This the the second post in a series I am doing on water that was actually a submission I made for commissioned shoot which I did not get. The first post is here and explains more of the context:

@leifasaur/water-series-part-1-sunset-on-the-black-volta-river

Today's water post is going to be a 4 in 1 deal for you as these photos really need to go together for a better explanation without repeating things. These photos are part of another larger series called The Death of a King. I will be releasing soon to you here.

I took these pictures in November 2019. My good friend in Osu whose father was a king died and I took many pictures of the resulting funeral. The funeral was a multi day affair and it was probably about 8 months after his death due to all the preparation and getting the correct timing.

The pictures here show the significance of water in the funeral ceremony. Traditionally it would have been carried down from a river about 20km from here in the foothills of the mountains, just like this by women with pots on their heads. But today the water is trucked down into the city in barrels and the clay pots are filled at a park at a football stadium at the edge of the traditional community of Osu here in Accra.

The women carry the pots of water through town on their head pouring some at each clan house as the procession snakes it way through the town. As this happens some of the water drips down onto their heads and transfers the river spirit into their body. As they walk they become possessed by these spirits and act erratically. They wear a strong belt as they will usually have a strong man holding onto the belt to have them take care of their possessed movements.

This probably goes on for about 2 miles. When they reach the family house of the deceased they are exhausted and soaked. They are allowed some time to drift back into the present reality.

The next day a cow is sacrificed and the blood is poured over the coffin, it makes another trip through town with a large parade of people, asafo warriors, and other visiting chiefs with the entourages.