The following story is very much of its time and contains the attitudes of its time. These days, the unconscious irony of (supposedly) adherents of one religion or sect finding the adherents of another quaint or comical is not lost on your humble blogger, who presents the story but does not agree with its tone.
A CHINESE FUNERAL IN DUNEDIN.
Thursday’s Morning Herald says: — Those who witnessed the scene enacted yesterday, at the interment of a Chinese named Leong Wah, in the Southern Cemetery, must have found it difficult to realise the fact that they were living in the midst of a Christian community, and at the latter half of the vaunted nineteenth century. Shortly before 2 o’clock a considerable crowd collected in, Maclaggan-street, above the Chinese store of Kum Goon Lee, attracted by the unusual appearance of a hearse and a long string of some fifteen 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 coffin was brought out, and together with a large quantity of bedding, wearing apparel, and all the private belongings of the deceased, was placed in the hearse; baskets of eatables, and the usual fire-raising apparatus used by these people on such occasions, were hoisted into the foremost cabs, and the remainder being quickly filled with mourners, the procession started on its way, three Chinamen marching in front and scattering long slips of green paper along the line of route. On turning into Princes-street the cortege was joined by another hearse —containing, we presume, the body of some unfortunate from the hospital, for it had no followers —which took up 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 behavior, and there was a regular crush around the grave to witness the burial ceremonies of the Fire Worshippers. After the earth had been filled in, a square of carpet was spread at the foot of the grave, on which was neatly arranged an uncooked fowl, a piece of pork, two or three vessels containing cooked rice, a plate of oranges, another of apples, and a third of eggs, together with a quantity of sweet meats and cakes, a bottle of what appeared to be brandy, and another of Chinese wine. Some bundles of scented reeds were then stuck in 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 up the strips of calico used as handbands 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 either 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 1s. 6d. to £80. It is almost needless to say that the grave was quickly denuded by the larrikins of the good things which had been deposited on it. -NZ Times, 29/8/1878.
The Dunedin City Council cemetery records describes Leong Wah's occupation as "hawker."
Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.
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