Fantasy Coffins

Beginning in the 1950s, the Ga people of Ghana began a new artistic tradition called “Fantasy Coffins.”  The creation of Fantasy Coffins is generally credited to Kane Kwei, a carpenter whose dying uncle had requested that his coffin resemble his fishing boat.  After this coffin was well received at the funeral the commissions started to pour in, with people generally requesting coffins that reflected their status and wealth during their lifetime.  Not everyone is allowed a Fantasy Coffin, however; you must be sufficiently successful and, of course, be able to afford one (they are expensive).  The coffin reserved for the most prestigious people is the Mercedes Benz, considered by many to be the most expensive and rare car in Africa.

Though most of the people able to afford these coffins are Christian, they are not allowed in Christian Churches (unless it is shaped like a Bible).  This is also due to the fact that many of the death ceremonies that take place incorporate

animist traditions, including animal sacrifice.  Despite these traditional African spiritual practices, Kane Kwei very emphatically stated that Fantasy Coffins reside outside of the traditional African art cannon, with many of the coffins taking the shape of distinctly Western objects like cell phones, sneakers, and Coca Cola bottles.