Johnny is an international student from China, who is studying Computer Science at Thompson Rivers University and he shared his thoughts about the cemetery and Chinese burial traditions.
The Cemetery serves as a connection between the two cultures if the Chinese and the Canadians and thus conserves a story of hard work and devotion. He is not sure what is happening over there, but he is sure that they must be taking care of the Cemetery and perhaps arrange some ceremonies at the time of the Qing Ming Festival. Traditional funerals for Chinese people entail rituals like coffin preparation during which the dead body is dressed and got ready for burial, and funeral procession where the family and friends walk behind the hearse to say their goodbyes. Offerings are made of food and fake items such as money and objects which are believed to be used in the afterlife. According to Johnny, the trend is that youth are less interested in these customs, especially in urban settings.
Nevertheless, the Kamloops Chinese Cemetery preserves the cultural heritage and continues to maintain the roots and history for the generations to come.