Saturday, June 4, 2011

A CHINESE FUNERAL.

A CHINESE FUNERAL.

A Chinese burial is of such infrequent occurrence in Auckland that the funeral of a young Chinese woman, which took place on Wednesday afternoon lash, aroueed considerable curiosity. The deceased waa a relative of Ah See, about 23 or 24 years of age, and she was buried as nearly as possible in conformity with Chinese custom. The corpse was dressed in a shroud of white liberty silk, made at the D.I.C, with a new frill round the neck and gathered in at the waist, and deposited in a coffin. The coffin was placed in a hearse and taken to Waikomiti at the fastest possible speed consistent with safety. Behind the hearse there were live carriages, the foremost occupied by a female relative of the deceased and the remaining carriages by Chinamen. As the cortege passed along the road fragments of rice paper were thrown broadcast to propitiate the erode on behalf of the deceased. On arrival at Waikomiti the coffin was deposited in a grave without ceremony, and after it had been covered large quantities of rice and other food were placed on top of the grave to keep the departed from starvation during the journey she had undertaken for another world. Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 94, 24 April 1891, Page 3

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