Ghana has a long tradition of celebrating the passage to the afterlife. Starting in the middle of the 20th century, long before dancing Ghanaian pallbearers became a staple of internet memetics, a select few artists, carpenters, and painters created custom, colorful, hand-carved vehicles in which the deceased would be buried and transferred to the great beyond. These so-called Fantastic Afterlife Vehicles (FAVs) have become one of the signature artistic traditions of Ghana.

First popularized in the workshop of the late Kane Kwei, and continuing through the work of his workshop head Theophilius Nii Anum Sowah, Eric Kwei, Paa Joe, and others, these sculptures have been exhibited and celebrated in museums and galleries worldwide.

Check out more photos from Ernie Wolfe III’s 30 years being a part of this tradition, during which he photographed and documented every stage of the FAV process from ideation to ultimate ceremonial burial.

Ghanaian Fire Chief: FAV by Kane Kwei Studio

Queen Mother of Teshie: FAV by Paa Joe

Emmanuel Okine Paintbrush FAV by Nii Anum

A grand FAV sculptural artwork crafted by Nii Anum and painted by D.A. Jasper