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Following more than 50 installments exploring the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a final column. The journey proved deeply rewarding, with immense gratitude extended to all the dedicated followers.

Inside Accra Cultural Week

Attending the showcases, artworks and performances of this event, one sees how the finest art sustains and builds a country’s past and essence. The focal point was undoubtedly the artist's exquisite a profound exploration of ritual and time, which showcased his pioneering afrogallonism on full display: a concept that converts yellow jerrycans into captivating art pieces, mosaics of golden hues. The exhibition was created as a homage to the resilience of the historic district, a historic area of Accra.

The community – mainly populated by the Ga ethnic group, a seafaring people – is furthermore where a great number of returning Africans came back from Brazil and made their home in the 19th century. Called the Tabom, they carried with them Brazilian language and culture.

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

Customs of Mourning

Also notable about Jamestown is the ever-present sight of obituary announcements. Wherever you look, be it covering buildings or on big billboards, you’ll see service information and phrases of loss. In Jamestown, similar to the rest of Ghana, memorial services are significant community celebrations.

In Clottey’s impressive show, all of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are captured – especially in the engaging Jamestown nshonaa work. Within it, one is relaxed by the recording of ocean surf with granules underfoot, while shelters, nets and images of vessels pay homage to its vibrant, multigenerational seafaring tradition. But being present in this gallery, the mind turns to the mountains of textile waste that mar the aesthetics and peace of the region.

In Addition to the Headline Act

There is additional highlights. Inside an raw space at the University of Ghana, artist Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an profoundly affecting, minimalist exhibition that displayed sculptures and paintings created in partnership with welders.

Also featured was the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for Ghanaian women creators. It featured the debut presentation of a 2024 winner, whose work utilizes personal family archives to produce a visual impression of life in the nation's recent history. The event also honored a current winner, whose multidisciplinary work is deeply invested in the textile traditions of women in the Volta region.

A Lasting Presence

While the global African community has more and more been pulled home to west Africa in the western winter, a growing cohort are thinking about journeying for the cultural season to experience the area's festival period. From Accra Cultural Week and other major events, what is evident are art scenes that are not simply emerging or “rising” but have established an entire universe that is here to stay.

Ultimately, the experience leaves one with a image of Accra that resembles a manifesto for environmental protection and the keeping alive of culture. It is a compelling homage to perseverance in all its expressions.