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After in excess of 50 installments delving into the worldwide Black diaspora, this marks a final column. The experience was incredibly rewarding, and immense gratitude directed to every one of the dedicated followers.

Inside the Cultural Week

Attending the displays, installations and shows of this event, one sees how superior art nourishes and constructs a nation's heritage and identity. The highlight was certainly Clottey's exquisite a profound exploration of ritual and time, which showcased his groundbreaking afrogallonism in full view: a concept that transforms plastic containers into illusory creations, mosaics of yellow, brass and gold. The display was designed as a tribute to the strength of Jamestown, a historic neighbourhood of Accra.

The community – mainly populated by the Ga ethnic group, a seafaring people – is also where many freed slaves returned from South America and made their home in the 1830s. Referred to as the Tabom, they brought Portuguese language and culture.

Throughout Jamestown, one observes a fusion of architecture. Standing is a historic building, featuring its distinct colonial-era brickwork and curved entrances. One can also see the prominent beacon, built in the 1871 and later sporting its signature red-and-white-striped facade.

Traditions of Celebration

Equally striking about Jamestown is the ever-present presence of memorial notices. Everywhere you turn, be it covering buildings or on big billboards, one finds service information and phrases of farewell. In Jamestown, similar to the rest of Ghana, final rites are large-scale social gatherings.

In this impressive installation, all of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are captured – particularly in the immersive Jamestown nshonaa work. Here, one is relaxed by the audio of ocean surf with sand underfoot, while beach huts, draped nets and representations of canoes pay homage to its dynamic, generational seafaring tradition. However being present in this exhibition space, it's hard to ignore the piles of cast-off garments that threaten the aesthetics and serenity of the area.

In Addition to the Centrepiece

Accra Cultural Week also features a great deal more. Within an unfinished structure at the University of Ghana, creator Sylvester showcased a deeply moving minimalist collection, an profoundly affecting, stripped-back exhibition that featured three-dimensional works and artworks made in concert with welders.

And then there is the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for Ghanaian women creators. It featured the first solo show of a prior recipient, whose work draws on historical documents to create a depiction of life in Ghana after independence. The event also crowned a current champion, whose multidisciplinary work is intensely focused on the textile traditions of women in a specific region.

A Permanent Presence

Although the overseas community has grown been pulled back to west Africa during the colder season, a growing cohort are thinking about travelling earlier in the year to engage with the region’s festival period. From Accra Cultural Week and similar gatherings, what emerges are art scenes that are not merely emerging or “upcoming” but have established an whole universe that is enduring.

Finally, the experience provides a image of Accra that feels like a statement for conservation and the preservation of culture. It is a compelling testament to perseverance in all its manifestations.