A video showing a custom-made casket designed in the shape of a sewing machine has gone viral, drawing renewed attention to Ghana’s long-standing tradition of crafting coffins that reflect the profession or passions of the deceased.
Footage from what appears to be a funeral gathering shows pallbearers carrying the elaborately designed casket, complete with a detailed sewing machine structure mounted atop a white coffin base, believed to honour a tailor or seamstress being laid to rest.
The clip has drawn a wave of amused reactions online, with many social media users commenting on the increasingly specific and creative designs Ghanaian coffin makers continue to produce, tailoring caskets to represent everything from professions to personal interests of the deceased.
The so-called “fantasy coffin” tradition, most closely associated with the Ga people of Greater Accra, dates back decades and has earned international recognition, with Ghanaian coffin artisans previously showcasing designs ranging from airplanes and cars to fish, cocoa pods, and various tools of trade at exhibitions abroad.
The identities of those involved in the video and the specific location have not been independently confirmed.
From all indications, a fashion designer had died and that was his/her coffin.
Watch the video HERE.
