Honoring the Ancestors: Santa Barbara’s Traditional Chinese Burial Customs

Join the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society at the Santa Barbara Cemetery for a talk and tour entitled “Honoring the Ancestors: Santa Barbara’s Traditional Chinese Burial Customs.” Learn about Santa Barbara’s early Chinese residents, their funeral practices, and burial history in the Santa Barbara Cemetery.

Eugene Moy, past president of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, will describe Santa Barbara’s Chinese community circa 1860s to 1930. Elaborate Chinese funeral processions, secondary burial practices, and specific individual histories will be discussed.

Author and researcher David Petry will talk about the history of the Santa Barbara Cemetery and provide details about the establishment of a Chinese section and the building of structures to accommodate ancient Chinese death rituals.

This event is FREE to the community, registration required at https://sbgen.org/meetings-classes/calendar/#!event/2024/5/4/honoring-the-ancestors-santa-barbara-apos-s-traditional-chinese-burial-customs.

Please be prepared to walk on the Cemetery lawn. Wear comfortable shoes and consider bringing water and sun protection.