The Last Hole... Ever

For a poor Filipino this is typical of the 'end', a concrete vault in

a crowded graveyard. In this case the committal service was being

held a short distance away where there was more room. The coffin was

placed in the vault, a woven bamboo cover was placed on top and about

three inches of mortar were spread over the whole works. The End...

A very nicely composed shot with a right title, Dave!

Dave,

I really admired lots of your abstract works. This picture got me and surprised to see pictures taken in the Philippines. Most people from rural areas usually bury the dead loved ones in their own backyards. Very interesting picture.

Thanks for the visit an thoughtful comments.

I should note that this burial is in a City Cemetery, an otherwise useless bit of land owned by the city.  It is very steep and hilly, and prone to mudslides, but is the equivalent to the back-yard for the urban poor.  This is the reality of life and death for roughly 35% of the population of the Philippines.  These are people, many of whom live on $2.00 a day, or less.

A simple funeral, coffin, embalming and burial will cost them around $800.00, cash-in-advance, and put considerable financial strain on the extended family.