"Funerals play such a big part in Ghanaian life because it’s our way of paying our last respects to our loved ones. There’s a feeling that if you’re not able to do the thing properly, it’s very shameful, and everyone would dread, for example, not being seen to give the father, or brother, or mother, or sister, a good burial. So this is the one single occasion where you are really supposed to put on a lavish show as a mark of great respect for the deceased, so it really is very, very expensive. There’s much, much more attention given to providing a wonderful funeral than a wonderful wedding, but when it comes to the funeral, everyone, whether Christian, or pagan, or Muslim, makes a very, very big effort."

Captain Kwaku Larbi, formerly of the Ghanaian navy

Listen to a hymn from a Ghanaian funeral (436K). (To listen to the clip, your computer may need to have special audio software. You can download audio software for free at realaudio.com)

Eric Kpakpo, 21, apprentice coffin-maker in Teshie, near Accra, making a seafood-themed coffin. The tradition of elaborately constructed, themed coffins began about 40 years ago.

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