Bunker Reunion Weekend

Eng and Chang Bunker – known worldwide as the Siamese Twins – spent the last three decades of their amazing lives raising 22 children in a small community just outside Mt. Airy. Their descendants now number more than 1,500 and hold a reunion weekend once a year in Mt. Airy.

 

The reunion includes events that are open to the public, as well as private events for family members.

 

Events open to the public include a presentation at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 27, at the Historic Earle Theater by Ryan Pino, agreat-great-great-great grandson of Chang Bunker. Pino was born in Tennessee and taught English in China before returning to the U.S. where he is currently a graduate student in religion at Yale Divinity School.

 

Following Pino's presentation, author Yunte Huang will speak at 2:15 p.m. at the Earle Theater. Huang's most recent book, “Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History” has been lauded by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. “The creative, enterprising spirit of the Siamese Twins is still very much alive in America, and their legacy has remained especially strong among their proud descendants,” the author says.

 

In addition to the presentations by Huang and Pino, another public offering during the weekend will be guided tours to the twins’ gravesite at White Plains Baptist Church on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Folks can also visit the Siamese Twins Exhibit at the Surry Arts Council. The exhibit will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.