Distractions, reflections

Every spring, the LowKong society schedules a day to visit the cemetery, to pay respect to our ancestors. The meeting at Pine Hills Cemetery was set, for either rain or shine. On this day, everyone was huddled under umbrellas in the rain.

After a few speeches, the roasted meats, baked goods and fresh fruit was served as a picnic lunch.

It’s a tradition to have at least a little snack to honour ancestors. It’s not quite so relaxed when everyone is under umbrellas.

We went home for a few hours, and then for the regular evening banquet. Dinner, in the usual restaurant, was more predictable. Read the rest of this entry →

The LowKong society had a good turnout for the spring festival dinner. The table for our immediate family was full, so Diana and I sat at the next table and met some cousins farther removed in the Ing clan. In a change of format from prior events, speeches were given both in Toisan dialect of Cantonese and in English for the first time. The number of attendees not fluent in Cantonese over 50 years old — including myself — is now so significant that the society has needs to change. The elders of the society came to the stage for a toast.

Karaoke is now a regular part of the dinners. An older couple makes regular appearances to sing Chinese opera . This time, Adam stepped up and looked through the catalog to find a tune that he knew. He then proceeded to sing a pop song in Mandarin. This is an irony, because the elders of the society would never have studied Mandarin in school as they were growing up.

We know that we have a large family when everyone shows up, and we take more than one table of ten. Read the rest of this entry →

Dad comes into town at least every few months for meetings at the Lowkong Village society, since he’s on the board of directors. Afterwards, the society usually goes out for dinner, so we use the occasion to bring the family together.

Read the rest of this entry →