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In the wake of more than 50 installments delving into the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a final piece. The journey has been incredibly gratifying, and immense gratitude offered to every one of the dedicated readers.

Exploring the Cultural Week

Attending the displays, artworks and performances of Accra Cultural Week, one sees how the finest art feeds and builds a nation's heritage and essence. The centrepiece was undoubtedly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which displayed his innovative afrogallonism for all to see: a approach that converts plastic containers into illusory art pieces, assemblages of golden hues. The display was conceived as a homage to the endurance of Jamestown, a historical area of Accra.

Jamestown – predominantly inhabited by the Ga people, a fishing community – is furthermore where a great number of formerly enslaved people returned from Brazil and made their home in the 19th century. Known as the Tabom, they introduced Brazilian language and culture.

All across Jamestown, one observes a fusion of building designs. There’s Franklin House, featuring its distinct Portuguese masonry and arched doorways. Another landmark is the iconic Jamestown Lighthouse, erected in the 1800s and eventually sporting its recognizable banded exterior.

A Culture of Remembrance

Also remarkable about Jamestown is the ever-present sight of memorial notices. On every corner, be it affixed to alleyways or on larger signboards, one finds announcements and expressions of loss. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, final rites are significant communal events.

In Clottey’s impressive exhibition, every aspect of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are present – notably in the engaging shoreline work. In this space, visitors are calmed by the recording of the sea with granules underfoot, while shelters, nets and representations of vessels celebrate its vibrant, long-standing seafaring tradition. Yet being present in this exhibition space, it's hard to ignore the mountains of cast-off garments that threaten the aesthetics and peace of the shoreline.

Apart from the Main Event

There is much more. Within an raw space at the local university, creator Sylvester exhibited On the Other Side of Languish, an incredibly moving, austere show that displayed three-dimensional works and paintings produced in concert with artisans.

Another key element is the competition for female artists for female Ghanaian artists. It included the first solo show of a 2024 laureate, whose work references personal family archives to craft a visual impression of life in Ghana after independence. The event also announced a new winner, whose varied work is intensely focused on the textile traditions of women in the Volta region.

An Enduring Impact

Although the diaspora has grown been pulled back to Ghana in the colder season, more and more are contemplating journeying earlier in the year to experience the area's cultural season. Between this festival and other major events, what you’ll find are art scenes that are not simply nascent or “rising” but have built up an whole universe that is permanent.

Ultimately, the experience leaves one with a perception of Accra that resembles a declaration for ecological stewardship and the keeping alive of heritage. It is a compelling homage to adaptability in all its manifestations.