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In many parts of what is now called the Russian Federation, and the rest of what was once called the USSR, there was an extensive attempt to instill a Soviet identity into a highly reluctant populace. In Siberia this project proved especially difficult, as the land was expansive and its inhabits had always been effectively self-governed, with loyalty only to those close to them (if that).
One vital part of this attempt was the erasure of Siberians’ heritage and ancestry , from which many drew their identity. With the destruction of their identity rooted in the past, Siberians would be forced to embrace the present, and look towards the Soviet future, together.
The most troubling manifestation of this ethnocide was the widespread construction of amusement parks on top of the graveyards where Siberians’ families, history, and identity rested. There is perhaps no more beautiful expression of the union between Siberia’s past and the Soviet future.
Many of these parks are still in use today, and though most headstones were removed, a few can still be seen if you look closely.
