Unique State Funeral in Bendigo to Honor Golden Dragon Museum Founder Russell Jack

Bendigo, Australia, is preparing to host a state funeral unlike any other for Russell Jack AM, the visionary founder of the city's Golden Dragon Museum. The service, scheduled for Saturday, August 29, will incorporate a traditional Cantonese mourning lion ceremony, marking a significant cultural event not seen in the regional Victorian city for more than 100 years.

“

played a giant role in shaping

Mr. Jack, who passed away on August 11, was a long-serving leader of the Bendigo Chinese Association. He established the Golden Dragon Museum with the mission to preserve and share the rich traditions brought to the Bendigo goldfields by generations of Chinese Australians. His dedication to this cause earned him an appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993 for his service to the preservation of Bendigo's Chinese heritage and culture.

“

Over Russell’s lifetime of service, he built an enduring legacy for his community and our state.

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll and former premier Jacinta Allan have paid tribute to Mr. Jack, acknowledging his profound impact on Bendigo. His daughter, Anita Jack, stated that the inclusion of the white mourning lion, also known as a filial lion, is a fitting tribute, returning to one of the oldest and most solemn traditions of southern Chinese culture. This lion, crafted by a celebrated Hong Kong artisan, will accompany Mr. Jack from the funeral home to the Golden Dragon Museum for a family altar blessing, and then to the Ulumbarra Theatre for the community farewell, before its final journey to the Bendigo Cemetery.

“

it was fitting her father's farewell would "return to one of the oldest and most solemn traditions of southern Chinese culture".