Woodlawn Cemetery

Abstract

This paper begins with a vignette to situate the reader in the landscape of the Woodlawn Cemetery and gain a better context for the analysis that follows. Through primary and secondary research, the Woodlawn Cemetery reveals the ways that temporality, power, and culture are reflected in this deathscape. Historical records of the Woodlawn Cemetery support the argument that temporality is being realised in the landscape in a linear way, here, time is an important part in shaping the landscape. The concept of memoryscapes, which involves spaces of memory, show that the connection of nonlinear time also exists within deathscapes, specifically within the Woodlawn Cemetery. Power is imbued in the landscape of the Woodlawn Cemetery through burials. Burials in this deathscape serve as powerful symbols of control when considering concepts such as necro-colonialism and the establishment of war monuments. Through methods such as walking the land there are other overt displays of power at the Woodlawn Cemetery that reflect the ownership of the land and governance of access imposed by the City of Saskatoon. This paper focuses on how aesthetics are used to manipulate emotions and ease the discomfort of confronting death and create a sense of familiarity for Euro-Canadians. An analysis of the surrounding landscape and changing attitudes toward death through time support the idea that death is not something to be looked upon by everybody as it has been deemed a private affair.