Funeral rites

The oldest of the intricate metal crosses stand at the entrance of the graveyard, half-buried in thick snow, right next to the red wooden church. They carry the names of Sámi who lived and died there over a century ago. The cemetary expanded down the slope as the town grew, headstones replaced the crosses, a bit further away from the church. There, one can find more recent graves, some covered with flowers withered and faded ribbons -- still, someone had the care to light a flame in the midst of the funeral wreaths.