The Funeral of Kwadae: A Reflection on African Funerary Extravagance and Cultural Values

The Funeral of Kwadae, an incisive satirical film set in Ghana, tackles a complex and often unspoken reality: how community priorities shift when a person dies. 

In African cultures, and particularly in Ghana, funerals are seen as significant life passages—events that honor the deceased with a send-off worthy of their “new journey.” 

Yet, beneath this veneer of celebration, the film reveals a troubling truth: often, the same community that could not support a person in life rallies only after death, pouring resources into elaborate ceremonies instead of uplifting one another in times of struggle.

Kwadae, the film’s main character, is a humble shopkeeper who has struggled throughout his life. Driven to desperation, he decides to fake his death, forcing his community to confront its values and priorities in a way that reveals both the absurdity and tragedy of Ghanaian funeral culture. 

Through this story, The Funeral of Kwadae sheds light on the irony and emotional complexities surrounding funerals and offers a biting critique of how societal standards dictate priorities—even at the expense of the living.

Death as Celebration or Burden?

In many African cultures, death is more than the end of life; it’s a spiritual journey, a rite of passage that many believe requires an elaborate farewell. This perspective has long been woven into the fabric of Ghanaian society. 

Funerals here are celebrations, rich with cultural rituals meant to commemorate the deceased’s transition to another realm. However, The Funeral of Kwadae highlights how, over time, these practices have morphed from meaningful cultural ceremonies into events loaded with financial and social expectations. 

The question arises: for whom is this “celebration” actually intended?

After Kwadae’s “death,” the news spreads quickly, like wildfire, and his community springs into action. A funeral committee is immediately formed, tasked with planning a fitting farewell for him. 

This committee’s primary goal is to ensure the funeral meets societal expectations. In Ghanaian culture, a “decent” funeral involves significant financial contributions, extravagant food, and traditional attire, all of which showcase respect for the deceased. 

The reality, however, is that these “standards” often place immense financial burdens on families, forcing them to spend beyond their means or rely on community contributions that may also come from people struggling financially.

The Irony of Priorities: Help Arrives After Death

Kwadae’s story reveals an uncomfortable truth: in many communities, the support that individuals desperately need during their lifetimes is largely absent. The community shows up only in death, providing resources that could have changed Kwadae’s life if he had received them earlier. 

While alive, he was a struggling shopkeeper, but his financial struggles were largely ignored. Yet, upon his death, people contribute food, money, and their time, all in the name of honoring his memory.

The Funeral of Kwadae asks us to consider the irony and inconsistency in these practices. Why is it that communities are willing to pour resources into someone’s death but ignore their hardships in life? 

The film suggests that, instead of waiting until someone has passed away, communities could make a far greater impact by supporting people while they are still living—providing food to those who go hungry, offering financial assistance to struggling families, or listening to those in need of emotional support.

This idea touches upon a larger issue in society: the inclination to show compassion when it’s too late. Funerals, as the film demonstrates, are occasions where people rally together, often out of societal obligation. 

The Funeral of Kwadae encourages viewers to imagine what could be achieved if that same collective energy were directed toward helping the living, especially the vulnerable, the poor, and the neglected.

Financial Pressure and Social Expectations

In the film’s fictional setting of Nipa Hia Mmoa, a subtle yet potent critique emerges around class dynamics and social competition. Funerals have become occasions not just to mourn but to showcase wealth. 

Families with greater financial resources use the event as an opportunity to display their affluence, creating a sharp divide between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” 

This creates an atmosphere of social pressure, where the economically disadvantaged are compelled to meet these same standards, often borrowing money or sacrificing their own needs to keep up appearances.

The film illustrates how this societal pressure transforms the grieving process into an economic burden. Funeral expenses, including traditional attire, large feasts, and public displays, are costly. 

Even those who can barely afford it feel compelled to contribute, fearing the social repercussions of failing to “honor” the deceased properly. In this way, funerals become about performance, about presenting a facade of unity and respect, rather than a sincere celebration of life.

The Emotional Toll: Funerals as Trauma

Through Kwadae’s “death,” The Funeral of Kwadae unveils another painful truth: the emotional strain that these funerals place on families. The expectation to uphold social norms and manage financial burdens leaves little room for genuine mourning. 

Families are often swept up in the demands of planning, coordinating, and financing a funeral, overshadowing the opportunity to grieve in a meaningful way.

The film asks us to imagine a different approach—one where the family’s emotional needs are prioritized over social expectations. What if, instead of orchestrating a spectacle, families were given the time and space to grieve privately? 

This idea of stripping back the pageantry challenges the audience to consider how society might benefit from reshaping its attitudes around mourning and support.

A Call for Change: Real Support for the Living

The Funeral of Kwadae ultimately serves as a call for change. It asks the community to examine its values and reconsider how and when it extends support. 

Instead of reserving generosity and resources for elaborate funerals, the film suggests that these same energies and resources could be used to uplift the living, to provide for those struggling, and to prevent tragedies before they occur. 

This would entail a significant shift in societal attitudes: moving away from showing love and respect through grand gestures in death, and instead fostering a culture of empathy, compassion, and support for the living.

The film leaves us with a powerful “what if”: What if we rallied to provide resources for orphans, widows, and impoverished families, rather than reserving our support for funeral committees? 

What if we channeled the same level of collective energy into education, healthcare, and community development, making a tangible impact in people’s lives while they are here to appreciate it? 

These are the questions that The Funeral of Kwadae leaves its audience pondering, encouraging a shift from symbolic displays in death to meaningful action in life.

Embracing a New Tradition

In its satirical critique, The Funeral of Kwadae pushes viewers to imagine a new kind of tradition—one that prioritizes real support over performative gestures. 

Rather than using funerals as an occasion to show social status, communities could instead come together to build each other up in life, creating a support system that benefits everyone. 

By redefining what it means to “honor” someone, the film envisions a future where communities take pride in uplifting their members, meeting needs in real time rather than after the fact.

Through Kwadae’s journey, The Funeral of Kwadae poses an essential question: what if, instead of waiting until it’s too late, we gave our best efforts to those who need them most while they are still here? 

The film doesn’t just offer a critique; it offers a vision of a society that values compassion over competition and care over appearances. This shift, as the film suggests, would create not only healthier communities but also a more meaningful approach to life and death.