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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Culture / The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) (32125 Views)
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The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:00pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Every culture has its unique funeral customs; but the most interesting ones usually come from those cultures that celebrate death instead of mourning it. Such is the way in Ghana, who honor their deceased ancestors by sending them off in the most insanely elaborate coffins you have probably ever seen. Larger-than-life-sized Nike trainers, Coca-Cola bottles, naked women, grand pianos. . . they can all serve as caskets for the dead. In this Gold Coast Nation, the dead are seen as protectors of the living - spirits that dwell among us and interact with us on a daily basis. For this reason, it's important to keep the dead happy. One way to do that is to send them off in style, ferried to the hereafter encased in a one-of-a-kind work of art - a fantasy coffin. Unless you've got a sense of humor about these things, it does seem a little morbid at first. But what's wrong with enjoying those last few moments of life with the people we love the most? After all, the Ghana fantasy coffin business has in itself become a great boon to the living of Ghana. And dead or alive, you have to appreciate that kind of legacy. Photos below. Read for more info after the photos. cc bigfrancis21, Fulaman198, odumchi 4 Likes 3 Shares
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:01pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
The whole idea of the fantasy coffin only dates back to about 1980, when coffin-maker Kane Kwei opened his first custom coffin shop in Accra. But the idea had been gestating for quite some time. His family says that the idea first came to Kwei in 1940, when the chief of his village died unexpectedly. The people of the village wanted an elaborate coffin, but Kwei told them it would take some time. Instead, he suggested they bury the king in his palanquin, as had been done a few times in Ghana's history. Palanquins are those royal "taxis" you see carried around by teams of servants in movies. They did indeed bury the chief in his palanquin, and this reportedly served as the inspiration for Kwei's fantasy coffin business. 2 Likes 4 Shares
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:02pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
By far, the most popular burial coffin in Ghana is the cocoa bean pod. As you may know, a good amount of the world's chocolate comes from Ghana - cocoa is the country's second largest export. The cocoa bean is central to the lives of many Ghanans, especially those whose families have been working in the chocolate business for generations. And you thought YOU loved chocolate. 2 Likes 1 Share
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Hashimyussufamao(m): 7:08pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
lalasticlala help me book one for that woman that said i will die in poverty 17 Likes |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:08pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Kwei sells its coffins (those designed for actual burial) for a mere $125 USD. Which seems like a steal - until you remember that the average Ghanan only makes about $900 per year. That's 13 percent of their annual salary; a little less than two months worth. As you might expect, a coffin that costs a lot can take months to pay for. But that isn't the only reason funerals in Ghana are routinely put off for months after death: all of these shops have waiting lists a mile long of people just dying to get into their products. (Yeah, that happened.) Weirdly, this reality has spawned a sort of secondary cottage industry in Ghana. While before people were just buried in cheap, wooden boxes almost immediately after death, now they have to be embalmed, preserved and stored for weeks or months. This has built up a healthy secondary industry for morticians and funerals homes, which were practically nonexistent in Ghana 40 years ago. The wait also gives families time to plan and show up for the massive parties that also accompany any funeral in the country - which hasn't hurt the catering business much, either. 2 Likes 1 Share
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:24pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Different Status, Different Coffin 1 Like 1 Share
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:33pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
more
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:36pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
More photos
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by hahn(m): 7:39pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Lalasticlala would most definitely qualify for a snake 22 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:39pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
whatever your occupation, there's a coffin for you 1 Like 1 Share
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:41pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:43pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Final photos...but there are even more custom coffins out here in Ghana. 1 Like 1 Share
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by makydebbie(f): 7:55pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
I find this very creative. Someone eventually got bored with the usual coffins we see. Lalasticlala which one will you go for? 21 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:56pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
makydebbie: Snake or Monitor Lizard Coffin 16 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Emvico34: 7:59pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Lala what are u waiting for my friend come and take this thread to the promise land 1 Like 2 Shares |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Augustap(f): 8:00pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Which kind of coffin will be used to bury a known thief and a whor.e? I love the creativity 7 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Augustap(f): 8:00pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
. 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by makydebbie(f): 8:03pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
ScotFree:Hahahaha. Our very predictable Lala. Lalasticlala let's hear from you. |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by makydebbie(f): 8:04pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Augustap:Who.re will be one massive dick. 16 Likes |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Sugar97(f): 8:14pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Wow...really? Never knew anything like this ever existed. Interesting... 1 Like |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 8:20pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Sugar97: Yeah...it does. So many things about other cultures of the world we don't know about 2 Likes |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 8:21pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Augustap:A big Penis like makky said |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Augustap(f): 8:26pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
makydebbie:You this girl Thief nko? |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Augustap(f): 8:26pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
ScotFree: |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by makydebbie(f): 8:38pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Augustap:Maybe gun or something he steals, infact maybe jail. 4 Likes |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Augustap(f): 8:49pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
makydebbie:My chest You're something else debbie 7 Likes
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Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by makydebbie(f): 8:58pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Augustap: Not wishing you death tho, but if na you wetin you go choose? 2 Likes |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Augustap(f): 9:06pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
makydebbie:There's a lot to choose from: Kentucky Fried Chicken Bucket Ice cream cup Smirnoff ice can Most importantly, a red heart shaped coffin You nko? Ghana Jollof Pot? 8 Likes |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by makydebbie(f): 9:22pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
Augustap:I'll also want ice cream cup. Jollof Pot ko, banku nii. 3 Likes |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Augustap(f): 9:27pm On Nov 11, 2017 |
makydebbie: 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by Nobody: 7:02pm On Nov 12, 2017 |
hahn: |
Re: The Insanely Colourful, Elaborate, Custom Coffins From Ghana (photos) by ichommy(m): 5:24am On Nov 13, 2017 |
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