By Bob Krauss
Advertiser Columnist

The Mun clan is a good example of the evolution in progress at tradition-drenched Manoa Chinese Cemetery. Thirty-five Muns went there with paper money and a suckling pig on Sunday to honor their ancestors, popo (grandmother) Nalice Chow Mun and gung-gung (grandfather) Fook Mun.

All four sons and all three daughters were there with children and grandchildren, from 1-year-old Kristy Fujimoto to 78-year-old auntie Bertha Chu.

It was a full-on baisan (celebration of the ancestors), with five dishes placed before the graves; belly pork, oyster roll, tofu, chicken, fish with rice. Also tea and whiskey.

Joss sticks and candles burned so brightly under the foliage around the headstones that some leaves caught fire. Daughter Jeanette doused it with a bottle of water.

To make sure departed friends and extended family were not forgotten, there was more food along the sides.

Granddaughter Celeste Mun Barry explained that the family doesn't usually bring a suckling pig, but this year Popo would have been 100. It was a special occasion.

Each of the seven families took their turns lining up in front of the gravestones to place the palms of their hands together and bow three times.

Then came what the kids were waiting for: burning the paper money, which the Muns had brought in garbage-sized sacks.

The Manoa Chinese Cemetery is equipped with wire cages for burning paper money in denominations up to $10,000, also imitation gold and silver bars. Probably a billion went up in smoke for Popo and Gung-gung to spend in heaven. Then the whole clan went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch.

What made this day so poignant is that it's the last time the Muns will celebrate a baisan for Popo and Gung-gung. When the 100 mark is reached, the obligation is finished. Will the grandchildren continue the tradition?

Steve Chu, 17, attending Punahou School, said he used to enjoy setting off firecrackers. Will he honor his grandparents this way when they die? "It's fun to see everybody, but I probably won't do it with my children," he said.

Grandson Leonard Yuen said, "I don't think I'll do it after this. My wife is more into Christianity."

However, granddaughter Celeste Mun Barry said, "I definitely will continue this. It's my heritage."

Daughter Jeanette's husband was George Young, who restored the cemetery to its present magnificence and taught everybody Chinese culture in the process.

"George told me to just bring flowers for him," she said. But she cheated and brought his favorite boiled peanuts.

Young's grave is another example of change at the cemetery. The grave had to be moved a little from the corner of the lot because of a boulder in the ground. In the vacant space, all on his own, groundskeeper Benny Sacro built a little jewel of a multicultural rock garden to honor Young. There's nothing else like it in the Manoa Chinese Cemetery.