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After in excess of fifty editions navigating the worldwide Black diaspora, this represents a final dispatch. The experience was profoundly gratifying, and immense appreciation extended to every one of the attentive audience.

Inside the Cultural Week

Visiting the exhibitions, presentations and acts of the festival, observers witness how superior art nourishes and constructs a country’s history and character. The centrepiece was without doubt Clottey's remarkable [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which put his groundbreaking afrogallonism for all to see: a philosophy that transforms plastic containers into illusory creations, assemblages of yellow, brass and gold. The display was created as a testament to the strength of the historic district, a venerable area of Accra.

This area – mainly inhabited by the Ga people, a community of fishermen – is additionally where a great number of freed slaves returned from Brazil and settled in the 1830s. Referred to as the Tabom, they brought Portuguese tongue and culture.

In every part of Jamestown, one observes a mix of architectural styles. Standing is Fort Vicentia, with its unique colonial-era brickwork and curved entrances. Also present is the iconic Jamestown Lighthouse, erected in the 19th century and subsequently featuring its signature striped appearance.

A Culture of Celebration

Also striking about Jamestown is the pervasive presence of memorial notices. Wherever you look, whether covering buildings or on larger billboards, one finds announcements and expressions of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, final rites are large-scale communal events.

In Clottey’s spectacular show, every aspect of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are evoked – notably in the enveloping Jamestown nshonaa piece. In this space, you’re soothed by the recording of crashing waves with beach material at your feet, while shelters, hanging fishing nets and representations of vessels pay homage to its spirited, long-standing fishing community. Yet experiencing this gallery, the mind turns to the mountains of discarded clothing that threaten the aesthetics and peace of the area.

Apart from the Main Event

Accra Cultural Week also features a great deal more. Housed in an unfinished structure at the University of Ghana, creator Sylvester presented On the Other Side of Languish, an profoundly affecting, austere show that featured sculptures and canvases created in partnership with metalworkers.

Also featured was the competition for female artists for Ghanaian women creators. It showcased the inaugural exhibition of a recent recipient, whose work references personal family archives to craft a artistic representation of life in the nation's recent history. The event also crowned a latest winner, whose multidisciplinary work is particularly invested in the weaving practices of women in Dabala.

A Permanent Legacy

While the overseas community has more and more been pulled home to Ghana in the colder season, more and more are contemplating journeying earlier in the year to immerse themselves in the area's cultural season. Between Accra Cultural Week and similar gatherings, what is evident are creative communities that are not merely new or “upcoming” but have built up an entire landscape that is permanent.

Ultimately, the journey leaves one with a vision of Accra that serves as a manifesto for ecological stewardship and the keeping alive of tradition. It is a powerful homage to adaptability in all its expressions.