https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac <p>The School of Creative Arts, University of Education, Winneba publishes a faculty-based academic journal, <em>The Journal of African Arts &amp; Culture (JAAC)</em>. JAAC is a peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly platform dedicated to critical dialogue on African arts and culture. The journal is committed to publishing and disseminating high-quality, original research that underscores the transformative significance of the arts in African societies, both past and present.</p> <p>With an interdisciplinary orientation, the journal features cutting-edge scholarship in ancient, modern, and contemporary African visual and performing arts. JAAC welcomes diverse contributions, including research articles, critical essays, interviews, exhibition and book reviews, short reports, and creative critiques. The journal reflects the School’s commitment to thought leadership and academic excellence in the creative arts.</p> <p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Authors interested in submitting manuscripts to the Journal of African Arts and Culture can register on our OJS Journal website to begin the submission process. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac</span></p> UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA, SCHOOL OF CREATIVE ARTS en-US JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2637-3610 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/932 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. This study aimed to improve the learning experiences of children with ADHD through a hands-on sensory interventionary tool called the Little Leaps Boards. In Ghanaian classrooms, ADHD behaviours such as restlessness, inattention, and impulsivity are often misunderstood as laziness or stubbornness, leading to punishment rather than support. The qualitative research method was employed through the case study research design, with three children diagnosed with ADHD and related conditions, together with two teachers at Reverend Father John Special Unit School, Winneba. Data was collected through classroom observations and unstructured interviews with teachers and analysed thematically. Findings revealed that children were more attentive and motivated when activities were introduced separately. While motor coordination difficulties made some tasks challenging, teacher guidance and repeated practice led to gradual improvements. Activities such as buttoning and applique works were especially engaging and helped sustain attention. The study concludes that the Little Leaps Boards can be an effective sensory-based teaching aid to support inclusive education for children with ADHD in Ghana. It therefore recommends that the LLBs be formally integrated into teaching and learning practices within inclusive classrooms particularly in special needs schools. Comfort Aba Amissah Effie Koomson Emmanuel Kodwo Amissah Edward Baani Buxton Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-06-30 2026-06-30 9 2 1 10 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/934 The production of high-quality 3D animation requires substantial computational resources, particularly during the rendering phase, which is widely acknowledged as the most hardware-intensive stage of the digital animation pipeline. In many developing educational countries, including Ghana, tertiary institutions lack the high-performance computing infrastructure needed to support efficient rendering workflows. This study investigates the rendering challenges faced by multimedia and animation students in the Department of Graphic Design at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and examines the feasibility and benefits of establishing a departmental render farm to enhance animation education. Guided by a qualitative descriptive research design, the study gathered data from thirty-seven purposively selected students through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to explore their experiences, perceptions, and recommendations. Findings reveal significant limitations in students’ rendering capacity, including extremely long rendering durations, overheating, noise generation, hardware breakdown, and failure to meet academic deadlines. Students rely solely on low-specification personal laptops, resulting in incomplete or low-quality rendering output and reduced creative experimentation. Although awareness of render farms varied, respondents unanimously emphasised the need for institutional rendering infrastructure. They proposed funding models such as departmental dues, university support, and private sector industry partnerships. The study concludes that, the absence of a render farm severely hampers teaching, learning, and creative productivity in animation-related courses. An ultramodern high performing render farm model that integrates on-premise CPU/GPU nodes is recommended as a scalable and cost-effective solution aligned with global best practices. Establishing a render farm at UEW would significantly improve students’ technical competence, enhance the quality of academic outputs, strengthen interdisciplinary research, and position the university as a leader in digital creative arts education in Ghana. Emmanuel Rock Nyarko Hanson Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-06-30 2026-06-30 9 2 11 27 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/935 The study uncovers the enormous benefits derived from learning to play brass or other instruments in a brass band in Ghana. It demystifies myths and untruths speculated around the playing of brass instruments and membership of brass bands in Ghana. Using a qualitative descriptive case study approach, the study collected data through participant observation, interview, and focus group discussion involving youth brass instrumentalists, security service bandsmen (men and women) bandmasters, and recruitment officers. The study reveals how members of school, church, and community brass bands have benefited and are making livelihoods from the skills learnt on the instrument and membership of the band in general. It concludes that beyond the academic endeavours by the youth of communities in Ghana, brass instrument learning and good play creates more opportunities and provide livelihood for as many as desire to pursue as a career. It therefore recommends to stakeholders to take interest in the formation of such bands for the youth, encourage them to learn, and be members of such bands as they contribute in developing the human capital and grow the brass band culture in the creative arts sector. George Asabre Maclean Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 28 38 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/936 This study develops and validates a multidimensional measurement model of teachers’ indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) integration practices in Ghana’s basic education curriculum. Grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy and the funds of knowledge framework, an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Qualitative data from focus group discussions informed the development of the Marifah Indigenous Knowledge Integration Scale (MIKIS), validated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) within data from 35 teachers. The final model specified three (3) latent constructs: Lesson Planning and Alignment (LPA), Implementation Challenges (CI), and Community and Cultural Engagement (CCE). Results indicated acceptable to excellent model fit (?² (17) = 18.30, p = .368; CFI = .991; TLI = .985; RMSEA = .047; SRMR = .060). Standardised factor loadings ranged from .789 to .941, exceeding recommended thresholds. Composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) confirmed convergent validity, while discriminant validity was supported using the Fornell-Larcker criterion. The findings provide empirical evidence for conceptualising IKS integration as a structured, measurable pedagogical construct. The validated instrument offers a practical tool for policy evaluation, teacher development, and culturally responsive curriculum reform in Ghana and similar Global contexts. Hillia Fuseini Marifah Marifah Harry Barton Essel Akos Tachie-Menson Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 39 59 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/937 Through qualitative, interpretivist, art-therapy-informed ethnographic design, this study interrogates how indigenous Asante visual artworks operate as therapeutic cultural mirrors that facilitate socio-emotional expression, psychological wellbeing, and identity construction among the people of Ashanti. Using twenty purposively sampled participants consisting of traditional artists, custodians of cultural heritage, art-therapy practitioners, educators and community members, I collected data through semi-structured interviews, participatory artistic product making sessions, participant observation, and visual-symbolic analysis across key communities for artistic cultural production and or archiving namely Bonwire, Ahwiaa, Ntonso, and Manhia Palace Museum. Thematic, arts-based and symbolic interpretive analyses reveal that practices such as kente weaving, stamping technique of Adinkra printing, wood carving, and pottery function as potent non-verbal conduits for mood and affect regulation, offering rhythmic, repetitive processes that engender calm, reflection, and catharsis. Symbolic motif designs embedded in these artistic media encode complex socio-emotional, and moral narratives that enable communal healing and reinforcement of collective identity. Heritage artefacts including the Okomfo Anokye Sword, Golden axe, Unity Bowl, and coward sword, emerge as indigenous psychological unitary relics that historically mediated behaviour, sustained social cohesion, and nurtured resilience. These findings align with emerging scholarship on the therapeutic potential of African visual traditions, underscoring their relevance for culturally responsive mental-health interventions in Ghana. Asante visual artworks represent a culturally grounded therapeutic resource applicable to contemporary counseling, mental-health education, and community-based practices. They can inform counselor-training curricula, collaborative frameworks linking traditional practitioners, museums, and mental-health professionals, and the preservation of holistic wellbeing knowledge systems. Kennedy Asenso Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 60 74 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/954 The early histories of most ancient Yoruba towns in Southwestern Nigeria are derived primarily from oral traditions that have been transmitted across generations. These histories are deeply embedded in the people's folklore, praise poetry, and oral narratives. However, the reliability of oral tradition as a historical source has long been questioned because the transmission of information across successive generations may introduce distortions and inaccuracies. Consequently, historians often corroborate oral accounts with other forms of historical evidence, including archaeological remains, material culture, and sculptural artefacts. Across many cultures, outdoor sculptures have served as enduring media for documenting and preserving significant historical and cultural events. Likewise, numerous communities in Yorubaland have consciously or unconsciously produced outdoor sculptures that embody important historical narratives and cultural memories associated with their origins and development. This study examines five outdoor sculptures located in selected Yoruba towns to explore their historical significance and assess their value as sources of historical documentation and preservation. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study utilised both primary and secondary data. Primary data were obtained through field observations and structured interviews, while secondary data were drawn from relevant scholarly literature. The findings reveal that the selected sculptures encapsulate valuable historical information that complements oral traditions and contributes to a more comprehensive reconstruction of Yoruba history. The study concludes that outdoor sculptures constitute important repositories of indigenous historical knowledge and recommends their conservation, documentation, and development as cultural tourism assets capable of generating revenue while promoting Nigeria's cultural heritage. Samson Kehinde Adekoya Habib Korede Olowu Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 75 91 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/955 The traditional pottery industry in Ghana, a vital source of cultural heritage and livelihoods for many, operates at the critical intersection of cultural heritage, rural economic survival, and environmental vulnerability, including energy consumption. These dynamics pose significant sustainability challenges due to their reliance on resource-intensive production methods. The study examines the complex relationship from a multidimensional sustainability and industrial ecology perspective, focusing on divergent production hubs in Volta Region, Ashanti, Eastern, and Upper East. A qualitative approach grounded in a comprehensive 75-question survey instrument is utilised. The study adopts a microeconomic context for production and evaluates socio-cultural dynamics, resilience, and environmental impacts. Critical concerns from the survey point to deforestation and air pollution from traditional firing techniques, and to the long-term viability of the Ghanaian pottery sector. Through the lens of climate resilience practice and energy efficiency, support is proposed to move away from traditional methods towards a sustainable pathway that advances practitioners’ livelihoods. The findings reveal a severe "efficiency trap" characterised by high-emission, resource-intensive biomass firing, with thermal efficiencies ranging from 12.4% to 21.6%, alongside a demographic crisis in intergenerational knowledge transfer. To reconcile cultural preservation with modern decarbonisation imperatives, the paper presents a quantitative analysis of fuel consumption and environmental impacts to assess the adoption of cleaner energy technologies within the Just Energy Transition (JET) framework. This advocates targeted capital subsidies for technological innovation and institutional capacity-building. This will ensure the sector's viability for the female-dominated occupation in Ghanaian pottery production, while sustaining a fair transition for all stakeholders and preserving cultural identity and ecological health. Mercy Abaka-Attah John Benjamin Kofi Aidoo Emmanuel Kobina Payne Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 92 119 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/956 African traditional medicine is a heritage that goes beyond healing and well-being to serve as a cultural lens into the historical, sociocultural identities and ancestral links to the African people. While a plethora of traditional medical literature exist in Ghana among different ethnic groups, not same can be said about the Sissala traditional healing practice. This article explores the artistic and cultural dimensions within traditional healing practices among the Sissala people of the Upper West region of Ghana through the Symbolic Interactionism and Structural Functionalism theoretical lenses. Utilizing qualitative ethnographic and phenomenological research methods, data were collected though in-depth interviews and Observation, from traditional healers, patients, elderly residents and indigenous visual artists. A total of twenty-five (25) participants were sampled through purposive sampling and snowballing. Thematic content analysis was used in analyzing the data. Findings revealed that the artistic elements are not merely decorative but deeply therapeutic, facilitating communication with the spiritual realm and restoration of balance. The cultural beliefs are embedded in the Sissala cosmology, ancestry and communal identity providing the framework through which illness is understood and treated. The arts function as both a medium and a method of healing, whereas the cultural beliefs legitimize and sustain the practices across generations. The study therefore recommends a systematic documentation of traditional healing practices by the government through the Ghana Museum and Monuments Board focusing on their artistic components and underlying beliefs systems to help safeguard indigenous knowledge that is at the risk of being eroded by globalization and generational shifts. Babaaradio Kombui Dickson Adom Steve Kquofi Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 120 144 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/961 Ghanaian wood furniture design dates back to the 19th century, yet there is limited research documenting its aesthetic evolution from the 19th to the 21st centuries. Although some studies focus on traditional Ghanaian seats and others examine challenges in the furniture industry, none provide a comprehensive account of how cultural, colonial, technological, and global influences have shaped the aesthetics of Ghanaian wood furniture over time. This study addresses this gap by documenting the historical development of Ghanaian wood furniture aesthetics from the 19th to the 21st centuries. Using an interpretivist paradigm, the research adopted a qualitative, creative arts–based approach. Data were gathered from twenty purposively selected respondents across six regions of Ghana through interviews, observations, photography, questionnaires, and focus group discussions, supported by field collection and visual analysis of over one hundred furniture pieces. The data were analysed thematically with attention to ethical and cultural considerations. The findings reveal that Ghanaian wood furniture aesthetics originated in the nineteenth century with symbolic carvings rooted in indigenous belief systems, evolved through the twentieth century under colonial and post-colonial influences that altered forms and functions, and further transformed in the twenty-first century through the incorporation of modern technologies, sustainable materials, and global design trends while retaining traditional joinery and symbolic meanings. The study recommends the digital archiving of furniture designs, policy support for local artisans, interdisciplinary capacity-building workshops, and expanded exhibitions to promote sustainability, cultural preservation, and innovation within Ghana’s furniture design industry. Samuel Awuni Steve Kquofi Dickson Adom Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-06-30 2026-06-30 9 2 145 156 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/962 As globalisation and radical religious changes threaten to wipe out the living traditions of Indigenous communities, the protection and preservation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has become a very important goal in the twenty-first century. In Ghana’s coastal region, the Fante People of the Edina Ampenyi traditional group, located in the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana, West Africa, have a complex ritual system called Abam that helps twins and children born in certain birth orders make spiritual transitions. This ritual is not just a social event or a mere ceremony; it is a deep practice tied to spirits that keep the lineage in harmony. However, the rise of exposure to western cultures, charismatic Christianity, and neo-prophetic movements has led to the demonisation of some traditional cultural practices like the Abam ritual, which has often led to the physical destruction of sacred objects like the Abam beads. This report offers a comprehensive examination of the Abam ritual from the perspective of visual sovereignty while utilising technology to facilitate the transmission of knowledge across generations. This study records the rhythmic cadence of the nsagu (libation) and the tactile delicacy of the “?t?” mashed yam and the ritual bath through photography, thereby documenting the Abam naming order and the importance of beads strung on raffia as pivotal symbols of cultural identity. The results highlight the camera’s capacity to serve as a permanent elder, connecting ancestral wisdom with a younger generation increasingly influenced by visual culture. Betty Faniyan Kwabena Nduro David Nana Amoah Mensah Keren Happuch Zoe Ebenezer Moses Debrah Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 168 194 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/963 This creative, art-based study, underpinned by a phenomenological design, employs a pragmatic approach to propose an alternative solution to solid waste and the associated pollution. In this contemporary era characterised by urbanisation, industrialisation, and high consumerism, waste generation cannot be overlooked as a critical issue in the global sustainability discourse. This interventionist study investigates the socio-economic and ecological impacts of dominant solid waste materials in the Aburi community, with particular attention to the effects of inadequate management strategies. In this context, four interconnected investigative concerns were addressed by integrating sustainability ideals and aesthetic principles, thereby unifying theoretical and practical dimensions. This qualitative research, underpinned by Behavioural Change, Transformative Learning, and Eco-aesthetic theories, examined the perspectives of purposefully recruited participants using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were generated through personal interviews and focus group discussions, while both participant and non-participant observations were employed to elicit insights beyond verbal interpretations across the study’s phases. The conclusions drawn from the various chronological phases of the study, including interpretations from the participants, perspectives, and the researchers’ observations, underscore the study’s potential to foster the recontextualisation of waste for aesthetic and sustainability significance. Samuel Prophask Asamoah Dickson Adom Steve Kquofi Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 195 217 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/968 Akan folk games are commonly described as recreational or educational activities, yet their cultural significance is produced through performance: bodies move in patterned formations, songs regulate action, rules organize conduct, and local narratives connect play to collective memory. This study examines the cultural performance practices of selected Akan folk games across Asotwe in the Ashanti Region, Drobo in the Bono Region, and Kade in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative, multi-case ethnographic design within a broader doctoral project. Expert purposive sampling technique was used to select Thirty-nine participants: nine traditional authorities and elders, six basic school-teachers, and twenty-four youth and students. Data were generated through interviews, focus group discussions, field observations, audio-visual documentation, and field notes. The data were analyzed thematically and compared across communities. Thirteen games were documented, including Antoankyire, As?/Teele, Mpeewa, Ampe, Kurop?, Krodom, Dua ooo Dua, Karikokoo, Merep?-Kwan-M’asen/Mak?, Kwasiada Frankaa, Kyem-p?, Karikokoo, and Twe-ma-Mentwe. The findings show a shared performance grammar built around communal participation, song, rhythm, bodily movement, spatial formation, rule-following, correction, and audience involvement. At the same time, local versions preserved distinct histories and linguistic forms. The games also functioned as practical pedagogies for language, numeracy, classification, coordination, cooperation, and moral formation. The study argues that Akan folk games are embodied community archives rather than marginal childhood amusements. The study recommends the selected Akan folk games preservation should therefore be community-specific and multimodal, retaining movement, sound, language, spatial organization, rules, and historical interpretation. Isaac Asare-Aboagye Dickson Adom Steve Kquofi Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 261 277 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/969 The Manhyia Palace Museum faces the challenge of enhancing visitor engagement and providing a more immersive experience. This qualitative study aimed to examine the current strategies for enhancing visitor engagement and experience, explore viable extended activities, and introduce traditional craft demonstrations at the Manhyia Palace Museum as a catalyst for extended museum engagement and experience. A qualitative research approach and an action research design were employed. A total of 25 participants were purposively selected, comprising four museum staff, two Board of Directors members, two chiefs, two queen mothers, seven tourists, and eight participants in focus group discussions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. The data were manually transcribed, coded inductively, categorized, and analysed thematically. The findings revealed that the museum has adopted a combination of interpretive, digital, and experiential approaches to enrich visitor interaction. These include guided tours, video documentary presentations, social media platforms, and feedback mechanisms. The study discovered that integrating traditional craft demonstrations such as Adinkra stamping, pottery, bead-making, and wood carving into the regular activities of the museum would contribute to enhancing visitor engagement, deepening cultural learning, and enriching the museum experience, thereby transforming the visit from a passive, observational tour into an interactive, memorable, and meaningful cultural encounter. The study contributes to museum studies by demonstrating how traditional craft demonstrations connect the tangible heritage with intangible cultural knowledge through experiential visitor learning. The findings could guide initiatives and policies aimed at increasing cultural tourism, strengthening heritage preservation, and boosting tourism revenue. Adwoa Serwaa Appiah Dickson Adom Steve Kquofi George Buma Ampratwum John K Brewu Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 278 311 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/970 This study examines disability representation in Kenyan festival theatre, focusing on the Kenya National Drama Festival (KNDF), Kenya Music Festival (KMF), and Kenya Universities Performing Arts Association (KUPAA). Grounded in Reception Theory, the study interrogates the extent to which these platforms function as authentic social mirrors, particularly in their inclusion or exclusion of persons with disabilities in scripting, casting, and performance. Despite theatre’s role as a reflective and transformative cultural space, preliminary observations indicate that disability remains underrepresented, often relegated to segregated categories or portrayed through limited and stereotypical frameworks. The study adopts a qualitative research design, employing purposive and snowball sampling techniques to identify key participants, including scriptwriters, directors, performers, adjudicators, and audience members with relevant experience in festival theatre. Data is collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and performance analysis, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of both production practices and audience reception. The use of snowball sampling further enables access to participants within networks that may otherwise remain underrepresented, particularly individuals with lived experiences of disability. Findings reveal that the structural and ideological organisation of festival theatre contributes to the marginalisation of persons with disabilities, thereby limiting the scope of representation and reinforcing narrow audience perceptions. The study argues that the segregation of “special” performances undermines inclusive practice and fails to reflect the integrated nature of everyday social life. It further posits that meaningful inclusion requires a shift toward integrative representation, where disability is normalised within mainstream theatrical narratives and performance spaces. Indeed, this study contributes to ongoing scholarly debates on inclusivity in the performing arts. It offers practical recommendations for theatre practitioners and festival organisers on how to reimagine scripting, casting, and staging practices to foster equitable participation. Ultimately, the study seeks to reposition Kenyan festival theatre as a more inclusive and representative cultural space that aligns with the diverse realities of contemporary society. Josephat Nehemia Nyangoga Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 312 324 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/972 The Jua Kali sector (JKS) plays an integral role in the growth and development of the Kenyan economy. The sector employs more than 83% of the total workforce and contributes about 18% of GDP. While the sector is renowned for its resilience and job-creation capacity, it faces a myriad of skills development challenges, including overreliance on traditional apprenticeships, limited digital literacy, weak managerial competencies, and minimal formal training from TVET institutions. This paper examined the application of Sankofaism as a decolonial strategy for enhancing human capital development in the JKS. The paper draws on the extant literature to establish that “Productive Sankofarism” supports the selective retrieval of pre-colonial craftsmanship, indigenous knowledge, and communitarian values, while simultaneously integrating modern competencies, including digital marketing, financial management, and Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET). The study also established deficit narrative associated with the Jua Kali sector has promoted Eurocentric formalisation. The adoption of Sankofaism reverses this neocolonial approach by repositioning the sector as a site of African innovation and ingenuity. Additionally, the findings suggested that Sankofaism validates traditional apprenticeship as a legitimate pedagogy. The concept also supports the constructs and ideology of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), which is necessary for labour mobility within the sector. However, critical application of Sankofaism is necessary for avoiding the perpetuation of harmful norms such as gender exclusion. In sum, Sankofaism offers a robust framework for hybrid skills development that can wok effective with both CBET and RPL. Therefore, Sankofaism should be integrated into TVET curricula, communitarian cooperatives, and gender-inclusive retrieval practices. Mary Clare Kidenda Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 346 357 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/jaac/article/view/973 Leather offcuts generated by footwear production are often discarded despite their potential value for sustainable artistic practice. This study characterises leather offcuts collected from footwear production hubs in Kumasi and Tamale, Ghana, to examine their suitability for African visual art. Adopting a qualitative interpretivist approach, 22.6 kg of leather offcuts were analysed through systematic observation using five material characteristics: quality, size, shape, type, and colour. The findings reveal that leather offcuts exhibit considerable diversity across the two production centres. Kumasi offcuts were predominantly medium-sized, mineral-tanned or synthetic, displayed greater colour variation, and generally had fewer defects. In contrast, Tamale offcuts were mostly small, vegetable-tanned, exhibited limited colour diversity, and showed more pronounced natural defects. Across both locations, irregular shapes and small fragments dominated, providing opportunities for mosaics, assemblage, relief sculpture, appliqué, patchwork, and other material-driven artistic practices. The study demonstrates that systematic material characterisation can transform leather offcuts from perceived waste into identifiable creative resources that support circular economy principles within African visual art. The study contributes to sustainable art practice and provides an evidence-based framework for artists, designers, educators and creative industries seeking to maximise the value of reclaimed leather materials. Albert Kwame Arthur Kwame Fordjour Owusu Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARTS AND CULTURE 2026-08-25 2026-08-25 9 2 358 376