Cemetery Days

I find it extremely interesting to visit cemeteries when we travel. The way that people honor their dead reflects on how they view the value of life and really shows classes in society. In a way, going to them is a lot like going to archaeological ruins to me. There is a buried (literally) history that is often a puzzle, wealth is reflected in the structures that have been created, and there is a reflective solitude that gives you time to really sit and soak in the culture.

So far I’ve been able to visit two cemeteries for a period of time, one in Mexico and one in Guatemala. They have a lot of similarities and a lot of differences so thought a post would be interesting.

Mexico - San Cristóbal de las Casas

San Cristóbal is a relatively new town that grew from being the center of many trade routes for gold, silver, spices, and many other items. It is a wealthy town, and it shows in their cemetery. There are very few of what we in the US would call graves - simple plots with a headstone or cross. The vast majority are mausoleums, some simple and some garish. Nearly all are painted colorfully, the norm in Mexico. There is more space between the tombs and graves… enough to meander along them without stepping on them (which I try really hard not to do).

Guatemala - Chichicastenango

The cemetery in Chichicastenango is said to be one of the most colorful in the world. It was pretty colorful and compares to San Cristobal in that respect. It’s quite different when it comes to the structures within. About 2/3 of the graves are actually graves… submarine shaped cement mounds for an individual, usually adorned with just a name and cross - many still painted in bright colors. The other 1/3 are mausoleums ranging from simpler versions of those in Mexico to one hugely out-of-place giant Taj Mahal looking one. The dispersion of wealth between wealthy and poor is very dramatic compared to San Cristóbal. Larger mausoleums for wealthier families had much less decoration, showing the wealth differential between Mexico and Guatemala. I could barely step between some of the graves and unfortunately had to step on them a few times to break out into a main path.

One other thing I found fascinating is that there were at least two structures set aside for Mayan ceremonies. These were in use when I went so I didn’t take pictures out of respect. Even though San Cristóbal has Guatemalan roots, it didn’t seem to want to keep Mayan roots.