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City of The Dead
Cairo, Egypt - 2023 - ongoing series
The Necropolis, also referred to as the Qarafa or The City of the Dead, is a series of vast Islamic-era necropolises and cemeteries in Cairo, Egypt. They extend to the north and to the south of the Cairo Citadel, below the Mokattam Hills and outside the historic city walls, covering an area roughly 4 miles long.
Located in the city, the total amount of people who live there currently is unknown. This is due to 40% of Cairo's population suffering in poverty and the city struggling with overpopulation. Through spending several visits with the families who live there I have learnt that many of those currently housed in the cemeteries were born there, work there and their families are also buried there as they will be some day. They seek refuge in the cemetery sleeping with the dead and the Necropolis is a circle of life for them. Most of the men living in the cemeteries earn a living by digging graves, being tomb custodians or reading the Quran during funerals and visitations. Some people even operate cafe like services.
The government are planning decisions to demolish or relocate the graves to the outside of the city. By doing so they will not only be modifying history but also people's lives rendering them lost and unemployed leaving them back on the skirtings of society.
This ongoing series captures the Necropolis as a representation of our cyclical life by focusing on the living , death, family and everything in-between in an unusual place where the living and the dead coexist. These images also show the sense of community within the Qarafa and that the families who live there do not necessarily live in dejection or in hardship but have a strong sense of community.
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