Chinese Benevolent
Association of Jamaica

Honouring your ancestors is one of the main cultural markers and traditions of the Hakka Chinese. The primary obligation to maintain the ancestors' graves falls to the eldest son, but the whole family should participate. It is an intimate, emotional and personal family affair, but also steeped in tradition.

Order of Service

Details and Symbolism in the Gah San Rite

Map of Cemetery

View video of  2013  Gah San Ceremony

Gah San Dates:
Sunday 9th April 2017
Sunday 8th April 2018
Sunday 7th April 2019
Sunday 5th April 2020

If you are abroad and cannot attend Gah San to sweep the graves and conduct your own family ceremony in person, the CBA can arrange for it to be done on your behalf, at BOTH the Chinese Cemetery on Waltham Park Road and at Dovecot Memorial Park, St. Catherine.

Before Gah San we will identify the burial plot, remove weeds, and sweep and paint the grave and tombstone. If any concrete repairs are required, or a house over the tomb needs painting as well, we will let you know the additional costs involved before we proceed.

On the day of Gah San itself, we will conduct the main ceremony at the Pavilion: with incense, candles, prayers and hymns, offerings of the symbolic 3 types of meat, rice, tea, liquor, and fruits, imitation money, and firecrackers.

Also, we will conduct individual ceremonies at each requested graveside: burn incense and paper money, light candles, leave offerings of fruit and flowers, and volunteers will recite the ritual prayers and bow 3 times. Depending on volume, the ceremonies at Dovecot may be conducted before the 10th.

Afterwards, we will email you pictures of each grave with the volunteers, and charts and aerial photos so that in the future you can identify your relative's grave within the Cemetery.  We will also send you pictures of the main ceremony held at the Pavillion at the front of the Cemetery.

The cost of the package for 2018 is US$50 if paid via PayPal on the CBA website, Can$60 if paid to a CBA representative in Toronto, or J$6,000 if paid to the CBA in Jamaica. If you do not already know the location of the grave we will gladly locate it for you for free. However if you want us to prepare a customized set of charts and aerial photographs showing the exact location of your relatives for you, there is an additional US$10/Can$12/J$1,200 fee . (See "Personalized Map" button) Of course we hope that you will feel inclined to make a donation in addition to those basic charges.

Please include your name and contact details, and as much of the following as possible, for each relative:

      Name (Chinese, English, and maiden names)

      Date of death, and age at the time

      Section, Row & Plot number (if known)

Please email us with your request, or any questions. Once we have located the grave(s), we will notify you to make payment and send us the payment reference number. All requests and payments must be made by March 10th to ensure that preparations can be completed in time.