A CHINESE FUNERAL IN DUNEDIN.

Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 7, 5 October 1878, Page 3

A CHINESE FUNERAL IN DUNEDIN.

Tim Morning Herald of the 2Gth S ptenilier says : —Those who witnessed the scene enacted yesterday, at the interment of a Chinese named L *ong Wall, in the Southern Cemetery, must have found it difficult to realise t!ic fact that they were living iti the midst of a Christian community, and at the latter half of the vaunted nineteenth century. Shortly before two o’clock a consider able crowd collected in Maelaggan street, above the Chinese store of Kuna Goon Lee, attracted by the unusual appearance of a hearse and a long string of some tilt on cabs stationed before a door, around which a large number of Celestials were grouped, the majority of whom wore strips of white calico round their hats, and some belts of the same material round their waists. After a little delay, the coilin was brought °i*t, and together with a large quantity of •wilding, wearing apparel, and all tin- private h.l. ■ mrs oi' the deceas’d, was placed icarse ; baskets of eatables, and the uVff«il tire-raising apparatus used by these people on such occasions, were hoisted into the foremost cabs, and the remainder being quickly filled with ■Munera, the procession started on its **V, three Chinamen marching in front scattering long slips of green paper along the line of route. On turning into Princess street the cortege was joined by -not ier hearse—containing, wo presume, the Ihslv of some unfortunate from the Upimi; tor it had uo followers—which

took tip its position in the rear, and in this order the Southern Cemetery was reached. Here a large crowd had collected, who were by no means orderly in their behaviour, and there was a regular crush around the grave to witness the burial ceremonies of the Fire Worshippers. After the earth hail been tilled in, afsquare of carpet was' spread at the foot of the grave, on which wa's neatly arranged an uncooked fowl, a piece of pork, two or three vessels containg cooked rice, a plate of oranges, another of apples, and a third of eggs, together with a quantity of sweat meats and cakes, a bottle of what appeared to be brandy, and another of Chinese wine. Some bundles of scented reeds were then stuck to the grave, set light to, and before these the Chinese bent in adoration. Spirits were then sprinkled on the ground, a large fire made with some peculiar paper brought for the purpose by each individual, and as it blazed tip the strips of calico used as liandbands were cast into it. More genuflections followed, and the ceremony concluded by scattering the ashes to the winds. All the time a party of the Celestials, who evidently had not the fear cither of the Joss or the police before their eyes, were quietly seated alongside, marking off and selling their lottery tickets—a novel method, certainly, of improving the occasion—and they appeared to be patronised by both Mongolians and Europeans alike. The price of each ticket was 6d., and the prizes are said to range from Is 6d to £BO. It is almost needless to say that the grave was quickly denuded by the larrikins of the good tilings which had been deposited on it.