Manju Journal Continue Ghanaian Spotlight With New Zine 'HOMEGROWN'

Seeking inspiration in the rich cultural heritage of Ghana’s Northern Region Tamale, MANJU Journal's debut digital zine HOMEGROWN looks to highlight the capital city's vast and creative landscape, one that's often overlooked when it comes to contemporary fashion culture.

Expanding on MANJU Journal's first major art book published last year, Voices, Ghana’s Artists In Their Own Words (a tribute of sorts to the nation's creatives), HOMEGROWN instead positions itself in Tamale's landscape and heritage. Rather than siding with the narrative of 'it's the people that make a place', HOMEGROWN says 'it's a place that makes the people'.

Once you learn the city’s name takes its meaning from the locally-spoken Dagbani word for ‘shea fruits’ (indigenous to the region), HOMEGROWN's editorials - all of which are lensed by Lagos-born photographer Daniel Obasi - become a central part of its story; with one touching photo series in particular acting as a tribute via its name Mangoes From Tamale.

Not only highlighting the regions fruits, Obasi's lens also turns to the architectural fabric woven into the capital, presenting itself as a medley of old and new structures. It's in the shadows of Tamale's hidden conical shapes, slanting buildings and baron landscape where Obasi's photographs come to life as Tamale's background gives way to showcasing sartorial creations from some of today's leading African designers. As Obasi's spotlight shines on a variety of shapes, materials and textures, beauty effortlessly radiates, adding to Tamale's magic.

'By rooting this editorial within this diverse architectural landscape, MANJU seeks to spotlight the uniqueness of Tamale and expand visual narratives of Ghana beyond Accra’ noted creative director Richmond Orlando Mensah in a statement, who was also on hand to help put forth Obasi's vision by directing the zine's entire creative process. As each page beams with sexuality, masculinity and Afrocentric fantasy, the designs of Christie Brown, Duaba Serwa, Ajabeng, Orange Culture, Lisa Folawiyo, Emmy Kasbit, VicNate and Legacy World are put centre stage for the world to not only see but realise what Tamale truly has to offer.