Cemetery of Negativism

Here is a place wherein you can sense the past: mist gathering on top of the tombs, cold air enveloping you, and yellow and red flowers are dotting the sides of the road.

The Cemetery of Negativism may seem like your typical cemetery but it’s unlike any other, because here, people are encouraged to bury negative feelings and thoughts.

The cemetery is just a small land area filled with tombstones decorated with animal figures, earning it the name “pet cemetery”.

By the entrance, this particular epitaph will greet you:

“Negativism is man’s greatest self imposed infliction, his most limiting factor, his heaviest burden. No more for here is buried the world’s negativism for all time. Those who rest here have died not in vain – but for you a stern reminder. As you leave this hill remember that the rest of your life, Be More Positive. Have a good day! Treat today like its your last though its the first of the rest.” – CJH

Founded by Major John Hightower, an American who served at Camp John Hay from 1979 to 1982, the cemetery is filled with epitaphs that’s either humorous or saying a thing or two about wisdom.

Major Hightower believes that negative thoughts hinder a soldier’s potential so he set up this cemetery to help them develop a habit of unloading their burdens; even holding mock funerals to make it more convincing.

Much of the tombs have already faded throughout the years  but when we visited, it looks inviting as the tombs have been repainted –all looking clean and new.

If you were to visit, what would you bury?

The cemetery is situated inside Camp John Hay in Baguio, near the Hotel Manor and Tree Top Adventure.

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Trivia: This cemetery was used as a film location for the TV series, Forevermore.