ABSTRACT
In contemporary Kumasi, the pre-colonial capital city of the Asante Empire, and in the surrounding towns of the Ashanti region of Ghana, funerals are the major weekend activity for a signifi cant portion of the population. Held outdoors in large open spaces, funerals are characterized by continuous drumming and the fl ow of visitors, dressed in red and/or black African cloth, greeting the chief mourners. Video cameras are prominent, and a sound system projects the voice of a speaker announcing gifts or playing recorded music. So important are these events to mainstream social life that a member of parliament once explained to me that if one is active in politics, then attendance at these funerals is mandatory.
