The Cremation (2007-02-08)
Those who wished to "accompany the deceased in the last leg of their life journey" gathered back in the hall in the funeral home at 2:30pm. Since it was a Monday, we didn't expect many people to show up. At the end we got about two dozens.
There was a very short service which included prayers and final
viewing of the body before we left for Cape Collinson Crematorium up
the mountain. There were special pallbearers who wore white top
and black pants from the funeral home to lead the way, followed by KL
who held a big picture of his mother in front of him, me and KL's
brother, then the rest of the family, relatives and friends.
The hearse is a blue van with a long seat in front of the
coffin. KL, his brother and I got to sit there while the rest of
the people rode in a chartered bus. KL, who was holding his
mother's picture during the entire ride was so silent you could hear
him breathe. The sorrow and grief was thick inside the van.
At the crematorium, the pastor held one last short and solemn
memorial in a room with a marble pulpit, lectern and altar. The
casket was placed on a platform with rolling pins on the surface.
At the end of the memorial, each of the attendees placed a white flower
on the casket before it was rolled into a room behind ours where it'd
be cremated. More tears were shed as all eyes followed the coffin
slowly disappear before us.
We slowly filed back on to the bus and headed to a Chinese
restaurant where the deceased's family (us) bought a meal for everyone
who attended the cremation. This is one of those funeral customs
similar to the host serving food in their home at a wake in the
western culture. The food at the restaurant was very simple and
basic, tradition dictates that no fancy ingredients are to be used and
seven dishes are always served.
The meal concluded the two-day funeral event.
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