Working us into the grave! Ghana's dead are buried in coffins shaped like a camera, a pineapple and a BEER BOTTLE to represent their jobs
30th September 2016
Some dream of an early retirement but many in Ghana have chosen to take their profession to the grave - literally.
Crazy coffin designs in the African nation show how the dead have been buried in caskets shaped like a pineapple, a camera and even a beer bottle, to represent their jobs in life.
As well as work-related coffins, some choose to have theirs shaped like animals, including a lion and even a beetle, to symbolise their clan totems.
To die for: Crazy coffin designs in the African nation show how the dead have been buried in caskets shaped like a camera and even beer and coke bottles, to represent their jobs in life.
Ascension: This person was buried in a casket shaped like a plane to represent a job in the aviation industry (pictured)
A toast: It seems that these two people may have worked in the service industry, perhaps bar or cafe owners, opting to be buried in coffins shaped like a lager (left) and a coke (right) bottle
Six feet over: These coffins, stored on the top floor after being constructed, are shaped like a sack of wheat, a mobile phone and what appears to be an eagle
Wild side: As well as work-related coffins, some choose to have theirs shaped like animals, including a lion and even a beetle, to represent their clan totems
The tradition of the custom coffins has developed among Christians in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana since the 1960s. Before that, the special coffins were reserved only for chiefs and priests.
Workers seem capable of fashioning coffins in almost any designs, from planes, to pineapples, milk cartons and even mobile phones.
Photojournalist Christina Czybik, from Hamburg, Germany, captured these images while travelling through Ghana and Togo with King Bansah, Queen Gabi and the royal delegation earlier this month.
Miss Czybik, 37, discovered the tradition of Ghana's fancy coffins while researching her trip and was immediately intrigued.
On trend: The tradition of the custom coffins has developed among Christians in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana since the 1960s. Before that, the special coffins were reserved only for chiefs and priests
Fond farewell: Now, anyone can choose what they want to be buried when they die, and some of the options are quite unusual
Under the sea: This coffin appears to be shaped like a crustacean, perhaps made for someone in the fishing industry
Big fin-ish: This casket is shaped like a fish and is likely to belong to someone who makes their living from the sea or perhaps represent a sea creature on a tribal totem
Icing on the cake: This casket looks as though it may be shaped like an iced bun, perhaps belonging to someone in baking
Last drink: The coffins stored here are shaped like a plane in the colours of Ghana's flag (left), a beer brewed in Nigeria and what appears to be a taxi
Natural: An image of caskets designed like (left to right) a crustacean, a fish, a pineapple, and what appears to be a cow
She said: 'Before I travelled to Ghana I did some research on the photo stories I could work on. I found this tradition of 'Fancy Coffins' and was immediately intrigued.
'These fantasy coffins- or 'okadi adekai' as they call it in their language - are mainly used by people in southern Ghana.
'They use them because of their belief in the afterlife. They believe death is not the end and that life continues in the next world.
'People in Ghana are great craftsmen, they have a great talent to build furniture, wooden art, musical instruments, these fancy coffins and much more. They are very proud of their crafts.
Flying high: Caskets shaped like a plane and a bird, in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana since the 1960s
Food for thought: Christina Czybik, from Hamburg, Germany, captured these images while travelling through Ghana and Togo with King Bansah, Queen Gabi and the royal delegation earlier this month
Working holiday: Miss Czybik, 37, discovered the tradition of Ghana's fancy coffins while researching her trip and was immediately intrigued
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Master at work: A worker starts form the very beginning in the process of making the amazingly ornate coffins
'A couple of these coffins have been already displayed in modern art museums and art galleries all around the world - every coffin is a real piece of art.
'For some people it might feel morbid. In our lines of latitude where people are very religious, this topic is most often heavily burdened by grief, darkness and mourning.
'I find it very refreshing that we do have other cultures and traditions in the world that look at this sad topic from a different angle, that still find a beautiful way to celebrate the life of the beloved ones that have gone too soon in a respectful and individual way.
'As a photographer my favourite coffin is of course the Canon camera.'
source:dailymail.co.uk