The profound meaning behind Ghana’s colorful, creative coffins

From a fish to a peacock to a plane, the unique coffins are more than vessels for the departed

MISPER APAWU

From a giant pink fish to a vibrant peacock or an aeroplane adorned with the national flag, Ghana’s unique fantasy coffins, known as Abebuo – meaning “proverb” – are far more than simple vessels for the departed.

These vibrant creations offer a profound and colorful way to commemorate the deceased.

Each meticulously crafted piece aims to encapsulate the very essence of a person’s life. A farmer, for instance, might be laid to rest in a coffin shaped like his tools or the crops he cultivated, rather than a generic box.

The design itself becomes a powerful metaphor, serving as a poignant final message.

While deeply rooted among the Ga people of Accra, these distinctive coffins are increasingly embraced across Ghana, providing a vivid and personal alternative to traditional wooden caskets.

When a family faces loss, they convene to decide on a fitting honor, visiting a carpentry workshop where artisans help bring their bespoke tribute to life.

The choice depends on each person. A fishmonger might be remembered in the form of the fish he sold, down to its exact type.

Lion-shaped coffins are reserved only for chiefs, as the animal is a symbol of power.

In Labadi, a suburb of Accra, royal families are tied to their emblem, the rooster, a design reserved only for their lineage.

The right to a particular coffin is never arbitrary; it reflects identity, occupation and status.

Each coffin takes about two weeks to complete. The cost, which starts at around $700, varies depending on the type of wood and the complexity of the design.

Funerals in Ghana are vibrant affairs. People see them as a final opportunity to honour the deceased, sparing no expense on ceremonies that feature music, dancing and vivid displays of cultural heritage.

But while families see fantasy coffins as tributes, collectors see them as art.

Nicolas Ablorh Annan, a coffin-maker from Accra, said that while the practice of burying loved ones in fantasy coffins started among the Ga people, it has expanded across Ghana.

For his family, it is merely a business. His great-grandfather started it, he said, and they continue to run it as a family enterprise, with no ties to the rituals.

Some coffins never hold bodies at all and are destined instead for museums abroad.

Mr Annan said that international interest is growing, with many foreign clients ordering coffins primarily for exhibitions as art pieces. Currently, he is working on six fantasy coffins that will be shipped abroad the following week.

At funerals, the presence of a fantasy coffin transforms everything. Mourners burdened with grief find themselves captivated by the craftsmanship, the vivid colours, the detailed shapes, the boundless imagination.

“People forget for a moment what’s inside; they admire the coffin and the atmosphere shifts,” said Eric Kpakpo Adotey, a carpenter who specializes in fantasy coffins. Laughter blends with tears, and the sorrow is softened by creativity.

For those left behind, each coffin is more than a final resting place. It is a story carved in wood, a proverb to be read.

Independent