This aeroplane coffin, made in 1951, was the first such coffin in Ghana. Made by brothers Kane and Adjetei Kwei, the coffin was their final gift to their 90-year-old grandmother who had never been in a plane but told them she often day-dreamed of flying.
The tradition for fish coffins is believed to have originated in the village Teshi, where fishermen were buried in two canoes bound together in the shape of a fish.
I was so happy to find information on Paa Joe today. When I was in 2nd grade I remember reading an article about him in Nation Geographic for kids. He's an artist/craftsman from Ghana that makes these amazing coffins to reflect the what the owners profession was during their life (prostitute to fisherman). It was such a beautiful amazing imaginative craft that I began to daydream about all the things I wanted to be burried in. And maybe that's a bit morbid ...but it was a light hearted funny idea at the time.
