Image Number: APN510826
Media Id: 1166_1069
Path:
african.pictures /
Arena Holdings Digital Archive /
The Times
Description: April 19, 2015. On the southern edge of one of the countryââ¬â¢s most famous townships, Soweto, lies the equally historic Avalon Cemetery. The Avalon Cemetery is one of the largest graveyards in South Africa. It was opened in 1972, during the height of apartheid, as a graveyard exclusively for blacks. Avalon Cemetery represented the place to honour struggle heroes, and today holds the graves of many South African heroes. Hector Pieterson, Tsietsi Mashinini, Joe Slovo, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph and many more are buried here. During the height of the struggle in the 1970s and 1980s, funerals became one of the most powerful expressions of defiance against the apartheid government. In many ways, Avalon is associated with a history of defiance and struggle. Thousands of mourners would congregate at the cemetery to sing forbidden songs of freedom and chant-banned slogans until they were driven away by security forces. More than 300,000 people are buried on its 430 acres (1.7 km2), the graves less than two feet apart. By 2010 the cemetery is expected to be at capacity, largely because of AIDS deaths. Religious leaders & family officials oversee that everything runs accordingly. Photo: Moeletsi Mabe. é The Times/ Times Media
Collections: Times Media Digital Archive
Subcollections:
The Times
Country: South Africa
Location: Avalon Cemetery
Orientation: landscape
Pixel Size: 3547 x 2365
Credit: The Times / Times Media Digital Archive / Africa Media Online
Keywords:
Human Interest,
Churches,
Uniforms,
Priests,
Commemorations,
Black,
Men,
Women,
Townships,
Group,
Ceremonies,
Events,
Graveyards,
Death,
Burials,
Soil,
Model Release: No
Property Release: No
