Object Details
- Paa Joe, born 1945, Ghana
- Ga artist
- Label Text
- In small communities outside the towns of Teshi and Nungua, on the outskirts of Ghana's capital city of Accra, an inventive new art form has transformed the way Ghanaians may choose to commemorate their own lives and those of their family members. Colorful and fanciful coffins in a wide variety of shapes--including canoes, fish, lobsters, leopards, chickens, cars, airplanes, churches, Bibles and agricultural produce such as cocoa pods, chili peppers and shallot onions--unambiguously celebrate life's work and achievements. The diverse forms reflect the valued work that parents, fishermen, farmers, chauffeurs, market vendors, shop owners, and religious and political leaders perform in society. Indeed, use of these elaborate coffins is usually restricted to older individuals who have clearly made their mark and, thus, contributed to the betterment of family and community. This coffin, in the shape of a red chili pepper, honors the contributions that men and women bring to their communities through their work, in this case through the growing and/or selling of red chili peppers, a popular condiment in Ghana.
- The creation of designer coffins is a relatively recent phenomenon, with some oral histories tracing the first such coffin to the Ga carpenter Adjetey Kane in 1941. Others credit Ataa Owuo (1904-1976, also spelled Ata Owoo), who worked in the 1950s, as the innovator. However, it was Kane Quaye (1922-1992, also spelled Kwei) who established his own carpentry shop in the early 1950s and popularized the tradition, producing a wide range of forms and employing a growing number of apprentices in his Teshi workshop. Paa Joe (born 1945), the artist who created this red pepper coffin, became Kane Quaye's star apprentice, and he eventually left to form his own shop. A number of other carpentry shops have also sprung up in the Teshi-Nungua area, all of them producing a range of furnishings, regulation coffins and specialty designer coffins.
- Designer coffins are functional and form an important part of elaborate funeral rites that underscore the prominent role that the ancestors play in Ga social and spiritual life, for to send someone off in style to the next life ensures their continued goodwill and assistance on behalf of those still living. However, the use of specialty coffins remains the exception rather than the rule. Indeed, most Ghanaians are still buried in the standard and more affordable rectangular coffins, which are also preferred by Christian church leaders who consider the designer coffins flamboyant and undignified. Regardless of the type of coffin, a loved one's funeral is successful through the active participation of family and friends who turn out in great numbers for the wake and funeral procession that bid the deceased a fond farewell.
- Description
- Life-size lidded coffin in the shape of a red chili pepper with a long green stem. The coffin rests on two green-colored slats that function as both base and carrying frame. The edge of the green stem is flared with scalloped edges that lead to the wider and more rounded end of the pepper-shaped coffin. It tapers at the other end, in imitation of the pointed tip of a chili pepper. The coffin is made of numerous milled planks and sections that are planed to a bevel and butt-joined. The joins are secured with nails, driven in from the exterior, face-side of the wood. A gesso like ground has been applied to the exterior of the coffin, filling the joins and preparing the surface for painting. The lid forms the top part of the pepper. The interior of the coffin is unfinished, but has been lined with plain white synthetic cloth secured with iron brads.
- Provenance
- Kenneth and Bonnie Brown, Washington, D.C., acquired Ghana, circa 1992 to 2004
- Exhibition History
- BIG/small, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 17-July 23, 2006
- Published References
- Kreamer, Christine Mullen. 2010. "Impermanent by Design: The Ephemeral in Africa’s Tradition-based Arts." African Arts 23 (1), p. 17, no. 5.
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Credit Line
- Gift of Kenneth L. and Bonnie Brown
- ca. 1992
- Object number
- 2004-2-1
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © 1992 Paa Joe
- Type
- Sculpture
- Medium
- Wood, paint, synthetic fiber, nails
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 56.5 x 294 x 93.5 cm (22 1/4 x 115 3/4 x 36 13/16 in.)
- Geography
- Teshi-Nungua, Ghana
- See more items in
- National Museum of African Art Collection
- National Museum of African Art
- Topic
- Funerary
- Plant
- Record ID
- nmafa_2004-2-1
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7be4b7579-96b3-4879-a08f-e45880f6697b
