers into mesmerizing art pieces, tapestries of metallic tones. The display was designed as a tribute to the strength of Jamestown, a historic area of Accra.

The community – predominantly home to the Ga community, a seafaring people – is furthermore where numerous freed slaves arrived from Brazil and established themselves in the 19th century. Known as the Tabom people, they brought Brazilian tongue and customs.

All across Jamestown, visitors encounter a mix of architectural styles. Standing is a historic building, with its distinct European-style masonry and arched doorways. Also present is the famous Jamestown Lighthouse, built in the 1871 and later featuring its recognizable banded exterior.

Traditions of Mourning

Equally striking about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of memorial notices. Wherever you look, whether affixed to alleyways or on sizable signboards, you’ll see funeral details and phrases of mourning. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, funerals are major communal events.

In Clottey’s impressive exhibition, every aspect of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are present – particularly in the enveloping Jamestown nshonaa work. Here, one is relaxed by the sound of ocean surf with beach material at your feet, while shacks, nets and images of vessels pay homage to its vibrant, multigenerational seafaring tradition. However experiencing this gallery, one cannot help but think of the piles of discarded clothing that threaten the aesthetics and peace of the area.

Beyond the Centrepiece

There is additional highlights. Within an unfinished structure at the local university, creator Sylvester presented On the Other Side of Languish, an emotionally powerful, minimalist exhibition that displayed sculptures and paintings created in concert with metalworkers.

And then there is the competition for female artists for female Ghanaian artists. It showcased the inaugural exhibition of a prior winner, whose work utilizes familial archival records to craft a depiction of life in the nation's recent history. The event also crowned a latest champion, whose varied work is particularly concerned with the craft techniques of women in Dabala.

A Lasting Legacy

Although the overseas community has increasingly been drawn home to the region during the winter months, an increasing number are considering visiting for the cultural season to experience the area's festival period. From Accra Cultural Week and other major events, what you’ll find are creative communities that are not simply emerging or “rising” but have established an whole universe that is enduring.

Finally, the visit leaves one with a vision of Accra that resembles a declaration for ecological stewardship and the keeping alive of culture. It is a powerful homage to adaptability in all its manifestations.