Cities of the dead people originating cities for living humans: Study about the representativeness of the Alecrim Cemetery (Cemitério do Alecrim), Natal (RN, Brazil) as an attractive option for Morbid Tourism

Abstract

Morbid Tourism is a result of this postmodernity current scenario, a segmentation that has gradually been established nationally, in European cities and in South America cities, as in the case of Buenos Aires, that has already been promoted this kind of practice. The aim of this research is to discuss the use of morbidity in Tourism, evidencing cases in which the morbid context actually occurs and that there is a tourist demand emerging in searching for alternative spaces instead to the conventional mass tourism. It is important to emphasize that during the construction of this work, it was showed the relevance of exploring the use of the cemetery space as a tourist attraction and that it is necessary to break the proper labeling that hide the immeasurable potential of these places for the Tourism. Using the methodology of bibliographical analysis with historical notes about the Cemitério do Alecrim (Natal, RN, Brazil), it was verified with the most relevant authors of the Rio Grande do Norte history (ALVEAL, 2011; CARDOSO, 2000; CABRAL, 2006; CASCUDO, 1999), documents that contained historical information about the cemetery were also consulted. As the object of research of this study was linked to this modality of Tourism, its appropriation as a potential tourist attraction should be used.  It was verified that the literature about morbid Tourism is scarce and there are few researches and approaches in this field of Tourism. This way, the increase of more bibliographical contributions will allow a better involvement with this issue which could provide a greater clarity on its aspects.