Laurie,
If it was an old western movie, they were probably burying the body under
the stones! In a lot of places out west it would be difficult to dig a
grave in rocky soil, or areas where there is very little soil over rock, so
they piled rocks and stones on the body to keep buzzards, varmits, coyotes,
etc. from feasting on the remains. And a shovel was not the average tool
of the cowboy either. This may be movie lore, but I have seen it in many
westerns.
Ernie
At 09:54 PM 02/27/2003 -0600, you wrote:
This made me think of something I saw in a movie years ago--does
anyone know
of a tradition in Mexico where people leave stones at the place where a
person died as a sort of memorial? I guess the idea being that people who
remembered that person would place a small stone at the site (in this case,
in front of a house) when they passed by. Others would add stones as time
went on, gradually making a stone mound. It may be pure Hollywood, but I've
wondered about it.
Laurie Morris
mailto: lmorris(a)wt.net
----- Original Message -----
From: <Tewastar(a)aol.com>
To: <INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 11:42 AM
Subject: [INPCRP] JUST FOR THE RECORD
> Native American graves on the reservations here [in NM] are maintained as
are
> the old old Spanish graves......I think it has a lot to do with the
> Catholicism and Native American religions....as there are graveyard
> ceremonies on All Souls Day and at Christmas and on the anniversaries of
> death.
>
> And of course...sadly and unfortunately....due to the incredibly high
number
> of DWI deaths.......our roads are lined with "descansos".........highway
> shrines which are decorated with personal momentos and for the various
> holidays. In fact several years ago some people pooled their time and
talents
> and published a small book and there was a museum exhibit of the pictures.
I
> have seen them also in Indiana...but on a simpler scale.
>
> When roads are widened...these shrines are photographed and carefully
removed
> with the site recorded for re-establishment when the road is completed.
>
> Marilynn
>
>
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> Cemeteries Restoration Project only.
>
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Cemetery: (n) A marble orchard not to be taken for granite.