Crazy for Coffins

Before moving here, I read online that 'fantasy coffins' are a thing in Accra - in fact, many craftsmen make their living making and selling them.  Did you know that museums across the world have coffins sent to them for display that were made in Accra, Ghana?  I did not.  So you know I've been dying to check this out.  Finally, made my way to two shops about a month ago, and then over Christmas break took the kids on a field trip to see Eric the Carpenter who has a well-known (third) shop and a big following.  

'Funerals are a time of mourning, but also of celebration. The Ga people believe that when their loved ones die, they move on into another life -- and the Ga make sure they do so in style. They honor their dead with brightly colored coffins that celebrate the way they lived.

The coffins are designed to represent an aspect of the dead person's life -- such as a car if they were a driver, a fish if their livelihood was the sea -- or a sewing machine for a seamstress. They might also symbolize a vice -- such as a bottle of beer or a cigarette.

Ablade Glover, an artist who works with the carpenters, says the coffin acts as a home in the afterlife, so it must be beautiful.'(taken from www.ghanaweb.com)

Kane's shop

The first shop we visited didn't have a sign and I thought I might fall through the ceiling a couple of times but he had a couple of things to show.  Second shop was Kane Kwei's.  Both carpenters were gracious and told us a few tidbits of their trade.

Working on a more common coffin

miniature crab

Work in progress

Learning from Eric the carpenter and admiring pictures of past work

This is actually a 'bar' inside

Eric is known for making anything you want into a 'miniature' coffin.  The pic below has some examples of smaller works.  I have a few things in mind for him to make us.  It's fun to start thinking about once you've seen pictures of all the many random and bizarre items he's had to make.

 A juice box with miniatures on top

One of my faves, a flour sack

miniature fishing boat

Eric the carpenter

Eagle

Drinking Fanta and talking on the cell

Pineapple

It's a hairdryer - cool, huh?

It was a very fun outing.  It's always nice to learn new things about the way a country does things. These coffins aren't cheap but funerals are BIG here, lasting days.  We learned from Eric that more times than not, when a person dies, many people will 'chip in' for the cost of the coffin and that's how they are purchased.  Or someone might pay for the whole thing if they have the money and really want to honor someone.  The coffin (and the person inside) will be paraded on the shoulders of the villagers from village to village until it meets its final resting spot.  Rest in peace.