Meet Women Who are Paid as Professional Mourners in Ghana (Photo)

The great wonders of the world have been penciled down as seven, but it seems each passing year comes along with its own wondrous tales. 

In Ghana, there have been many unbelievable tales but the one that currently tops the lot is the advent of women who are contracted to cry at funerals.


It turns out that this is no longer just a tale but a reality. As incredibly weird as that sounds, it is happening in the country and some of these women have actually been proud enough to speak on camera about this chosen career.

Ami Dokli is a widow who specializes in crying at funerals in order to get paid. This widow has managed to bring together other women who have lost their husbands to form a team of contracted mourners.

Speaking to the BBC, Ami Dokli said she can be referred to as a “funeral contractor” because she cries at funerals for a living.

She explained that some families find it difficult to cry when their relatives die, and that is when her services are most relevant.

Detailing how she charges per funeral, the widow said depending on how big or lavish the funeral is, she and her crew then work out a fee to charge.

“People come to pick me to go for their funerals and I cry for them. We are all widows. So, after our husbands died, we decided to come together to help those who cannot cry, cry,” Ami Dokli told the BBC.

“Some funerals are big, others are small. So, whenever you’ve invited us and we come in and we see how big the funeral is, that is how we work out the charge.”