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Type:
Articles
Place:
Nigeria
Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt (Nigeria)
Date:
1988
Notes:
The city cemetery in Port Harcourt can be "read" as an archaeological site by which part of the history of the city can be revealed, "a pocket size history book." This "city of the dead" mirrors the religious and sociological divisions of the society with separate sections for Europeans, Muslims, prisoners, etc. There are also four traditional shrines in the cemetery containing paraphernalia and relics, such as clay pots, manilas, red cloth, bottles, or candles. Tombstone inscriptions also provide an historical profile of former inhabitants. The cemetery is not only for the dead; it is a mecca for relatives seeking help, guidance, renewal, or spiritual intervention.
