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A Pen Pen for your Thoughts
This section will just be for, basically random thoughts and feelings. Since my thought process is mostly random you can probably expect this to be updated frequently. Back to Previous Pennys. Back to Pen Penny.
Contemporary Coffins
Coffins, sure, we all love ‘em, but frankly most of them are all so plain and, to put it bluntly, rather box-like and dark. Like some sort of uncolored Tupperware for the dead, we box up our corpses in ordinary looking rectangles for the decomposers to feed on. Fashion update for all you dead guys out there, the whole rectangular coffin thing? It’s been going on for centuries and is totally out of style. The new rectangle, so to speak, is now novelty coffins!
Coffins looking like a fish, a giant onion and a saloon have gone on show along with other strangely shaped coffins in Berlin. The exhibit also had several detailed encrusted black and gold coffins covered with ornate and intricate designs alongside such coffins as a giant fish. "Customs like wearing black for mourning are old-fashioned and many people feel the issue of death is never addressed," said Jutta Lange, a spokeswoman for the Museum of Sepulchral Culture located in Kassel.
Precisely my thinking as well, why don’t you try grieving for your loved ones in a stylish rainbow dress, or mourn in maroon, with a popular red skirt and top or try lamenting your loss in a very chic pantsuit that says to everyone “I’m mourning but I’m not restricted to your societal constraints of wearing only black.” And don’t forget the guys, the men can bemoan their loss while trying out a very fashionable gray suit that tells the world that you’re a mourning man on the move or they can try a brand new jogging suit that says “I’ll mourn, but I’ll be comfortable doing it!”
Most of the novelty coffins were created by Ghanaian-born Kane Kwei, who was inspired by the Ga people from Ghana a slightly different people from the Goo, the Gu, the Gaa and the Goo-Goo Gaa-Gaas, who may or may not exist. The Ga traditionally shaped the coffins of their loved ones in the shape of something that had an important impact on their lives. So basically, he wasn’t all that creative and is just exploiting the traditions of his culture for profit.
The Museum in Kassel was founded in 1951, aiming to raise public awareness of grieving rituals and to help people talk about death. The major German department store called Dussmann has started displaying contemporary “pieces” (as in coffins) that might cause some controversy. The managing director said, “We want them to come face to face with the unusual side of burial rites -- funerals don't have to be quiet churchyard affairs." They can be a party! You won’t have time to shed tears when you’re getting funky with DJ Grim at your loved one’s funeral! Who cares that you’re heart is crushed and you’re now all alone in the world, when you turn a simple wake into the place to be, you’ll be too cool to notice your problems. Booze always helps too! - 7/1//04
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