Living Among the Dead - Living in a Manila Cemetery

New Zealand photographer Danial Eriksen traveled to the Philippines to capture the lives of locals below the poverty line. The housing shortage is acute in Manila and many people find a roof over their heads in the cemetery. But these are not the cemeteries that we are used to seeing. These are mainly crypts, which are a room where the departed rest. It is in the crypts that some Filipinos find shelter.

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1. Danial lived in the cemetery for a week and managed to make friends with the locals. If you do not take into account the fact that this is a cemetery, you might think that this is an ordinary poor quarter.

2. Women hang clothes between crypts, men play cards. You can even get into cockfighting.

3. The photographer heard about the unusual cemetery in a local bar and the conversations carried him away so much that he decided to visit it.

4. Once at the cemetery, the photographer saw children playing among the graves. It looked very strange and scary at first glance.

5. But local residents are not afraid of being close to the dead and do not harbor prejudices about this.

6. In general, people here live an ordinary life, and living with them you begin to get used to an unusual environment. Residents find for themselves various entertainments, such as cockfighting.

7. The photographer even managed to attend the 80th birthday of this woman. The woman lives in the crypt where her husband is buried.

8. The residents themselves were very friendly and did not even take money from him for any services. In fact, they built their security system as if it were a separate state.

9. After living in such a place, you begin to appreciate the fact that you have a roof over your head.

10. And you also understand that in order to remain human and be happy, it doesn't matter where you live.

11. As long as you have a family and close people - you will be happy.

12. Even in such conditions, people have access to simple entertainment, such as playing cards.

13. Poor but friendly life.

14. Life in the cemetery made a strong impression on Daniel and in many ways changed his views on the world around him.