The 2024 Chale Wote Street Art Festival has not only been about the display of various art forms; it has also provided platforms for conversations on arts and culture.

On Thursday, August 22, 2024 (the Day 4 of the festival), there was a Talk Party featuring participating artists. The conversation provided a platform for artists to freely express their thoughts on a range of subjects, including the African definition of art, the concept of hope, and strategies for claiming space in urban environments.

Throughout the discussion, several probing questions led to the emergence of fascinating stories and ideas, revealing the diverse perspectives and experiences of the artists. Earlier in the day, Eli Asem captivated the audience by sharing ancient knowledge and practices of weaving, adding another layer of depth to the Chalewote labs.

In the afternoon’s conversation, titled ‘Kente Techniques in Analog Designs’, Eli Asem, a weaver from Agotime Kpetoe, took patrons through the intricate techniques of kente weaving and the meanings behind the symbols embedded in the designs. These symbols, ranging from everyday objects to ecological motifs, carry deep significance. Eli emphasised that kente weaving is an ancestral craft, passed down through generations, and that it holds profound messages. According to him, these weighty revelations are revealed only to those with a pure heart.

This year’s festival which began on Monday, August 19, 2024, is packed with activities. The third day saw a beautiful display of Ewe culture.

In the afternoon of Wednesday, August 21, 2024, the Denyigba Borborbor Group captivated the audience with an enthralling Borborbor performance.

Their performance was more than just entertainment; it was a powerful expression of the political, spiritual, and sensual dimensions deeply rooted in their culture. Borborbor is a celebration of life, community, and the strength of the bond of the people along the Gulf of Guinea.

Also on the third day, there was an insightful knowledge-sharing session led by Asafoatse Atanarh of Osu Ashantey, who discussed ancient warfare strategies and weapons with intelligence.

Throughout the day, the Castle Gardens full of energy as visitors of all age groups came to experience the ongoing Shika Shika Art Fair.

Illashaz also led a session on the evolution of hip-hop in Ghana and its journey over the years. He later took the stage to perform a few of his powerful conscious rap songs. The evening concluded with two thought-provoking film screenings, followed by a spirited conversation on reverse aid-giving, saviorism, and the challenges of caring for loved ones with terminal illnesses.

On Day 2 (Tuesday, August 21, 2024), patrons of the 2024 Chale Wote Street Art Festival joined the people of Osu in Accra to celebrate their history of triumphs over strife and ancestral migration. They participated in ceremonies of renewal in the Homowo Festival, celebrated by the Gas.

There was also the Yeeyeyee Yam Festival for twins at the Osu township and the ‘Giants Don’t Hide’ anymore; Afuabe Gh.

At the Christianborg Castle were the Shika Shika Art Fair, Essential, Sessi & Nora, Film Salon ; Johannes Krug.

Daily entry fee for exhibitions and film shows at the castle is GHS 50 for locals, GHS 100 for non-Ghanaians, and GHS 30 for all children from 13 years to 17years.

The event opened on Monday, August 19, 2022, with a silent procession through the Osu township, with participants clad in all-white attires.

There were a declaration by team in the Christiansborg castle and the opening of Shika Shika Art Fair in the Garden.

Other activities during the first day of the Chale Wote Street Art Festival were royal music performance by Osu Klottey School of African Music, Dagara Music Centre performance, Nyonmo Y3 Jen Cultural Group dance performance, film screening and conversations.

Themed ‘And Now An End To The Empire Of Horrors,’ it draws inspiration from some of Africa’s deepest history that lies in the Gulf of Guinea. Chale Wote seeks to artistically focus on the tales of the fantastic and mortal gods from the Gulf of Guinea, which can be understood as allegories that illustrate the social conditions created by genocidal squatter colonialism.

Chale Wote 2024 explores the history of the place through its origins and an examination of it in relation to its death and the current rebirth of its sacred sciences, long forgotten and buried with the giants. The event will curate a multiplicity of counterhegemonic narratives about this rebirth in their most spectacular form through art and entertainment.

As strong advocates of art education, the organisers are also interested in works that can be tailored to include salons and knowledge-sharing labs with children and/or youth during the festival period.

For the second time, The Multimedia Group is the official media partner for the festival. Through its experienced reporters, the media company will give viewers, listeners and readers of its platforms, comprehensive coverage of everything that happens throughout the period.

The festival will be transmitted on Hitz FM, Joy Prime, and have reports published on myjoyonline.com. There will be special features on all the other media outlets of The Multimedia Group.

Lat year, the event started from the Independence Square all the way into the Osu township, where the High Court complex is, down into Independence Square, into the Osu Castle, into the Osu community, all the way down to Oxford Street, and all up to the Osu cemetery traffic light coming towards Accra Sports Stadium, rounding it back into Independence Square.

The story was also performed as a musical theatre piece called ‘Memory Movement Freedom’ by multiple community-based performance, dance troupes and brass band.

Some major activities for last year’s edition of the festival were photo exhibitions, street painting, graffiti murals, interactive installations, street boxing, movie screening, processions, design labs, movie screenings, and more.

It is organised by Accra [dot] ALT, in collaboration with Redd Kat Pictures and Chale Wote Street Art Projekt.

The one-week-long festival which started from Monday, August 19, and will end on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

source:myjoyonline.com