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In the wake of more than fifty installments exploring the international Black diaspora, this marks a last dispatch. The tenure was deeply fulfilling, with great appreciation directed to every one of the attentive followers.

A Look Inside the Cultural Week

Attending the exhibitions, artworks and shows of Accra Cultural Week, one sees how the finest art nourishes and builds a nation's past and identity. The highlight was certainly the artist's stunning a profound exploration of ritual and time, which displayed his innovative afrogallonism for all to see: a concept that transforms water vessels into mesmerizing creations, assemblages of yellow, brass and gold. The show was conceived as a testament to the resilience of this area, a historical neighbourhood of Accra.

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

In every part of Jamestown, visitors encounter a fusion of architectural styles. There’s a historic building, with its characteristic colonial-era brickwork and curved entrances. One can also see the famous beacon, erected in the 19th century and later featuring its signature striped facade.

Customs of Remembrance

Furthermore striking about Jamestown is the ubiquitous presence of obituary announcements. Wherever you look, be it affixed to walls or on larger signboards, there are service information and terms of loss. In Jamestown, similar to the rest of Ghana, memorial services are significant social gatherings.

In this breathtaking installation, the entirety of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are present – particularly in the enveloping beach-themed work. Within it, one is relaxed by the recording of the sea with beach material underfoot, while shelters, nets and depictions of vessels celebrate its spirited, generational fishing community. Yet standing in this venue, it's hard to ignore the mountains of discarded clothing that threaten the charm and tranquillity of the region.

Apart from the Main Event

There is a great deal more. Within an raw space at the local university, creator Sylvester exhibited On the Other Side of Languish, an profoundly affecting, minimalist exhibition that displayed three-dimensional works and artworks created in partnership with metalworkers.

Another key element is the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for female Ghanaian artists. It featured the first solo show of a prior recipient, whose work utilizes historical documents to create a artistic representation of life in Ghana after independence. The event also crowned a latest winner, whose varied work is intensely focused on the textile traditions of women in a specific region.

A Lasting Presence

While the overseas community has more and more been pulled back to the region in the western winter, more and more are thinking about visiting earlier in the year to immerse themselves in the region’s cultural season. Between this festival and regional art fairs, what is evident are creative communities that are not merely emerging or “upcoming” but have established an whole landscape that is here to stay.

Finally, the experience leaves one with a perception of Accra that serves as a statement for environmental protection and the safeguarding of culture. It is a resonant homage to perseverance in all its manifestations.