Taichung held its first-ever sea burials on Thursday last week, with city officials accompanying six bereaved families on the journey from Taichung harbor.
Taichung Civil Affairs Bureau Director Tsai Shi-yin (蔡世寅) joined the six families as they disposed of the urns containing the remains of their loved ones into the sea.
Each family received a certificate of the burial after the ceremony.
Photo: Chang Hsuan–che, Taipei Times
One of the departed was female university student, Wallis (pseudonym), who was killed by a drunk driver on Green Island.
“Baby, remember that mommy will always love you,” said Wallis’ mother, Chang Hsin-mei (張信美), as she threw her daughter’s urn into the sea.
Tsai said the city held the simultaneous burials to take the lead in diversifying customs, adding that he encouraged the public to give their input on the trend.
Taichung City Councilor Hsieh Chih-chung (謝志忠) said that he brought up the idea of sea burials at a council meeting after a friend mentioned that the city had never held such a ceremony before.
Taichung City Councilor Yang Tien-chung (楊典忠) said the experience allowed him to see the benefit to the environment of sea burials, and he hoped the city would promote the idea.
He added that he might also choose to be buried at sea.
Taichung City Councilor Tsai Ya-ling (蔡雅玲) said the ceremony was not limited to any religion, with Christian and Buddhist rites being conducted at the burial
He described the ceremony, which was conducted 6km off Taichung harbor, as solemn and respectful.
Chang said her daughter, a student at Kunshan University in Tainan, had been preparing to leave for Austria last month on a student exchange program.
She said Wallis had been an avid diver since senior high school and enjoyed working summers at a hostel on Green Island, where she painted a mural for local residents.
She had been working there when she was hit by a drunk driver on Aug. 14 while riding her scooter.
Chang said that as her daughter loved diving, surfing and just being around the sea, she wanted to send her to rest in the ocean as a final gift.
She added that whenever she sees a dolphin in the future, she will be reminded of Wallis.
“All life originally came from the sea, it is like a mother’s embrace. A sea burial is like returning to humankind’s birthplace. In the future, people will need only look to the sea to remember their ancestors,” a city official said.
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