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Life Among the Dead | National Geographic


Manila the capital of the Philippines

Manila the capital of the Philippines with a population of 10 million the city

with a population of 10 million the city

with a population of 10 million the city is overflowing with people and the dead

is overflowing with people and the dead

is overflowing with people and the dead Manila snorts cemetery is the city’s

Manila snorts cemetery is the city’s

Manila snorts cemetery is the city’s largest with 70 to 80 funerals a day and

largest with 70 to 80 funerals a day and

largest with 70 to 80 funerals a day and more than 1 million buried here it’s

more than 1 million buried here it’s

more than 1 million buried here it’s filled beyond capacity spilling over

filled beyond capacity spilling over

filled beyond capacity spilling over with corpses foremost this would be a

with corpses foremost this would be a

with corpses foremost this would be a chilling place to visit but to some

chilling place to visit but to some

chilling place to visit but to some Filipinos this sea of tombs and bones is

Filipinos this sea of tombs and bones is

Filipinos this sea of tombs and bones is the place they call home an entire

the place they call home an entire

the place they call home an entire community built on top of the Dead ramey

community built on top of the Dead ramey

community built on top of the Dead ramey Landry toe has lived in the city of

Landry toe has lived in the city of

Landry toe has lived in the city of death since 1988 they did they find it

death since 1988 they did they find it

death since 1988 they did they find it on a lot of people think it’s scary to

on a lot of people think it’s scary to

on a lot of people think it’s scary to live here inside the cemetery the

live here inside the cemetery the

live here inside the cemetery the submissive interio he turned an

submissive interio he turned an

submissive interio he turned an aboveground two min to a two-story house

aboveground two min to a two-story house

aboveground two min to a two-story house few people would want to do their

few people would want to do their

few people would want to do their laundry only feet away from a corpse and

laundry only feet away from a corpse and

laundry only feet away from a corpse and a crib or brush their teeth on top of a

a crib or brush their teeth on top of a

a crib or brush their teeth on top of a gravestone there’s even an empty tomb

gravestone there’s even an empty tomb

gravestone there’s even an empty tomb inside Raimi’s living room this will be

inside Raimi’s living room this will be

inside Raimi’s living room this will be the grave for my family me I won’t say

the grave for my family me I won’t say

the grave for my family me I won’t say anymore whoever is first to go will be

anymore whoever is first to go will be

anymore whoever is first to go will be buried here ramey lives here by choice

buried here ramey lives here by choice

buried here ramey lives here by choice because this is where he works his job

because this is where he works his job

because this is where he works his job is only a few tombstones away and it’s

is only a few tombstones away and it’s

is only a few tombstones away and it’s not for the squeamish at least three

not for the squeamish at least three

not for the squeamish at least three times a day Rainey must exhume the dead

times a day Rainey must exhume the dead

times a day Rainey must exhume the dead with space and money scarce many poor

with space and money scarce many poor

with space and money scarce many poor families must rent burial sites here in

families must rent burial sites here in

families must rent burial sites here in what are called the apartments and like

what are called the apartments and like

what are called the apartments and like any tenant the dead can be evicted if

any tenant the dead can be evicted if

any tenant the dead can be evicted if the rent isn’t paid after five years the

the rent isn’t paid after five years the

the rent isn’t paid after five years the apartment is opened then it’s Raimi’s

apartment is opened then it’s Raimi’s

apartment is opened then it’s Raimi’s job to remove the body piece by piece

job to remove the body piece by piece

job to remove the body piece by piece decomposed or not

decomposed or not

decomposed or not it’s a task that took some getting used

it’s a task that took some getting used

it’s a task that took some getting used to when I first started here at the

to when I first started here at the

to when I first started here at the cemetery the first time I handled bones

cemetery the first time I handled bones

cemetery the first time I handled bones I couldn’t eat for two weeks that only I

I couldn’t eat for two weeks that only I

I couldn’t eat for two weeks that only I couldn’t sleep my stomach was upset I

couldn’t sleep my stomach was upset I

couldn’t sleep my stomach was upset I felt like throwing up but three weeks

felt like throwing up but three weeks

felt like throwing up but three weeks into the job I got used to it little by

into the job I got used to it little by

into the job I got used to it little by little and I started eating again I know

here death is everywhere literally

here death is everywhere literally staring residents in the face in this

staring residents in the face in this

staring residents in the face in this neighborhood unclaimed bodies litter

neighborhood unclaimed bodies litter

neighborhood unclaimed bodies litter front yards becoming children’s

front yards becoming children’s

front yards becoming children’s playthings or ballast for tin roof tops

but Ramey a devout Catholic places the

but Ramey a devout Catholic places the unclaimed corpses in a mass grave so

unclaimed corpses in a mass grave so

unclaimed corpses in a mass grave so that their souls may rest in peace boom

that their souls may rest in peace boom

that their souls may rest in peace boom bah bah those who don’t have money to

bah bah those who don’t have money to

bah bah those who don’t have money to Ribery the bones are stored here there

Ribery the bones are stored here there

Ribery the bones are stored here there are more than 2,000 bodies here in the

are more than 2,000 bodies here in the

are more than 2,000 bodies here in the Philippines caring for graves isn’t a

Philippines caring for graves isn’t a

Philippines caring for graves isn’t a matter of placing flowers once a year

matter of placing flowers once a year

matter of placing flowers once a year and that’s what makes it possible for

and that’s what makes it possible for

and that’s what makes it possible for the cemeteries residents to live here

the cemeteries residents to live here

the cemeteries residents to live here many people want to have someone to tend

many people want to have someone to tend

many people want to have someone to tend their loved ones scripts on a full-time

their loved ones scripts on a full-time

their loved ones scripts on a full-time basis Mario for malice an epitaph maker

basis Mario for malice an epitaph maker

basis Mario for malice an epitaph maker has called the cemetery home for over 25

has called the cemetery home for over 25

has called the cemetery home for over 25 years Mario’s lease agreement is one few

years Mario’s lease agreement is one few

years Mario’s lease agreement is one few Westerners would want to sign take care

Westerners would want to sign take care

Westerners would want to sign take care of a crypt and its corpses and you can

of a crypt and its corpses and you can

of a crypt and its corpses and you can move in with them for free and in turn

move in with them for free and in turn

move in with them for free and in turn his family has a place to live

his family has a place to live

his family has a place to live me hello people ask me why we live here

me hello people ask me why we live here

me hello people ask me why we live here anything I tell them because rent is

anything I tell them because rent is

anything I tell them because rent is free everything is free even water it

free everything is free even water it

free everything is free even water it may be creepy but it’s also quiet and

may be creepy but it’s also quiet and

may be creepy but it’s also quiet and safe particularly when compared to the

safe particularly when compared to the

safe particularly when compared to the slums of Manila where squalor and drugs

slums of Manila where squalor and drugs

slums of Manila where squalor and drugs are part of daily life brainy Landry doe

are part of daily life brainy Landry doe

are part of daily life brainy Landry doe does hope that someday his son junior

does hope that someday his son junior

does hope that someday his son junior will find a home far from the tombs and

will find a home far from the tombs and

will find a home far from the tombs and coffins of the cemetery but until then

coffins of the cemetery but until then

coffins of the cemetery but until then Raimi’s family and others like Mario for

Raimi’s family and others like Mario for

Raimi’s family and others like Mario for malice will continue to live in a place

malice will continue to live in a place

malice will continue to live in a place many would find taboo honey with me

many would find taboo honey with me

many would find taboo honey with me money this really isn’t a place for the

money this really isn’t a place for the

money this really isn’t a place for the living without but the latinum it’s a

living without but the latinum it’s a

living without but the latinum it’s a place for the dead but in the end it’s

place for the dead but in the end it’s

place for the dead but in the end it’s our home

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