By: James Amoh Junior
Osu and the Christiansborg Castle transformed into a canvas of imageries and communal reverence as the annual Chale Wote Street Arts Festival kicked off with the Day of ReMembering procession.
Unlike any typical celebration, this year’s, commencement ceremony, as accustomed, took a reflective path, focusing on silence as a vessel for collective memory and cultural resilience.
The procession, drew participants and spectators alike into a solemn march, serving as a contemplative start to the festivities.
The solemn walk was not just about the aesthetics of a parade but was deeply embedded in the rituals of community bonding, opening up creative portals, and invoking blessings upon the patrons.
A traditional priest with his acolytes, draped in all white linen and adorned with strands of purifying green leaves, led the making of libation to begin and end what was distinctly a spiritual undertaking.
A drum and dance ensemble reenacted the ancestral journeys and kept them alive with ecstatic dance moves.
A notable presence in the procession was Ms Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, who joined the quiet throng, walking alongside artists, and Festival Director, Mantse Aryeequaye, with other community members.
Her participation emphasised the political and cultural importance of the festival, bridging the gap between governance and grassroots movements.
The Day of ReMembering, as it is aptly named, places emphasis on “way-making,” a practice of making space for new narratives while honoring ancestral legacies and embodied knowledge.
The procession route was laden with silent observers, who, instead of the raucous cheers typical of such gatherings, engaged in quiet reflection, resonating with the themes of resilience and remembrance that the festival sought to highlight.
This silence, far from empty, was filled with the mental sounds and clamouring of a community re-connecting with their forgotten past and the untold stories etched in the walls of Osu.
The procession ended at the Christiansborg Castle Gardens for the grand opening of the Shika Shika Art Fair and the Chalewote Film Salon.
Chale Wote Street Art Festival is an alternative platform that brings art, music, design, dance and performance out onto the streets.
The community-based festival is an annual event in one of Accra’s most historic communities – Osu – and targets exchanges between Ghana-based and international artists creating and appreciating art together.
This year’s festival, from Monday, August 19 to Sunday, August 25, features a wide range of performances centred on human subjectivity, multispecies intelligence, and diverse ways of knowing.
The 14th Chale Wote Street Arts Festival, on the theme: “And Now An End To The Empire Of Horrors” will take place at the Christiansborg Castle, Black Star Square and the Osu community.
Influenced by a variety of African spiritual practices such as voodoo, communal storytelling, dance, and embodied rituals, these performances embody the politics of knowledge production.
They explore important questions related to sustainability, healing, climate change remediation, and communal resilience.
And Now An End To The Empire Of Horrors!
GNA