I usually send students off to do their cemetery
project without a lot of description of the things they
are likely to find, though they do have a list of things
to look for. If someone is not familiar with cremation
and inurnment, or with placing cremated remains in niches
in a columbarium like the ones shown on this page, it
takes a while for some of them to figure out exactly what
is in these "books". I also ask them to note
their reactions to anything they find.
So far, my students have found
the book theme repeated over and over again, regardless
of the ethnic origin of the last names that appear on the
bindings (Italian here, Japanese in the photo above).
Some students like the imagery of one's own "book of
life", some think the books are meant to be Bibles,
and some think the whole thing is pretty morbid. Needless
to say, this then leads to some interesting class
discussions about what things really mean, and how
one person's perceptions can be very different from
another's. I consider it a bonus if by the end of the
course people are speaking of differences, rather that
what is right or wrong.
Regardless of whether or not a
student would choose cremation and being placed in a
niche somewhere for their own final disposition, I have
yet to hear any negative comments when the artistry and
workmanship of the niches are like those shown here. The
beauty and arrangement of the materials seem to overcome
anything else.In one cemetery in Colma, the mausoleum and
columbarium are enhanced with huge Tiffany stained glass
windows. On a sunny day, the results are quite
breathtaking (for those who are still breathing, anyway).
Some of the local cemeteries have such splendid
chapels that they are also used for weddings -- though I
have yet to hear from any of my students who would
consider such a setting.
It is interesting to discuss what is spent on weddings
with what is spent on funerals. It is not unusual to
spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars for a wedding
dress you only wear once; how about spending that much on
a casket you only see once?
Here is a very artistically pleasing arrangement of
different styles of urns. This could almost be in
someone's home, it is so attractive.