Bisa Aberwa Museum launches Rediscover Africa project

The Bisa Aberwa Museum, which houses one of the world’s largest private collections of artefacts, sculpture has launched the Rediscover Africa project.

The project seeks to reshape Africans and diasporas understanding of African roots, heritage, and shared identity.

 The launch, which was held at the premises of the museum at the National Theatre in Accra, was graced by the founder of the museum, Mr. Kwaw Ansah, former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, Mr. Fritz Baffour, and important personalities within the art industry, notably among them was legendary David Dontoh.

 The event featured several activities, including the unveiling of new artefacts that were designed and directed by Kwaw Ansah and the Abrewa Museum.

 Speaking at the launch, Madam Halimatu Yussif, one of the lead coordinators said the project is a journey of cultural reconnection, education, appreciation, commitment to celebrate the diverse, vibrant, rich heritage of Africa.

 She also stated that the project was a call to action among stakeholders in the tourism and art industries as they revamp the sector which had lots of tourism potentials.

 Mr. Fritz Baffour, former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central said there has not been continuity in the achievements of the country, as the country has not worked on its history to identify the foundation on which the country was built.

 He said events like the one the Abrewa Museum has organised and the screening of plays demonstrate the human resource potential of the country, particularly art and tourism. (Related article: Narrating Africa’s story: Bisa Aberwa Museum presses on)

 Mr. Baffour urged the guests to take pride and keen interest in their culture by speaking the local language among themselves.

Other activities at the launch of the event included the screening of plays, the playback of “Mabo Loss,’’ a 1959 composition by Kwaw Ansah for the then Kumasi-based Comets Band, and the display of Kwaw Ansah’s “Aban Kaba” wax cloth design for the United Africa Company, now Unilever.

 The Bisa Abrewa Musuem is one of the largest sculptural representations in clay, wood, cement, paintings and photographs of personalities whose sacrifices have shaped African history, both within the continent and the diaspora.

 It has about 2,200 artefacts, sculptural pieces and photographs of heroes of the African struggle and the African American Civil Rights Movement as well as other Black personalities in the French, Portuguese and Spanish Caribbean.