Feature: A twist in funeral events in Ghana

After the demise of a loved one or relative, preparations are made to bury and reconcile the deceased to the maker. These rites follow procedures in relation to how each tribe or community performs its rituals to depart the deceased from this world into the next. “Abusuapanyin,” or chief mourner, or clan head, sits with family members to weigh understanding and agreement on the planning process and contributions needed for the burial ceremony.

In the Ghanaian context, it is solely the clan head who gives the final decision after the meeting on what needs to be implemented; he is considered the sole authority on the final decision even if the deceased was not closer to him; he is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the success of the funeral.

In Ghana, families spend much time planning for funerals; this is done to be proactive for the burial service and to task each member on the money to pay and items to bring. Sometimes the deceased can be in the morgue for a year or more when decisions haven’t been made yet.

Asene-Oda in the Eastern Region of Ghana has added a new dimension to how funerals are viewed and practiced. Their funeral ceremonies are organized on a monthly basis; when a person dies, the family can either bury the deceased within two to three days or keep it at the morgue for a month and later bury it at the end of the month. The distinct feature of their funeral rites is that fifteen or more funerals are always organized at the end of the month; this is normally done at the community durbar grounds. Each family is allocated a place to sit with the banner of the deceased hanging at the front of the family; this is done to distinguish the families and help visitors and people who wish to sympathize with or donate an item or money.

The above photo shows pictures of deceased relatives hanging at the front of each family group, with clan heads, visitors, and family members greeting and donating their “nsawabodie” to the respective family group.

“This has been our tradition ever since I was born; we do our funerals with simplicity in mind; our intention is to reduce cost, mourn with other brethren, and give our deceased a befitting burial. Comparing ourselves with people from the cities, we realize they spend much on funerals; even the aftermath of the funeral is unpaid debt, resulting in chaos,” “said a mourner, Mrs. Victoria.

According to the Funeral Coordinator for Asene-Manso (also in the Eastern Region), Mr. Yaw Badu, he expressed his appreciation to families who have always acknowledged this norm and continue to abide by it. “We charge a small amount for the usage of the durbar grounds; this money is channeled into maintenance work at the grounds, cleaning the grounds, and other related activities.

Before the person dies, he selects a relative to take charge of his possessions when he departs from the world. One will ask, “How can the person know death will take its toll on him?” Well, at a certain stage in life, each family member should present a relative to the clan head with the intention of succession when he is no more. In a situation where there is an unexpected death, the clan head selects a family member to take charge of the dead relative’s possessions. This includes taking care of the children and properties until the children are old enough to take charge.

On the day of the funeral, a dirge is played for each family group to walk and dance at the center of the forecourt of the durbar grounds to introduce the successor of the deceased, spearheaded by the clan head. The successor is identified with either powder splashed on the neck or a folded scarf placed on the head. This signifies the person’s acceptance of the work ahead and the duties needed to be performed henceforth.

In other parts of Ghana, where burying a deceased within a month is termed sacrilege and a lack of respect for the deceased, a community in Asene-Oda sees it as the new awakening, which is well embraced and cherished beyond measure. This is their tradition, and they see nothing wrong with it.