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In the wake of in excess of 50 issues exploring the international Black diaspora, this represents a concluding column. The experience proved incredibly rewarding, with sincere gratitude directed to all the attentive followers.

A Look Inside the Accra Festival

Visiting the displays, installations and acts of Accra Cultural Week, it becomes clear how the finest art feeds and constructs a country’s history and essence. The focal point was without doubt the artist's exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which put his pioneering afrogallonism on full display: a philosophy that converts yellow jerrycans into mesmerizing works of art, mosaics of yellow, brass and gold. The show was created as a testament to the strength of the historic district, a historical neighbourhood of Accra.

This area – predominantly populated by the Ga ethnic group, a fishing community – is also where a great number of formerly enslaved people arrived from South America and made their home in the 1830s. Called the Tabom people, they brought Brazilian tongue and culture.

All across Jamestown, you can see a fusion of architectural styles. You'll find a historic building, featuring its characteristic European-style brickwork and curved entrances. Also present is the iconic Jamestown Lighthouse, built in the 1800s and eventually given its distinctive banded appearance.

A Culture of Mourning

Furthermore remarkable about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of memorial notices. Wherever you look, be it covering alleyways or on big hoardings, you’ll see announcements and expressions of farewell. In Jamestown, similar to the rest of Ghana, memorial services are large-scale community celebrations.

In the artist's breathtaking installation, every aspect of the sights, sounds and religious textures of Jamestown are present – especially in the immersive beach-themed work. In this space, you’re soothed by the sound of crashing waves with granules at your feet, while beach huts, nets and images of canoes celebrate its spirited, multigenerational seafaring tradition. Yet being present in this gallery, one cannot help but think of the heaps of discarded clothing that mar the aesthetics and serenity of the region.

In Addition to the Centrepiece

Accra Cultural Week also features much more. Within an raw space at the campus, artist Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an emotionally powerful, minimalist exhibition that included three-dimensional works and canvases created in concert with metalworkers.

Also featured was the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for female Ghanaian artists. It showcased the inaugural exhibition of a recent winner, whose work utilizes personal family archives to produce a depiction of life in Ghana after independence. The event also crowned a latest champion, whose multidisciplinary work is intensely focused on the weaving practices of women in Dabala.

A Lasting Legacy

Although the global African community has increasingly been drawn home to the region during the winter months, more and more are contemplating visiting for the cultural season to engage with the area's artistic calendar. From this festival and similar gatherings, what is evident are creative communities that are not simply emerging or “upcoming” but have built up an complete universe that is permanent.

Ultimately, the visit provides a perception of Accra that serves as a statement for conservation and the preservation of heritage. It is a compelling homage to adaptability in all its manifestations.