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In the wake of in excess of 50 issues exploring the international Black diaspora, this signifies a last column. The tenure was deeply rewarding, with immense gratitude offered to all the attentive audience.

Exploring the Cultural Week

Visiting the displays, presentations and acts of Accra Cultural Week, one sees how the finest art feeds and builds a country’s history and essence. The centrepiece was without doubt the artist's exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which showcased his innovative afrogallonism in full view: a approach that reimagines yellow jerrycans into mesmerizing works of art, mosaics of golden hues. The show was conceived as a testament to the strength of this area, a venerable quarter of Accra.

The community – mainly inhabited by the Ga ethnic group, a seafaring people – is also where numerous freed slaves arrived from Brazil and made their home in the 19th century. Referred to as the Tabom community, they introduced Portuguese tongue and culture.

All across Jamestown, one observes a fusion of architecture. You'll find Franklin House, featuring its unique European-style brickwork and door arches. One can also see the prominent beacon, built in the 19th century and subsequently given its recognizable red-and-white-striped exterior.

A Culture of Remembrance

Equally notable about Jamestown is the ubiquitous presence of memorial notices. Everywhere you turn, whether affixed to walls or on sizable billboards, you’ll see funeral details and expressions of mourning. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, final rites are significant social gatherings.

In this spectacular exhibition, all of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are evoked – notably in the enveloping beach-themed work. Within it, one is relaxed by the recording of ocean surf with sand on the floor, while shelters, draped nets and depictions of vessels celebrate its vibrant, generational maritime community. But being present in this gallery, one cannot help but think of the heaps of discarded clothing that mar the charm and tranquillity of the area.

In Addition to the Main Event

Accra Cultural Week also features additional highlights. Housed in an unfinished structure at the University of Ghana, artist Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an incredibly moving, austere exhibition that featured sculptures and paintings produced in collaboration with artisans.

Another key element is the competition for female artists for Ghanaian women creators. It showcased the first solo show of a recent laureate, whose work draws on historical documents to create a artistic representation of life in post-independence Ghana. The event also crowned a new winner, whose varied work is deeply invested in the craft techniques of women in a specific region.

An Enduring Presence

While the overseas community has increasingly been drawn home to the region in the colder season, more and more are considering travelling for the cultural season to immerse themselves in the area's festival period. Between Accra Cultural Week and regional art fairs, what you’ll find are cultural ecosystems that are not simply new or “upcoming” but have built up an whole universe that is enduring.

Ultimately, the journey leaves one with a vision of Accra that resembles a statement for conservation and the keeping alive of tradition. It is a powerful homage to perseverance in all its manifestations.