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In the wake of over 50 editions delving into the global Black diaspora, this represents a last column. The tenure proved incredibly rewarding, with great gratitude extended to every one of the attentive readers.

Inside Accra Cultural Week

Attending the displays, artworks and acts of Accra Cultural Week, it becomes clear how the finest art sustains and shapes a country’s heritage and character. The centrepiece was certainly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s remarkable [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which put his innovative afrogallonism for all to see: a philosophy that transforms water vessels into illusory art pieces, assemblages of yellow, brass and gold. The display was designed as a homage to the endurance of this area, a historic area of Accra.

This area – largely home to the Ga ethnic group, a community of fishermen – is also where numerous formerly enslaved people came back from South America and established themselves in the 19th century. Called the Tabom, they brought Brazilian language and culture.

In every part of Jamestown, one observes a fusion of architectural styles. You'll find Fort Vicentia, with its unique colonial-era brickwork and door arches. Also present is the iconic beacon, constructed in the 1800s and later sporting its signature banded appearance.

Traditions of Celebration

Also striking about Jamestown is the ever-present sight of obituary announcements. Wherever you look, be it plastered over buildings or on big signboards, there are funeral details and expressions of loss. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, memorial services are significant communal events.

In this breathtaking show, every aspect of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are present – notably in the enveloping Jamestown nshonaa work. Here, visitors are calmed by the audio of crashing waves with beach material at your feet, while beach huts, nets and images of vessels celebrate its spirited, multigenerational maritime community. However experiencing this exhibition space, the mind turns to the mountains of discarded clothing that threaten the charm and tranquillity of the area.

In Addition to the Main Event

There is a great deal more. Inside an raw space at the University of Ghana, creator Reginald Sylvester II showcased On the Other Side of Languish, an incredibly moving, stripped-back show that included sculptures and paintings produced in collaboration with artisans.

Also featured was the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for Ghanaian women creators. It included the inaugural exhibition of a prior recipient, whose work references historical documents to craft a visual impression of life in Ghana after independence. The event also honored a current winner, whose varied work is particularly invested in the textile traditions of women in a specific region.

A Permanent Presence

While the global African community has more and more been drawn back to west Africa in the western winter, more and more are thinking about travelling earlier in the year to immerse themselves in the area's artistic calendar. From this festival and other major events, what you’ll find are cultural ecosystems that are not simply new or “upcoming” but have established an complete universe that is permanent.

Finally, the visit leaves one with a vision of Accra that resembles a declaration for ecological stewardship and the preservation of tradition. It is a resonant homage to resilience in all its expressions.