Accra Creative Writing Boot Camp

Accra’s literature collectives are running workshops throughout this month to November. Get involved.

 

 

 

CHALE WOTE 2014: THE FILM FESTIVAL

By Jase Tay

FOKN BOIS are coming to Chale Wote 2014 with COS OV MONI

We’re excited about CHALE WOTE 2014 and we can’t wait to see all you fine people out there show up. We have a lot of amazing things happening at this year’s event with an incredible slew of creatives who are sure to blow your mind.

Just like last year’s event, we’re holding a film festival where we’re showcasing what’s new, hot, fresh and upcoming on the continent and beyond, by talented African directors, from all over. We’re showcasing some awesome films you most likely haven’t seen yet, as well as premiering new films and documentaries. Have you seen the incredible Coz ov Moni by our homeboys, the FOKN BOIS? What about Blitz the Ambassador’s Native Sun, Terence Nance‘s phantasmic An Oversimplification of Her Beauty or Giacomo Pecci’s evocative Try and See? You also get to watch a set of stunning music videos that we’re bumping, plus catch up with ACCRA [dot] ALT’s activities.

THE ARTISTS BEHIND THE SCENES: CHALE WOTE 2014

Photography by MANTSE ARYEEQUAYE

As we ready ourselves for the CHALE WOTE Street festival 2014, we’d like you to familiarize yourselves with the works of some of the artists who are coming to the festival.

The Strolling Goats in Accra, DJ Steloo, Nii Aryittey, Abrokwah & Din.

DJ Steloo will be rocking the turntables at the Accra House Music DJ booth. Abrokwah A.K.A “Bike Lord” is getting ready to serve some Kpakpo Shito Bicycle stunts at Chale Wote 2014. Nii Aryertey and Din are part of the amazing Chale Wote 2014 production team.

Selorm Jay looking forward to the rebirth of GH Hiphop with Yoyo Tinz at Chale Wote 2014

Yoyo Tinz: Gbobalor

opposite Mantse Agbonaa

Gbobalor evokes the reincarnation of newborns in Ga. In the same way, Yoyo Tinz presents the evolution of hip hop culture in Ghana. This event will take hip hop lovers, spectators, community members, artists and art lovers on a journey into how broad and diverse Ghanaian hip hop culture truly is. On the bill: interactive freestyles, rap battles, dance, graffiti, beatmaking and much more.

STROLLING GOATS IN ACCRA WITH CHALE WOTE 2014 II

Here we are again with more visuals from Strolling Goats In Accra, featuring  the artists who make Chale Wote pop.

Photos by Mantse Aryeequaye

 

FCA director Adjoa Amoah contemplating a spin with the Prince.

Adjoa Amoah works with the Foundation for Contemporary Art Ghana; the visual coordinators of Chale Wote 2014.  Word reaching us is that they have quite an exhibition at the festival grounds this year, so of course we are looking forward.

 

Nii Armah is a talented craftsman in James Town.

Nii Armah came up with an innovative way to set up our performance spaces by arranging stages an props so they become one with the space. Festival goers are curious about his setup on the 23rd and 24th of August.

STROLLING GOATS WITH CHALE WOTE 2014

We promised you a Strolling Goats In Accra edition with some of the most amazing creators in Accra. One of the highlights of this year’s festival is the addition of a street motor biking team in James Town. The Accra House Music station manned by Dj Steloo is certainly one to look out for. Enjoy

 

Photos by Mantse Aryeequaye

Kingpin of the Flat Land Boys Martin Abrokwa has crazy stunts for fans this year

Bad boy Steloo of Accra House Music

PHOTOSCAPES IN ACCRA: OFOE AMEGAVIE SPEAKS

Story by MOLLY SULLIVAN | Photography by SELORM JAY

As photography in Ghana continues to gain recognition, Ofoe Amegavie is definitely one to watch. At 26 years old, Ofoe’s work has quickly gained an international audience with folks across the continent, Europe and North America, checking for his latest additions. The photographer is still finding his voice and evolving into his craft, but this freedom is also part of his aesthetic.  Ofoe shoots in a state of unlimited inspiration, working with what currently intrigues him and avoiding what he finds repetitive and tired. With projects like “Studio of Colors”, an ongoing photo series dealing with diverse representations of African print, he aims to show subjects in a fresh way, distinct from how “Africa-ness” is commercially marketed. Ofoe instantly knows what he does not like. This opens the portal towards a constant, adventurous search for what might break the mold.This story was first published on Africa Is A Country READ MORE HERE

A Shout-Out on Liberation [Sheroe Sci-Fi]

ANGELA DAVIS arrives for a court trial, April 1972 [via US Prison Culture]

I fell in love with Angela Davis

In one fell swoop

I was 8 and bored that summer

My daily feen was a focused search through my parents’ awesomely Black book collection

If They Come in the Morning was a treasured favorite

That fro did me in

Her quiet fire spoke it all

Eyes steady, gait straight

Her radical be fly

Fly high, soul hi

Up up to the sky sky

That’s when the whole affair began

It endures for eva eva

Let it rip

Hands up for Prof. Davis

And a Black girl’s fantasia of possibility

SRN  |  03.13.13

5IVE on IT x NII AYIKWEI PARKES

PARKES IN BRUSSELS

We caught up with the globe-trotting Nii Ayikwei Parkes on a recent getaway to Ghana visiting family (“To the Batcave, Robin!”). The performance poet, editor and author is  behind many of the coolest literary events happening in the UK like the African Writers’ Evening Series at Poetry Cafe in London. His debut novel, Tail of the Blue Bird (2010), is a detective thriller that pulls apart the delicate ties binding urban and rural space, community and difference, mysticism and modernization in Ghana.

Check out what Mr. Parkes had to say during our rap session.

5 Questions. 5IVE ON IT.

Nii Ayikwei Parkes | photo by ACCRA dot ALT

ADA: How did you fall in love with the word (spoken + written)?
Parkes: I grew up in a loud household – everyone’s always talking and cracking jokes, laughing, so it was natural. I was born in England. I grew up in a house where Ga was spoken and outside English was spoken so there was a curiosity about languages that came out automatically as a result of that contrast between indoors and outdoors. My parents spoke English and everything but at home they spoke Ga with us and I do that with my kids, too.

We moved to Ghana when I was four and again it was a huge contrast because suddenly there was ten times more languages and I think because of that I would repeat things and you fall in love with words – with the music of words – by repeating things. Someone would say something in Ewe and I’d want to repeat it and then in Twi and I’d want to repeat it and I think that’s where it started.