Cemeteries of Cebu

Please click on the icon in the bottom right corner of the frame to view images in full screen mode.

Overpopulation and poverty have driven thousands of residents of Cebu City into its cemeteries. Within their walls you will find large bustling communities, filled with families occupying the vast concrete metropolis of tombs, children skipping through graves and mourners visiting their dearly departed.

The people here have figured out how to not only coexist with the dead, but how to do so in perfect harmony. They utilise the spaces and surfaces that the tombs and graves provide, for anything from a cards table to a bed, and in return they maintain these areas.

The photos shown here were taken at the Carreta and Calamba cemeteries, two of the largest in the city of Cebu. They provide a small glimpse into the remarkable lives of the families who call these cemeteries home. I plan to return to Cebu one day to continue photographing these resilient and resourceful people.