Not a big fan of the burial drawers in US cemeteries, I was fascinated by the ones found in Peru. Inside they include dates, in addition to pictures and things that represent their dearly departed family member. Each burial drawer is enclosed in a frame with a lock. Our tour guide, Ana Maria, explained that family members visit regularly to bring fresh flowers and shine the frame around the burial drawer.
The rottweiler outside the entrance gates above was initially sunning himself in the oldest part of the cemetery until he heard a dog barking near the flower vendors seen below (located along the walk from the street to the front gate) and went to have a look.
These banks of burial drawers are common with lower and middle class folks. We were told that their families have to pay an annual rental fee. And if they don't, then the drawer is cleaned out so a new occupant can take up residence!
If you look carefully in the drawer below, over to the right, you'll see this was a child of eight.
Peruvians with deeper pockets will purchase a small plot of land in the cemetery to build a family crypt. Sometimes it's the body, sometimes it's the cremated remains. Yet the process is the same, with the frame and presentation of things that represent the life of that family member.
There were some older, more traditional burials in the cemetery up near the front gates.
Even though the cemetery is locked up tight at night, there are folks who sneak inside so they can perform some sort of black magic or voodoo. Our tour guide showed us the location at the back of an old crypt, but warned us not to touch it.
Guide Ana Maria asked our group if we had seen the movie "Coco" about the day of the dead in Mexico. She told us that in Peru their dia de los muertos is a big celebration, with most families visiting loved ones at the cemetery to celebrate their memories.
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