Tears of Gold is a multi-disciplinary installation by Sümer Erek, developed during a research residency in Accra, Ghana, as part of the Contested Desires: Constructive Dialogues programme and presented at the Nubuke Foundation. Reflecting on Ghana’s colonial history as the former Gold Coast, the work explores themes of extraction, memory, inherited trauma, and cultural resilience. Guided by instinct and materials encountered during his residency, Erek’s process became a personal journey through history, landscape, and emotion. Dedicated to wood carvers, Kente weavers, basket makers, and pottery artisans, the installation acknowledges local craft traditions while questioning the lasting impact of colonial systems on identity and heritage. As part of the wider CDCD project, Tears of Gold contributes to ongoing conversations around colonial legacies, museum narratives, reparations, and collective memory, while highlighting the healing and connective potential of artistic collaboration and creative expression.