A Homage to Fortitude: Lessons to Glean from the Grandeur of Accra's Cultural Festival.

In the wake of more than 50 editions exploring the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a last column. The experience proved profoundly rewarding, and great thanks extended to all the dedicated audience.

A Look Inside the Cultural Week

Experiencing the exhibitions, artworks and shows of the festival, one sees how exceptional art sustains and shapes a country’s history and essence. The highlight was certainly the artist's exquisite a profound exploration of ritual and time, which displayed his innovative afrogallonism on full display: a approach that converts water vessels into illusory art pieces, assemblages of golden hues. The display was created as a tribute to the endurance of Jamestown, a historic quarter of Accra.

Jamestown – mainly home to the Ga ethnic group, a fishing community – is additionally where many returning Africans returned from South America and settled in the 19th century. Called the Tabom community, they carried with them Brazilian language and customs.

In every part of Jamestown, visitors encounter a fusion of architecture. You'll find Franklin House, featuring its unique European-style construction and door arches. Another landmark is the prominent Jamestown Lighthouse, constructed in the 1800s and later sporting its distinctive banded exterior.

Traditions of Mourning

Equally notable about Jamestown is the ubiquitous presence of obituary announcements. On every corner, whether affixed to alleyways or on larger billboards, you’ll see service information and phrases of farewell. In Jamestown, mirroring customs in Ghana, funerals are significant community celebrations.

In the artist's impressive exhibition, every aspect of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are present – especially in the engaging shoreline installation. In this space, one is relaxed by the sound of ocean surf with granules at your feet, while shacks, hanging fishing nets and depictions of vessels celebrate its dynamic, long-standing fishing community. But being present in this venue, the mind turns to the heaps of cast-off garments that threaten the beauty and tranquillity of the area.

Apart from the Main Event

Accra Cultural Week also features a great deal more. Housed in an raw space at the University of Ghana, creator Reginald Sylvester II presented On the Other Side of Languish, an incredibly moving, stripped-back presentation that included sculptures and canvases made in collaboration with artisans.

Also featured was the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for women artists of Ghanaian origin. It included the first solo show of a prior winner, whose work utilizes familial archival records to create a depiction of life in the nation's recent history. The event also crowned a new champion, whose diverse work is deeply focused on the textile traditions of women in the Volta region.

An Enduring Impact

While the global African community has grown been pulled back to west Africa during the winter months, more and more are considering journeying some months earlier to engage with the area's cultural season. Between this festival and other major events, what you’ll find are art scenes that are not merely new or “upcoming” but have built up an complete universe that is permanent.

Ultimately, the journey leaves one with a vision of Accra that serves as a manifesto for conservation and the preservation of culture. It is a compelling testament to perseverance in all its manifestations.