A cemetery is a place where people are buried. It may also include mausoleums and chapels. If you are doing genealogy, a visit to a cemetery can provide a lot of valuable information.
Cemeteries can be public or private; religious or secular; for-profit or not-for-profit. Each type maintains its own ownership structure and financial endowment plan.
Memorialization
Memorialization is the process of identifying and designing a physical remembrance to be installed within a cemetery at a gravesite, crypt or niche. Memorials are inscribed with both formal biographical information and personalized epitaph language reflecting the person at rest as well as the individual’s beliefs, relationships and personality.
These memorials can transform an intimidating and unknowable journey of grief into a manageable one by providing an experience of community. The adage “shared sorrow is half sorrow” encapsulates the function of memorial ceremonies that offer a safe space to relive shared experiences, share stories and connect with others on a similar path.
Artistic memorialization can also challenge socially constructed relations of power and dominant narratives by demanding inclusivity in collective memory. For example, Lin’s naming of the victims of the Spanish Civil War creates a glaring hierarchy in which only those who died on Franco’s side are honoured. The names of the Republican dead are largely ignored.
Grief Healing
Cemeteries allow for a community-based experience that allows individuals to connect and grieve together. It fosters a shared mourning that is essential in healing from grief.
People often feel uncomfortable with their feelings of loss and grief, but a visit to a cemetery can be a place where it’s OK to express those emotions. It’s important to know that these feelings are normal and can be helpful in the process of finding peace with grief.
The serene settings and quiet pathways offer a peaceful environment where individuals can reflect on their own experiences and memories of loved ones lost. They also provide a space to honor departed loved ones through acts of remembrance such as leaving flowers, laying a wreath, or lighting grave candles. These traditions, which are often rooted in religion, can be meaningful and serve to support the mourning process. They may also provide an opportunity to create new traditions such as commemorating a deceased loved one’s birthday or anniversary in the special location where they rest.
Places of Reflection
Many people visit the graves of loved ones as a form of reflection, a ritual that helps them work through their grief. Some grieving individuals may even make yearly or monthly pilgrimages to their loved ones’ graves in order to honor them and keep the connections alive.
Reflection is a process that internalizes information by connecting current experiences and observations with prior knowledge. Bridging these gaps in understanding leads to deeper learning and new insights.
There are four main ways that people reflect: private reflection, reflection with an intended audience (such as a teacher or a friend), reflective conversation, and writing. Each of these is important and offers its own benefits. However, some ways of reflecting might be better suited for certain situations than others. For example, some methods might be more suitable for private reflection versus reflective conversation. For this reason, it is important to consider the context in which you will be reflecting when selecting the method that best fits your needs.
Community Involvement
Despite their association with death, cemeteries are unique public spaces that can be social gathering places for family and friends. With the rise in cremation, there is still a large segment of the population that chooses to have their loved ones buried in a cemetery for memorialization and as a place of quiet reflection.
With increased community interest in their history, many cemetery associations and caretakers have embraced the idea of relevance. This concept, coined by museum professional Nina Simon, is about making a space welcoming and useful for the community.
For example, Green-Wood Cemetery in New York has created guided tours to help visitors explore the grounds and locate notable graves. The Cemetery also hosts a yearly Stargazing event to take advantage of its open area views that are free from local light pollution. This is a great way to bring a community together and break down taboos around the topic of death.