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In the wake of in excess of 50 issues delving into the international Black diaspora, this represents a final dispatch. The experience was deeply fulfilling, with great thanks directed to every one of the attentive followers.

A Look Inside the Accra Festival

Attending the displays, artworks and shows of the festival, one sees how the finest art sustains and builds a nation's past and identity. The centrepiece was undoubtedly Clottey's exquisite [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which put his pioneering afrogallonism for all to see: a philosophy that reimagines water vessels into captivating art pieces, mosaics of yellow, brass and gold. The display was created as a testament to the endurance of Jamestown, a venerable quarter of Accra.

The community – predominantly home to the Ga community, a fishing community – is additionally where numerous returning Africans returned from South America and established themselves in the 19th century. Known as the Tabom, they carried with them Brazilian language and customs.

In every part of Jamestown, visitors encounter a mix of architectural styles. You'll find Fort Vicentia, boasting its characteristic Portuguese construction and door arches. Another landmark is the iconic beacon, erected in the 1871 and eventually sporting its signature red-and-white-striped appearance.

Traditions of Remembrance

Equally striking about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of memorial notices. Wherever you look, be it affixed to walls or on big hoardings, there are announcements and terms of loss. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, final rites are significant communal events.

In this impressive installation, the entirety of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are captured – especially in the engaging shoreline work. Within it, one is relaxed by the audio of the sea with granules at your feet, while shacks, draped nets and representations of canoes honour its vibrant, long-standing fishing community. However being present in this exhibition space, one cannot help but think of the piles of cast-off garments that compromise the beauty and peace of the shoreline.

In Addition to the Headline Act

There is a great deal more. Housed in an raw space at the local university, artist Sylvester exhibited On the Other Side of Languish, an incredibly moving, stripped-back presentation that included sculptures and canvases produced in concert with metalworkers.

Another key element is the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for Ghanaian women creators. It included the inaugural exhibition of a prior winner, whose work draws on familial archival records to craft a visual impression of life in post-independence Ghana. The event also announced a latest champion, whose multidisciplinary work is intensely concerned with the craft techniques of women in Dabala.

An Enduring Presence

Although the diaspora has more and more been drawn back to the region in the western winter, an increasing number are thinking about journeying for the cultural season to engage with the region’s festival period. From Accra Cultural Week and other major events, what emerges are cultural ecosystems that are not simply emerging or “upcoming” but have established an entire universe that is here to stay.

Finally, the visit offers a perception of Accra that serves as a manifesto for ecological stewardship and the keeping alive of culture. It is a resonant testament to adaptability in all its expressions.