In Ghana – a country in West Africa, funerals are not a time to express grief and mourning for lost loved ones. On the contrary, this is When the living must hold a lavish ceremony to celebrate the earthly life of the dead and send them off to the next world.
The atmosphere at funerals in Ghana is not gloomy and painful, on the contrary, the more vibrant the better. Funerals are also an opportunity for as many people as possible to come and pay their respects. Therefore, even though life is still difficult, local people are still willing to spend up to 15,000 USD for a funeral.
Funerals cannot lack large-sized obituaries printed in colorful colors with Prices range from 600 USD to 3,000 USD and placed at places with many people passing by as easily as possible.
In addition to the giant obituaries, the coffin is an indispensable item. It is also the most “aggressive” expense. It is estimated that each coffin with a unique and colorful shape costs up to 1,000 USD (more than 23 million VND). And only in Ghana do people see such strange types of coffins.
People here believe that no matter how difficult life is, when it comes time to “close your eyes and give up” the dead must definitely have an attitude. The more unusual the talent, the better. These are coffins that reflect the dream preferences and personality of the person who just died. Many families even spend several thousand dollars to buy special coffins for their dead relatives when they go to the next world.
According to the local belief, when the deceased overcomes death, they will continue their profession on the other side of the world. Therefore, they need to be buried in a coffin that represents the work they did while alive.
Therefore, it is not strange that many coffins in Ghana are intricately designed and come in all different shapes. Animal-shaped houses, cars, train simulators, working tools…
Mr. Joseph Ashong (also known as Paa Joe) is an experienced craftsman in the coffin making profession. ) said this is a serious business in Ghana.
He has been in the profession for more than 50 years. Recalling the first day of Paa Joe’s career, he said: “From 1962, when I was 15 years old, I started an apprenticeship with my uncle to make coffins. In 1974, I started my career.”
Workshop Mr. Paa Joe’s coffins are very diverse in style and type of wood. He used to sell them abroad for prices ranging from 5,000 USD – 15,000 USD. Mahogany or some type of high-grade hardwood is used to protect the coffin from insects and cracking. However, for local customers, he will use cheaper materials to make them, but the price is at least 1,000 USD/piece.
“It depends on each detail on the coffin. I can create “In Ghana, people believe that these coffins will take them to a new beginning on the other side,” said Mr. Paa Joe.
In recent years, many vibrant coffin models from Ghana have attracted the attention of foreigners In addition, design factories also receive more orders.
In 1989, coffins from Ghana appeared in the Musee National Keyboard exhibition Moderne in Paris France. Currently, visitors can admire them at the National Funeral Museum in Houston, USA.
For his part, Mr. Paa Joe believes that coffins are like a work of art that reflects the character of the coffin. Ghanaian culture. Therefore, he hopes that there will be successors who will continue to develop his profession so that it will not be lost over time.
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