The Adventurers in the Diaspora, a monthly series held at the Golden Tulip Hotel to provide a forum for critical discussion on the role of creativity and design in Ghana’s development will launch a special film series in June. The launch on June 4 will showcase acclaimed works of directors from the African Diaspora. Patrons will share the evening with renowned Malian film director, writer, cultural theorist and historian, Manthia Diawara. His feature film Conakry-kas tells the story of Guinea's history, development and globalization through its 'urban heroes'.
The Film Series is an important offspring program which seeks to bring together both local and global renowned African filmmakers to Accra. It will be showcasing critical works from the African Diaspora which embody and focus on the role of creativity in social, political and economic development. It endeavours to create awareness on the work being done in the African Diaspora film industry and nurture a social network in which collaboration can be realized. It starts at Time: 7.30pm at the Tennis Court, Golden Tulip Accra.
At the previous Adventurers in the Diaspora meeting, the 7th in the series, participants discussed the ‘new way of doing things’ under the theme of ‘Confluence of Cultures’. A panel of ‘cultural linguists’ shared their experiences in their various fields of endeavour. Wanlov shared his experiences from being biracial and living a regular life as an average Ghanaian on the streets, to hustling in the USA and taking vacations to mate his grandmother in Romania. He commented that “no matter race or religion, we are human beings”. This provided the right premise for performing his thought provoking song, ‘Human Being’. He also performed some of his other songs including the hit ‘Kokonsa’, and ‘Today No Business’. He also commented that paying for airplay remains one of his biggest challenges as an artist in Ghana and also shared his expectations for his first time performance in his maternal home country, Romania on June 10.
Kwaku Nkwaye Ansah, the publisher of Canoe magazine also shared his journey into creating what has transformed from being one of Ghana’s leading lifestyle publications into a ‘Manual of Blackness’ for black people around the world. Renowned Ghanaian international photographer, Nii Obodai also showcased a collection of photos from the ‘Zetaheal Temple’, a rare place where Muslims and Christians meet to worship as one. The session was concluded with the reading of ‘The End of Skill’, a screenplay by Mamle Kabu, woven around the intricacies of the Kente cloth based on customs, traditions, modernity and commercialization.
