LET'S GO! CHALE WOTE 2013

Over the weekend James Town became the most popular and hip place to be in Accra because Chale Wote came to town. YES! Flip flops… well not exactly. Chale Wote, a Ga phrase that translates "my friend, let's go!" doubles as the name for plastic flip-flops in Ghana. This common article of casual get-up has lent its name, perhaps appropriately, to the annual Street Art Festival organized by Accra [dot] Alt Radio since 2011. 

The Street Art Festival is a platform aimed at bringing art, music and dance onto the streets of James Town.  This year happened to be my first time attending. I actually almost missed it but for the remainder of my indefatigable friend Qwarme. 

Jamestown is one of the oldest districts in Ghana and emerged as a community around the James and Ussher Forts in the then Gold Coast. It mainly is a fishing community and has great historical significance. The historical Salaga slave market – yes, there was also one in Accra - is located within walking distances towards the Accra Post Office. 

A stroll through the town will expose you to remnants of old colonial buildings and structures such as the two forts that were later turned into prisons and are now currently disused.

The theme for this year’s event was Re-imagining African Folklore by Creating Exciting and Futuristic Versions.  Unlike in previous years, this year was a two-day event (7^th and 8^th September, 2013) ably supported by The Foundation for Contemporary Art – Ghana, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (A.M.A), Institut Français, Alliance Française, Dr. Monk, No Limits Charity, Absolut Vodka and The Attukwei Art Foundation. 

Being a frequent commuter through James Town and its environs it was a chance to get out there and not be a mere observer but rather be a part of the town, even if for a few hours. 

On the bill was live music, extreme sport stunts, dance flash mobs, street fashion parades, graffiti murals, crazy art installations, food and fashion marketplace and masquerade procession among many others.

The James Fort prison had some selected pictures and paintings hung up on the walls by various artist. The Christian painting [pictured above] was in one of the rooms. My friends and I theorized that it could have been done by an inmate when the place was still a prison. Whoever the creator was, it was an interesting work.  

There was a live performance by the band This House Is Not for Sale and the children of James Town proved to be an awesome audience!  They sang along and did not shy from the microphone when invited upstage to sing. And when they did, my oh my, they took over the stage!

 

Out of the many art works featured, I fell in love with the one by Jason Nicco-Annan.  If you live in Accra, you should be only too familiar with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and their (red paint) markings on people's properties asking them to remove or stop work, invaribaly signed off, "By  AMA". 

Ama is of course, also a name for female Saturday-borns in Ghana. Nicco-Annan thus brought the AMA to life in the form of a little girl holding a paint brush who seemed to be up to mischief. 

Henry David Thoreau held that “This world is but a canvas to our imagination” and in Jamestown last weekend, the town, at least took on the shape of a canvas for the expression of young creative minds and exploded with fun and music.

So Chale, you definitely need to be at the festival next year because you sure would have a great time!