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Between Death and Funeral: Mortuaries and the Exploitation of Liminality in Kwahu, Ghana

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Sjaak van der Geest
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Abstract

This essay describes (1) how mortuaries changed the Akan funeral culture of Ghana and (2) how that converged with the interests of relatives and hospital managers. Such a development would not have been possible, however, (3) without the money provided by well-to-do relatives staying abroad. Mortuaries enable relatives to stretch the liminal period between death and funeral as long as they want to while they prepare everything for a grand funeral. For hospitals, this new fashion means an attractive extra source of income, as the mortuary is more lucrative than its medical services. My observations derive from anthropological fieldwork in Kwahu, Ghana.

Résumé

Cet essai décrit (1) comment les morgues ont changé la culturefunéraire akan au Ghana et (2) comment cette évolution a convergé avec les intérêts des familles et des directeurs d'hôpitaux. Une telle évolution n'aurait cependant pas été possible (3) sans l'argent fourni par les membres aisés de la famille résidant à l'étranger. Les morgues permettent aux familles d'étendre la période liminale entre le décès et les obsèques le temps nécessaire pour préparer des obsèques grandioses. Pour les hôpitaux, cette nouvelle mode est synonyme de source appréciable de revenus supplémentaires, la morgue étant plus lucrative que les services médicaux. L'article tire ses observations de travaux de recherche menés à Kwahu (Ghana).

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 76 , Issue 4 , November 2006 , pp. 485 - 501
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 2006

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