The idea for this joint project came from a visit to Cuba in January 2017 by Dr. Keith Lowe, Dr. Bayer Jack-Wah Lee, Jook Leung, Howard Williams, Jared Lee and Paula Madison. While visiting the Chinese Cemetery in Havana, they saw remains of thousands of deceased Chinese Cubans which presently are in bone boxes bearing their names and home villages. The boxes originally were created to be sent back to China to be buried in the person’s home village. For many, this final journey was facilitated by the charitable works of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals of Hong Kong, the largest and oldest charitable organization in Hong Kong. Dr. Gay Quai-Ming Yuen, board member of the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles will explain this tradition which is highlighted by a permanent display of such bone boxes at her museum. Mitzi Espinosa Luis, secretary to the Chairman of Havana’s Min Chih Tang, will give a history of the Chinese Cemetery in Havana and Jook Leung will show his 3-D and drone photography. Robert Hew, Vice President of the Chinese Benevolent Association of Jamaica will present the restoration and management of the Kingston Chinese Cemetery project in Jamaica as a model for what might be possible in Havana.
Panelists:
- Dr. Gay Quai-Ming Yuen, immediate past chair, Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles
- Robert Hew, Vice President of the Chinese Benevolent Association of Jamaica
- Mitzi Espinosa Luis, secretary to the Chairman of Havana’s Min Chih Tang
- Jook Leung, 3-D and drone Photographer
- Dr. Keith D. Lowe, Chair and Co-Founder Toronto Hakka Conference
- Paula Madison, President New York Hakka Conference