Flames as well as Mirrors in Sagada
“Hey, look at this!” There she was, my good friend Tonet, standing motionless before a gravestone; her eyes glued to the engraving. “It’s weird.”
“What is?” I walked towards her.
“Look.” Her finger led my eyes to two words in particular. Last seen.
Last seen.
Usually, a gravestone has two lines written below the name of the departed — the date the person was born as well as the date the person passed away. however instead of the common Died, there was Last Seen taking its place. A few moments later, I discovered myself frozen next to her, both of us not moving as we stared at the gravestone while our brains bled a gazillion thoughts.
“វាជារឿងចម្លែក។”
“She didn’t die?” she wondered.
“I believe she went missing as well as they didn’t discover her?” I theorized.
If she truly went missing as well as discovered her dead, wouldn’t it be simple to determine the approximate date of death? If she went missing as well as was never found, exactly how come there’s a grave? Does that mean the household provided up their search, presumed she was already dead, as well as made a gravestone? After all, she was born in 1922 as well as was last seen in 2000. So there’s no body beneath this gravestone? Or perhaps we were overanalyzing things? perhaps it was one of the traditions of the town? however this was the only stone with Last Seen that we found. whatever else had died marked on it.
Since I discovered about the word, my concept of a “cemetery” had always been extremely simple — a location where dead bodies are buried. however right in front of me was a huge block of stone that smashed that definition. right here lies not the body of a person however a memory, buried in dirt, topped with a white stone.
A memory.
Sagada’s town cemetery, part of the objective Compound, is a unwinding as well as lovely place. It was extremely unconventional for me. The heap of charcoal in front of each gravestone provided a new meaning to the word “chilly”. The cemetery lies on top of a hill, which is unusual. Our guide explained that the wind becomes a buzzkill many of the time leaving candles without any use. Instead, they set up mini-bonfires before the grave utilizing a type of wood that burns easily. Fascinating.
Bonfires, not candles.
Mission Compound Cemetery on top of a hill
Veterans’ Tomb.
It was December when we were there as well as our guide explained exactly how the locals celebrate All Saints’ Day. The hill is well lit by gentle flames. Pillars of smoke kiss the fog looming overhead. crowds gather in a location that is typically extremely peaceful in normal days. like all the other cemeteries in the country, this one, too, concerns life on All Saints’ Day.
It was one of those moments when we were just supposed to enjoy the location however there I was overthinking, “overreflecting.” What may look like normal tombstones to many ended up being mirrors for both my good friend Tonet as well as I. On the far side of the cemetery was the Veterans’ Tomb, where the bodies of those who served at world war II were buried. It made me question whether or not I had done anything in my life that was as significant. I might only envision what they went with during the war. I might only imagine.
In one corner was one more gravestone that caught our attention.
Born 1963, died 1974
“When I was 12,” Tonet shared, “I had a crush on our church’s sacristan, as well as I was dreaming to be a sportscaster someday. This woman died when she was 12.”
The Veterans’ tomb as well as this bit girl’s grave made whatever we grumble about or concern about or whine so much about so, so trivial. many times, when we dwell on life’s negativities, we tend to fail to remember that we are still lucky for a having a fairly great life, or just for being alive.
To many of us, the cemetery is a dead place. death roams here. death guidelines this space. however our short go to to the lovely objective Compound Cemetery made us recognize one thing — the opposite of life isn’t death. The opposite of life is the inability to leave a mark, to touch one more life.
The cemetery is house to not just dead bodies six feet under however to memories. It is not death that makes people flock to graveyards. It is not death that makes us light candles — or bonfires — as well as keep their flames burning. It is these memories that make us do all that. as well as for as long as there are memories worth reliving as well as people reliving them, life — as well as its unlimited cycle of gaining, losing, searching, as well as moving on — never ceases. Yes, even in locations where death lives.
Flames as well as Mirrors at the objective Compound Cemetery – Sagada is my extremely very first entry to Pinoy travel Bloggers’ blog Carnival. This October’s blog carnival has the style ‘Dark Tourism: Philippines in Focus’ as well as is held by Gael Hilotin of The Pinay Solo Backpacker.
Top Inns as well as Guesthouses in Sagada
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