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After in excess of 50 installments exploring the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a concluding column. The journey was deeply rewarding, and great appreciation directed to all the dedicated readers.

A Look Inside Accra Cultural Week

Attending the showcases, installations and shows of Accra Cultural Week, one sees how exceptional art feeds and constructs a country’s heritage and identity. The centrepiece was without doubt the artist's exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which displayed his pioneering afrogallonism in full view: a philosophy that reimagines plastic containers into captivating creations, mosaics of golden hues. The show was designed as a tribute to the resilience of the historic district, a historical neighbourhood of Accra.

The community – largely populated by the Ga people, a community of fishermen – is additionally where a great number of formerly enslaved people returned from Brazil and made their home in the 1830s. Known as the Tabom people, they introduced Portuguese language and traditions.

All across Jamestown, you can see a mix of architectural styles. Standing is a historic building, boasting its unique colonial-era construction and curved entrances. Also present is the famous lighthouse of Jamestown, built in the 19th century and eventually featuring its distinctive striped facade.

A Culture of Celebration

Equally striking about Jamestown is the ubiquitous sight of obituary announcements. Wherever you look, be it covering alleyways or on sizable signboards, there are service information and phrases of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, funerals are major community celebrations.

In this spectacular installation, the entirety of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are captured – notably in the immersive shoreline work. Within it, one is relaxed by the sound of the sea with granules at your feet, while beach huts, hanging fishing nets and images of vessels pay homage to its dynamic, multigenerational maritime community. Yet standing in this gallery, one cannot help but think of the heaps of cast-off garments that threaten the beauty and serenity of the region.

In Addition to the Centrepiece

There is a great deal more. Within an incomplete building at the University of Ghana, artist Reginald Sylvester II showcased On the Other Side of Languish, an incredibly moving, austere presentation that included three-dimensional works and canvases created in collaboration with welders.

And then there is the prestigious art award for female Ghanaian artists. It showcased the debut presentation of a recent recipient, whose work references historical documents to craft a depiction of life in Ghana after independence. The event also crowned a new winner, whose diverse work is deeply invested in the craft techniques of women in a specific region.

A Permanent Presence

Although the diaspora has increasingly been drawn back to Ghana in the winter months, more and more are considering visiting for the cultural season to immerse themselves in the area's festival period. Between Accra Cultural Week and regional art fairs, what emerges are creative communities that are not merely emerging or “upcoming” but have forged an whole landscape that is enduring.

In the end, the experience leaves one with a perception of Accra that serves as a statement for ecological stewardship and the keeping alive of heritage. It is a resonant testament to adaptability in all its forms.