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After more than fifty editions exploring the international Black diaspora, this signifies a last column. The tenure has been profoundly rewarding, and immense thanks extended to all the engaged followers.

Inside the Accra Festival

Visiting the exhibitions, presentations and acts of the festival, it becomes clear how superior art nourishes and builds a nation's heritage and character. The centrepiece was without doubt Clottey's exquisite a profound exploration of ritual and time, which showcased his groundbreaking afrogallonism on full display: a philosophy that converts water vessels into mesmerizing works of art, tapestries of yellow, brass and gold. The display was designed as a homage to the resilience of this area, a venerable neighbourhood of Accra.

This area – mainly home to the Ga people, a community of fishermen – is additionally where numerous returning Africans came back from South America and settled in the 19th century. Referred to as the Tabom people, they introduced Portuguese language and culture.

All across Jamestown, you can see a mix of building designs. You'll find a historic building, featuring its distinct European-style brickwork and curved entrances. Also present is the famous Jamestown Lighthouse, constructed in the 1871 and later featuring its signature striped appearance.

Traditions of Mourning

Equally notable about Jamestown is the pervasive sight of obituary announcements. Wherever you look, be it affixed to walls or on big billboards, you’ll see funeral details and terms of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, memorial services are major communal events.

In Clottey’s impressive installation, every aspect of the sensory and spiritual landscape of Jamestown are captured – notably in the immersive shoreline installation. Within it, you’re soothed by the sound of crashing waves with sand underfoot, while shelters, hanging fishing nets and representations of canoes pay homage to its vibrant, multigenerational maritime community. But standing in this venue, one cannot help but think of the heaps of cast-off garments that compromise the aesthetics and serenity of the area.

In Addition to the Headline Act

There is much more. Housed in an unfinished structure at the University of Ghana, artist Sylvester exhibited a deeply moving minimalist collection, an profoundly affecting, minimalist exhibition that featured three-dimensional works and canvases made in collaboration with metalworkers.

Also featured was the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for Ghanaian women creators. It showcased the debut presentation of a recent winner, whose work references personal family archives to produce a visual impression of life in Ghana after independence. The event also crowned a latest winner, whose diverse work is intensely focused on the textile traditions of women in a specific region.

A Permanent Legacy

Although the diaspora has more and more been pulled back to west Africa during the western winter, a growing cohort are considering journeying some months earlier to engage with the region’s festival period. From this festival and other major events, what emerges are cultural ecosystems that are not simply new or “upcoming” but have built up an entire universe that is enduring.

In the end, the experience provides a image of Accra that feels like a declaration for conservation and the preservation of culture. It is a compelling testament to adaptability in all its forms.