Ghana’s Fantasy Coffins: A Colorful Tradition That Conceals Deeper Questions About Cultural Authenticity and Global Influence

In Accra, Ghana, the sight of a giant pink fish-shaped coffin or a vividly painted airplane bearing the national flag is not an anomaly but part of a unique funerary tradition. Known locally as Abebuo, or “proverb,” these fantasy coffins do more than bury the dead—they aim to encapsulate an individual’s life story, occupation, and social status through imaginative craftsmanship. Are Ghana’s Fantasy Coffins Losing Their Soul to Global Demand? The Ga people pioneered this striking practice, where symbolism is sacred: a farmer in Ghana might be laid to rest in a coffin shaped like farming tools rather than a...