VALPARAÍSO, CHILE

Hand-made memorials and a wish-granting murderer lie within this seaside pauper's cemetery

In a wide field overlooking the ocean in Chile's second-largest city, there are home-made mausoleums unlike any others in the country, and a shrine to a local murderer-turned-martyr who might be persuaded to give you his good graces.

Construction on Cementerio Numero 3 de Playa Ancha, in the city of Valparaíso, began in 1868. Cemeteries 1 and 2, the resting places for well-off porteños, were now enveloped by the development of the growing port city. As the population boomed, a third location was chosen further afield for the poor and the working class.

In the mid-19th century, Chile was a young country commanding an important trade route. Valparaíso was its principal port, and it was enjoying a golden era. The Straits of Magellan in Patagonia were the safest way for steamships to cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and the city was the first major stop on the Pacific leg. The country on land was also isolated by the world's driest desert in the north and the Andes in the east, so the port was its key point of connection to the rest of the world. Valparaíso filled with European immigrants looking to make a buck in the thriving economy, particularly as the California Gold Rush pulled ships to the west through the 1840s and 50s. The Cementerio de Playa Ancha provided a place to inter the deceased of these incoming masses.

Surviving into the modern day, it now includes a "German quarter," which features a mix of international surnames and architectural styles representing a wide range of regions and eras.

The most striking feature of the cemetery, though, is its fields of cunas and corrales. Meaning cribs and corrals, these are the makeshift memorials of those who couldn't afford a fancier plot. They resemble the mausoleums constructed for those who can afford it privately, or those who are buried collectively in tombs owned by unions and social societies. They are mostly made out of wood or metal (or in some cases literally a cast-off baby's crib), and decorated with photos, keepsakes, and other souvenirs of the deceased.

While these assemblies bring to mind altars from Mexico's Día de Muertos, no such tradition exists in Chile. Somewhat similar home-made grave decorations are also found in fishing regions in the southern part of the country, indicating that there may be a link between the traditions of various indigenous cultures. But in general the history remains unclear. The cunas and corrales are today unique to Valparaíso's working classes.

The single most famous grave in the cemetery is probably the animita of Emile Dubois. An animita, another blend of indigenous and colonial beliefs, is a shrine to someone who died tragically or violently and is thought to remain in contact with the world of the living. In the case of Dubois, that death was by firing squad. The shrine is covered with hundreds of inscribed plaques thanking Dubois for his help. If you come at the right time you might cross paths with someone saying a prayer or leaving a note asking for intervention.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cementerio-numero-3-de-playa-ancha

Views: 173

Have questions?

Need help? Visit our Support Group for help from our friendly Admins and members!

Have you?

Become a Member
Invited Your Friends
Made new Friends
Read/ Written a Blog
Joined/ Created a Group
Read/ Posted a Discussion
Checked out the Chat
Looked at/Posted Videos
Made a donation this month
Followed us on Twitter
Followed us on Facebook

Donations & Sponsorship

~~~~~~~~~~~
Please consider a donation to help with our continued growth and site costs

Connect

Visit The Temple
on Facebook:

....

Blog Posts

THE FUTURE 93!

Posted by Rosey Cross on November 8, 2024 at 5:19pm 0 Comments

WE!

Posted by Rosey Cross on November 5, 2024 at 5:33pm 0 Comments

IT'S SIMPLICATED

Posted by Rosey Cross on October 22, 2024 at 5:39pm 0 Comments

HOMECOMING OF THE GOD

Posted by Rosey Cross on October 17, 2024 at 4:29pm 0 Comments

The Master Race

Posted by the Draç on October 17, 2024 at 6:00am 0 Comments

CHAOTIC CURRENTS ABLAZE!

Posted by Rosey Cross on October 13, 2024 at 4:45pm 0 Comments

The Scapegoat: Yom Kippur

Posted by the Draç on October 12, 2024 at 7:00am 0 Comments

the Drac: 18

Posted by the Draç on October 11, 2024 at 11:00am 0 Comments

GAIA COMMENCES BIRTH!

Posted by Rosey Cross on October 9, 2024 at 4:23pm 0 Comments

TWIN FLAME UNITY!

Posted by Rosey Cross on October 2, 2024 at 1:50pm 1 Comment

THE MESSAGE

Posted by Rosey Cross on September 30, 2024 at 4:55pm 0 Comments

Pumpkin jam

Posted by Luciana A.Schlei on September 29, 2024 at 5:17am 0 Comments

AWAKENING IN THE BELOVED!..

Posted by Rosey Cross on September 28, 2024 at 5:45pm 2 Comments

Pumpkin Cookies

Posted by Luciana A.Schlei on September 27, 2024 at 10:32am 0 Comments

Roasted Pumpkin with Condensed Milk

Posted by Luciana A.Schlei on September 27, 2024 at 10:27am 1 Comment

Simple spell to tie your man down

Posted by Luciana A.Schlei on September 27, 2024 at 10:00am 1 Comment

The Enveloping Touch Spell

Posted by Luciana A.Schlei on September 27, 2024 at 9:53am 0 Comments

NOVEMBER AWARENESS

© 2024   Created by Bryan   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service