Image: Instagram / @gabunion
American actress Gabrielle Union recently buried her late father’s ashes at the Black-owned Klein Goederust winery in Cape Town. While it seems like a heartwarming gesture to some, others were not keen on the act of remembrance.
Gabrielle’s father, Sylvester ‘Cully’ Union Jr, 81, succumbed to a years-long battle with dementia on 3 April 2026.
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Gabrielle Union buries father’s ashes in Cape Town
Taking to her Instagram account, the Bring It On star shared a video of herself digging a shallow hole to scatter the ashes. After closing the hole, an emotional Gabrielle and a few others present threw glasses of red wine over the buried ashes. Gabrielle visited the winery in 2022 for her 50th birthday with her family, where they planted vines and connected with the staff.
Speaking about the burial, the Hollywood star wrote:
“Under the very vines we planted together as a family just a few years ago.
“May you nourish the earth the way you nourished us. May the blessings be bountiful. May the abundance be wrapped in peace, kindness, and consideration. May the legacy continue.”
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Buried ashes garner mixed responses
Gabrielle received an outpouring of love and support from industry colleagues and fans. However, there were a few people who disapproved of the burial.
Scandal actress Kerry Washington posted, “That’s so beautiful.”
Health and wellness content creator Dr Tonia L Farmer remarked, “I felt the weight be released from you at the same time peace and love entered.”
A stunned @toogd2btru1 stated, “I love the thought of burying a loved one with a tree, be it large or small, but not one that bears any form of fruit, vegetables, etc, that can be consumed.”
A portion of what @nony_mlambo commented read, “Respectfully, we ask that our land and the spiritual equilibrium of the land be respected. South Africa is not a place where our customs and the way of the land can be casually set aside. It has its ways, its community values, its sacred traditions and protocols woven into the soil, connected to and guarded by its people.”
Also see: Limpopo community denies woman from burying Nigerian husband in village cemetery
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