10-07-2025
In photos: The secretive, colorful world of Ghanaian funerals
A driver was buried in a replica of his Bedford truck in the Central Region, 2015. Coffin makers operate in a buyer's market, said Tschumi. Many see selling one of their bespoke designs to Western museums as a major payday, she explained. Regula Tschumi
A whale shark coffin was made for a deceased chief in Greater Accra, 2024. The creature is an auspicious symbol, as it is considered to be the largest and strongest shark, according to the photographer. Regula Tschumi
Aidoo's company Nana Otafrija (pictured) carries out multiple duties on the day of the funeral and the night before. This funeral, in Greater Accra in 2024, was for a fishmonger. The tail of the fish coffin was too long for the grave, said Tschumi, and had to be sawn off. Regula Tschumi
The night before a funeral, some families will undertake 'laying out,' in which the deceased is displayed, with mourners coming to pay their respects. The deceased may be lying down, like at this 2024 ceremony in Greater Accra, although they may be sat upright. Undertakers sometimes change the poses of the deceased during the night, said Tschumi. Regula Tschumi
