Lauren Mentjox | 29th August 2009
David Wong. MICHELLE HYSLOP
WHO: David Wong
WHAT: First Chinese-New Zealander to play rugby league for Auckland
WHERE: Ponsonby United Rugby League Club, Victoria Park
WHY: Grass roots run deep in rugby league
David Wong says he is 67 but it's hard to believe. Dressed in a bright blue tracksuit and
running shoes, he appears - and probably is - fitter than people half his age.
There's a spring in his step as he walks, and he talks a mile-a-minute. Get him started on rugby league and his eyes sparkle.
For more than half a century David has held active roles in the game as player, coach, supporter, father and grandfather. He doesn't intend to give up anytime soon.
"It's a passion that exceeds everything else,'' he says. "I lived for it. And I still do. I love the camaraderie.''
DAVID'S PARENTS did not want him to play rugby league.
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They thought it was too brutal and rough for a Chinese kid, he says, laughing as he recalls having to wash his own gear because his mother refused to do it unless he switched to soccer.
His parents were more into school than sport. If it bothers him that they never watched him play, he doesn't let on. "It was just the way things were.''
There was no way David would have given up the game once he started, anyway. It was 1952. The Wong family had emigrated from China in the 1930s (he thinks) and were living in Westmere. The 10-year-old David became mates with Roger Bailey, who went on to play for the Kiwis from 1961-70.
The pair started playing league for Ponsonby and progressed to the senior grades. The club won the Fox Memorial Shield, the region's premier competition, in 1967, the year David represented Auckland.
"I'm the first full-blooded Chinese boy to play for Auckland and I'm proud of that,'' says David, who believes that would not have been possible without the Bailey family's support.
"They took me to all the games and they made sure I got there. If it wasn't for Roger's mum I wouldn't have been playing. She was my biggest influence.''
David played for Northcote for a few years, then Bay-Roskill as a player-coach before returning to Ponsonby.
By then, he had married Beverley, had four daughters, worked at the freezing works, the Dairy Board, bought a takeaway shop on Hobson St and set up a lawnmowing business.
He was also into motorsport. Somehow he managed to come back and play league at masters' level - and was still playing in his early 60s.
THESE DAYS David's boots are planted firmly on the sidelines at Ponsonby United's home grounds at Victoria Park - watching the seniors play and cooking their end-of-match
barbecue or running masters' modules.
He is also helping organise the International Masters competition in Auckland in October, and he's on committees for the Ponsonby and Bay-Roskill clubs.
"I do it all because I just love the game. It's really important to keep in touch with what is going on at grass roots.
"We lost a lot of players so we have to try to get the culture back and encourage them to stay here to play here.''
That is something David is instilling in his grandson and namesake, David Nathan-Wong, who plays for Ponsonby under-9s. David ferries him and his sister, Tyla - who's in the New Zealand under-15 rugby union team - from their home in Blockhouse Bay to all their games. He's their biggest fan.
That's not where the Wong family's sporty genes end.
David's eldest and youngest daughters, Sheree and Deanne, represented New Zealand in touch while the middle two, Korina and Michele were provincial touch representatives.
David's daughters all tried league after growing up on the sidelines watching him play, but they "got bashed around a bit'' because of their small size so they switched to touch.
"But that's okay because touch came out of rugby league,'' he says with that ever-present sparkle in his eyes. "They've all done really well.''
Not a bad legacy for a skinny Chinese boy from Westmere.
Fox Memorial Shield games are broadcast on Maori Television every weekend. The final will screen on September 6 at 2pm. The Sharman Cup play-offs screen on September 12 at 2pm. Details: www.maoritelevision.com
http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/sport/news/encounter-passing-it-on/3903259/
Thursday, December 23, 2010
OPINION: Dis-oriented
Auckland's oldest Chinese restaurant, the New Orient, has closed after nearly 40 years in business. This follows the closure of the city's oldest Japanese restaurant, Ariake, which folded in the same week after 30 years - Lincoln Tan, NZ Herald, 6 April
Well, that's a shame. Or is it?
If there's one subject your correspondent is qualified to rabbit on about, have a beef with, not chicken out of, having an opinion on, this is it: 12 years as a professional glutton - otherwise known as a restaurant columnist - under his slightly expanded belt, now blogging about food on the country's most-visited eating-out site, www.menumania.co.nz
With the connivance of people like me, we've convinced ourselves that Auckland is a gourmet society. That folks eat out often, and expensively, and adventurously, every weekend and sometimes on school nights, too.
Look at the awnings in any suburban shopping strip: Thai, Italian, French, Indian, cafe bistro brasserie breakfast lunch dinner. Or takeaway. And the numbers: one reasonably exhaustive dining-out website lists 3912 eateries in what we should learn
That's inflated because some can list themselves two or three times - under, say, "Italian" and "Mediterranean" and "European".
But the ratio, which is an indication of popularity among the populace, is an indicator, if not arbiter of the public's taste: Asian 95, Chinese 177, French 45, Indian 327, Italian 156, Japanese 183, Thai 272, Vietnamese 23. (Yet to find the 10 Cajun/Creole places. Love Jambalaya. Love Zydeco more. Or the two Russian or three Swiss, but have to admit I haven't looked very hard for the last two.)
Truth is, when Middle Auckland has a hunger for eating out, it's invariably the tried and true rather than the novelty and new. The Thai on the corner, the Indian next to the supermarket, the corner Italian rarely offer cutting-edge cuisine: an average home cook can usually turn out the same dishes, often with higher-quality ingredients, but the diners keep going back to their local heroes.
Perhaps those three cuisines are most popular because folk want to revisit the backpacking adventures of youth or the roller-case holidays of middle-age - even if the curry-house recipes were created by Bangladeshis in Birmingham and the pastas in New York's red-sauce diners, not handed down from a Tuscan grandmother. And don't start me on "Thai" diners in suburban Auckland.
Of course there are some highly honourable exceptions to these generalisations but, in the main, or on the entree, the operators of the two dearly departed summed up their dilemma in Lincoln Tan's article:
"Operators of the two restaurants say changing expectations from Kiwis and new migrants have largely contributed to their demise.
'It used to be enough to have sweet and sour pork and fried won tons on the menu to make it an exotic restaurant to Kiwis, but times have changed,' said director David Lam, who has been involved with the New Orient since 1973. 'We have just not been able to keep up with the new restaurants, and it is sad that we have to close...'
"Ariake manager Miyuki Sakairi said the restaurant suffered because it tried to keep things too traditional. 'To survive in Auckland restaurants need to give diners good food and new experiences,' she said."
They've put their chopsticks on it, right there. This dilemma is not restricted to ethnic, heritage, or cultural themed eateries. Take the dog for its walk through your main street, be it in Onehunga or Howick or Browns Bay at, oh, seven o'clock on any night of the week, and you'll pass restaurants with empty tables.
People ain't going out to eat. They're staying home and watching Masterchef. And the pain of the recession has, mostly, been felt in middle-range suburban restaurants rather than top-end places on the Viaduct or Ponsonby Rd or in the city's best: our world-class Meredith's, French Café, O'Connell St Bistro, Euro, The Grove and SidArt.
But it is easier for an eatery that brands itself as, say, Modern NZ or Contemporary to move with the times. Or, as the restaurant critics like to say, meet the zeitgeist. Or is it the schadenfreude? No, that's a German sausage, isn't it?
As Mr Lam and Ms Sakairi have found, to their cost, modern tastes are lighter. A chef at a Michelin-star restaurant in London until he came home two years ago, suggested over lunch recently: around the millennium came a preference for baby food. Baby carrots, baby peas, baby potatoes, baby ... "oh, I only eat meat once a week because I can't stand to see those pigs suffer but I will have just the littlest bit of that porky belly ..."
With it, a liking for little portions, otherwise known as tapas or mezze or, "I'll have the risotto as my main but could you give me the entrée size, please?"
And heaven forfend that food look and taste like the animal it came from; that one be served full-flavoured meats with gravies or sauces, or the devil's spawn, potato; that one be served anything that will get one in strife with one's personal trainer tomorrow.
So it's not altogether surprising that Ariake and New Orient, which didn't move with the times, find themselves going pork belly-up. But it is amusing to read that SkyCity has rebranded its Ming Court Chinese restaurant as "Jade Dragon".
There was a place - Formica tables and white china, as much white bread-and-butter and tea as you wanted, gluttonous and glutinous bowls of chow mein for $3 - called the Jade Dragon. But that was in the '70s. And it was in Hamilton.
- Ewan McDonald is editor of The Aucklander Ewan McDonald | 6th May 2010
Well, that's a shame. Or is it?
If there's one subject your correspondent is qualified to rabbit on about, have a beef with, not chicken out of, having an opinion on, this is it: 12 years as a professional glutton - otherwise known as a restaurant columnist - under his slightly expanded belt, now blogging about food on the country's most-visited eating-out site, www.menumania.co.nz
With the connivance of people like me, we've convinced ourselves that Auckland is a gourmet society. That folks eat out often, and expensively, and adventurously, every weekend and sometimes on school nights, too.
Look at the awnings in any suburban shopping strip: Thai, Italian, French, Indian, cafe bistro brasserie breakfast lunch dinner. Or takeaway. And the numbers: one reasonably exhaustive dining-out website lists 3912 eateries in what we should learn
That's inflated because some can list themselves two or three times - under, say, "Italian" and "Mediterranean" and "European".
But the ratio, which is an indication of popularity among the populace, is an indicator, if not arbiter of the public's taste: Asian 95, Chinese 177, French 45, Indian 327, Italian 156, Japanese 183, Thai 272, Vietnamese 23. (Yet to find the 10 Cajun/Creole places. Love Jambalaya. Love Zydeco more. Or the two Russian or three Swiss, but have to admit I haven't looked very hard for the last two.)
Truth is, when Middle Auckland has a hunger for eating out, it's invariably the tried and true rather than the novelty and new. The Thai on the corner, the Indian next to the supermarket, the corner Italian rarely offer cutting-edge cuisine: an average home cook can usually turn out the same dishes, often with higher-quality ingredients, but the diners keep going back to their local heroes.
Perhaps those three cuisines are most popular because folk want to revisit the backpacking adventures of youth or the roller-case holidays of middle-age - even if the curry-house recipes were created by Bangladeshis in Birmingham and the pastas in New York's red-sauce diners, not handed down from a Tuscan grandmother. And don't start me on "Thai" diners in suburban Auckland.
Of course there are some highly honourable exceptions to these generalisations but, in the main, or on the entree, the operators of the two dearly departed summed up their dilemma in Lincoln Tan's article:
"Operators of the two restaurants say changing expectations from Kiwis and new migrants have largely contributed to their demise.
'It used to be enough to have sweet and sour pork and fried won tons on the menu to make it an exotic restaurant to Kiwis, but times have changed,' said director David Lam, who has been involved with the New Orient since 1973. 'We have just not been able to keep up with the new restaurants, and it is sad that we have to close...'
"Ariake manager Miyuki Sakairi said the restaurant suffered because it tried to keep things too traditional. 'To survive in Auckland restaurants need to give diners good food and new experiences,' she said."
They've put their chopsticks on it, right there. This dilemma is not restricted to ethnic, heritage, or cultural themed eateries. Take the dog for its walk through your main street, be it in Onehunga or Howick or Browns Bay at, oh, seven o'clock on any night of the week, and you'll pass restaurants with empty tables.
People ain't going out to eat. They're staying home and watching Masterchef. And the pain of the recession has, mostly, been felt in middle-range suburban restaurants rather than top-end places on the Viaduct or Ponsonby Rd or in the city's best: our world-class Meredith's, French Café, O'Connell St Bistro, Euro, The Grove and SidArt.
But it is easier for an eatery that brands itself as, say, Modern NZ or Contemporary to move with the times. Or, as the restaurant critics like to say, meet the zeitgeist. Or is it the schadenfreude? No, that's a German sausage, isn't it?
As Mr Lam and Ms Sakairi have found, to their cost, modern tastes are lighter. A chef at a Michelin-star restaurant in London until he came home two years ago, suggested over lunch recently: around the millennium came a preference for baby food. Baby carrots, baby peas, baby potatoes, baby ... "oh, I only eat meat once a week because I can't stand to see those pigs suffer but I will have just the littlest bit of that porky belly ..."
With it, a liking for little portions, otherwise known as tapas or mezze or, "I'll have the risotto as my main but could you give me the entrée size, please?"
And heaven forfend that food look and taste like the animal it came from; that one be served full-flavoured meats with gravies or sauces, or the devil's spawn, potato; that one be served anything that will get one in strife with one's personal trainer tomorrow.
So it's not altogether surprising that Ariake and New Orient, which didn't move with the times, find themselves going pork belly-up. But it is amusing to read that SkyCity has rebranded its Ming Court Chinese restaurant as "Jade Dragon".
There was a place - Formica tables and white china, as much white bread-and-butter and tea as you wanted, gluttonous and glutinous bowls of chow mein for $3 - called the Jade Dragon. But that was in the '70s. And it was in Hamilton.
- Ewan McDonald is editor of The Aucklander Ewan McDonald | 6th May 2010
They will call Aotearoa home
Sophie Bond | 20th May 2010
Frank Hua came to NZ from Tianjin, in northeast China, in 2004. MICHELLE HYSLOP
Surprising findings have shown up in a substantial study of Auckland's major migrant communities - British, Indian, Korean, South African and Chinese. Sophie Bond reports.
The noodle clamped in my chopsticks is more than 50cm long and still going. Everyone laughs as it slips and splashes back into the bowl.
"These are handmade," says Jenny Wang, one of my lunch companions. "The chef tries to make them as long as possible. In China, we have them on birthdays and we say if you can pick it up in one piece you'll have a long life."
It's not an elegant manoeuvre, but on my second try I lift the noodle out in one piece. Lunch in Panmure's Xi'an Food Bar with two local Chinese women is proving to be fun and fascinating.
In Auckland, most of us will know a neighbour, a colleague or someone we see every day who has moved here from another country.
Ours is a city of fantastic diversity; migrants make up about 38 per cent of our population, meaning we have an even higher proportion than Sydney, often touted as a multicultural mecca.
In the last financial year 27,215 people were approved for New Zealand residency with many of them settling in Auckland.
So, who is coming here, and why? How do different migrant groups cope with the culture shock? What are the advantages of ethnic diversity?
Over the next year, these questions will be tackled in reports by Massey and Waikato universities.
Their researchers have been working together since 2008 on the Integration of Immigrants Programme, a study of the settlement experiences and strategies of Auckland's key migrant groups since 1986-7.
This study will produce five reports based on interviews with migrants from Britain, India, Korea, South Africa and China - the major sources of new Kiwis.
We begin with Bamboo Networks: Chinese Employers and Employees in Auckland, focusing on the experiences of 40 Chinese migrants working in the accommodation, food and retail industries.
Professor Paul Spoonley is research director for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University and the study's leader. He points out that, in Auckland, about 40 per cent of Chinese work in hospitality and retail.
"I'm not sure whether they choose to do that or whether it's a fallback position because they can't get a job elsewhere.
"We found [participants] weren't getting jobs here that used their Chinese qualifications and that's true for most migrants. It's the same for New Zealanders going to the UK, of course. There's a sense of having to start again."
The study asked participants about their reasons for moving to New Zealand, difficulties faced, workplace experiences and how reality differs from expectations.
AT the last census, in 2006, Auckland's Chinese population sat at 97,425, close to double that of the 2001 census. Professor Spoonley points out this means a significant proportion of Auckland's Chinese population are recent arrivals. "I expect that within about five to six years a quarter of all Aucklanders will be Asian."
The results give some interesting insights into the lives of the Chinese migrants interviewed. The employers among them work an average of 65 hours a week; 45 per cent have a family member working for them without wages or salary.
Three-quarters of the employees came on student visas and 65 per cent felt their current job does not make use of their qualifications. Almost all interviewees plan to still be living in Auckland in three years; more than half saw themselves retiring in New Zealand.
For 95 per cent of employers, Mandarin is the main language used to communicate with staff. Professor Spoonley says language is a particular issue for all participants and, as a host country, we could be doing more:
"There's quite a hostile response in Auckland to the idea that we should provide services in Mandarin and yet, if you are going to meet the needs of these migrants, the thing you could do that would be most effective would be to provide services in Mandarin."
Overall, employees have better English than their employers but agreed lack of language skills and local knowledge were hurdles to integration.
THE importance of fitting in and understanding Kiwi culture resonates throughout the report and my conversations with other Chinese migrants.
The executive director of the Chinese New Settlers Services Trust is tall, elegant and well-spoken. Jenny Wang came to New Zealand from Dalian, in northeast China, in 1994. Her experiences and observations of being a newcomer moved her to set up the trust: "In the 90s, the immigration policy changed and lots of Asian migrants came to New Zealand. I think at that time, as a country, we were not ready for so many different people with no English background and there were a lot of settlement issues."
Moving from a job in the Chinese Government's education department, Mrs Wang started again in Auckland, first studying English then social work to prepare for her new role.
The trust's first office was in the garage of her Papatoetoe home. Now there are seven branches around Auckland with a combined staff of 26. Among other things the trust offers employment services, culture seminars, language lessons and counselling.
Mrs Wang says it's her experience that Chinese migrants are trying very hard to integrate into New Zealand society.
"There are a lot of cultural differences. They may not understand the legislation - such as you can't leave a child under 14 at home alone, or you can't just take as much shellfish as you like at the beach. Even how to do rubbish collection is very different here."
Migrants want to participate in society as soon as possible and we can help.
"If you have a Chinese neighbour, they are probably not that different from you. If you see them doing something wrong, tell them gently. It may be something they have never before had to deal with."
Mrs Wang's observations fit with the findings of Professor Spoonley's team. While Chinese migrants have "outward ambition" and want to fit in, they find it necessary to be inward-looking in the early years.
The report's title, Bamboo Networks, refers to the social ties Chinese migrants form for
support and advice. Professor Spoonley says these networks are relied on extensively and are a source of strength.
"There are very obvious examples of Chinese networks and centres in Auckland. I'm not sure many people understand how big and how economically significant they are."
These networks play a key role in settlement, particularly as migrants are, in general, left to their own devices, sometimes even facing indifference from New Zealanders and New
Zealand organisations.
ON the flipside, three Chinese business owners I spoke with emphasise they found New Zealand a warm, welcoming country. They say that when information is at times hard to find, the Chinese business mindset is to persevere and give everything you've got.
I meet one such go-getter, Frank Hua, in his opulent Newmarket restaurant, where we chat with a translator's help. Mr Hua came from Tianjin, in northeast China, in 2004.
"I went to many other countries around the world and New Zealand is much friendlier to migrants than other places. There are so many nations living all together here."
Would some level of English make life easier? "It's not a big issue because I have Chinese friends and a manager who speak English. But," he is quick to add, "I'm studying now because better English means I can share life with the Kiwis."
In China he worked in real estate; here, he hopes his two restaurants can provide a "bridge of understanding" between two worlds. "At the beginning, I thought New Zealand didn't really understand the Chinese so I wanted it to be like a window showing Chinese culture and what real Chinese food is like."
With a huge smile Mr Hua says he considers Auckland home, and wants to put his efforts into creating business ties between New Zealand and China. "I have been able to bring some important Chinese businesspeople here. At present, I don't think we are taking the chance to encourage Chinese businesses to invest here.
"Chinese people are hard-working and I think this is a gift to the economy. They are really good at doing what they do."
The Chinese migrants I speak to cite New Zealand's clean, green environment as their top reason for emigrating. Those interviewed for the report echo this attraction.
"The reasons they come here are quite distinctive", says Professor Spoonley. "It's about lifestyle, education for their children and themselves and it's a safe, clean city in global terms. If you look at Auckland in international rankings, it's one of the most livable cities in the world."
Census results show Chinese in Auckland are settling in a distinctive pattern, leading to concentrations of Chinese commerce and community. The main ethnic precincts - "ethno-burbs", as the report calls them - are in Auckland Central, Three Kings, Hillsborough, Avondale, New Lynn, Howick and Pakuranga.
Professor Spoonley believes recognising Auckland's diversity as a strength is vital for a flourishing city. "The super-city is a moment where you could say, 'Well, let's make Auckland a city that celebrates its diversity and use that diversity for economic advantage'."
He cites Vancouver - rated the most livable city in the world - as an example of a place which makes ethnic diversity a key component.
"One of the things I think is disappointing is that Auckland has what I would call a diversity dividend. The question is: are we actually capturing that ethnic and immigrant diversity?"
Liked it so much, they're selling the country
Anne and George Zhou emigrated from Beijing in 1994. They came on a short-term work assignment but liked it so much they stayed.
The couple say the green landscape and friendly people are the best things about life in New Zealand: "Our children are born here and this is our country now. Every day we think how lucky we are to live here."
Having travelled extensively, they believe "New Zealand really is the best country in the world".
Now, through their Panmure travel agency and tour company, they are proud to sell that image to Chinese and Indian tourists.
The Zhous bought into a franchise and say the existing staff and head office were a great source of support in the early days. They emphasise it can take time for migrants to settle in.
"English is the biggest thing and having an understanding of Kiwi culture. You've got to understand the local business culture, not try to use your Chinese mindset to figure it out."
Arrival lounge
The top six source countries for migrants recorded by the Department of Labour in the year to February:
United Kingdom: 4626 (17 per cent)
China: 3538 (13 per cent)
South Africa: 3266 (12 per cent)
Philippines: 2449 (9 per cent)
India: 2177 (8 per cent)
Fiji: 1905 (7 per cent)
Total from all nations: 27,215
http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/they-will-call-aotearoa-home/3914204/
Frank Hua came to NZ from Tianjin, in northeast China, in 2004. MICHELLE HYSLOP
Surprising findings have shown up in a substantial study of Auckland's major migrant communities - British, Indian, Korean, South African and Chinese. Sophie Bond reports.
The noodle clamped in my chopsticks is more than 50cm long and still going. Everyone laughs as it slips and splashes back into the bowl.
"These are handmade," says Jenny Wang, one of my lunch companions. "The chef tries to make them as long as possible. In China, we have them on birthdays and we say if you can pick it up in one piece you'll have a long life."
It's not an elegant manoeuvre, but on my second try I lift the noodle out in one piece. Lunch in Panmure's Xi'an Food Bar with two local Chinese women is proving to be fun and fascinating.
In Auckland, most of us will know a neighbour, a colleague or someone we see every day who has moved here from another country.
Ours is a city of fantastic diversity; migrants make up about 38 per cent of our population, meaning we have an even higher proportion than Sydney, often touted as a multicultural mecca.
In the last financial year 27,215 people were approved for New Zealand residency with many of them settling in Auckland.
So, who is coming here, and why? How do different migrant groups cope with the culture shock? What are the advantages of ethnic diversity?
Over the next year, these questions will be tackled in reports by Massey and Waikato universities.
Their researchers have been working together since 2008 on the Integration of Immigrants Programme, a study of the settlement experiences and strategies of Auckland's key migrant groups since 1986-7.
This study will produce five reports based on interviews with migrants from Britain, India, Korea, South Africa and China - the major sources of new Kiwis.
We begin with Bamboo Networks: Chinese Employers and Employees in Auckland, focusing on the experiences of 40 Chinese migrants working in the accommodation, food and retail industries.
Professor Paul Spoonley is research director for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University and the study's leader. He points out that, in Auckland, about 40 per cent of Chinese work in hospitality and retail.
"I'm not sure whether they choose to do that or whether it's a fallback position because they can't get a job elsewhere.
"We found [participants] weren't getting jobs here that used their Chinese qualifications and that's true for most migrants. It's the same for New Zealanders going to the UK, of course. There's a sense of having to start again."
The study asked participants about their reasons for moving to New Zealand, difficulties faced, workplace experiences and how reality differs from expectations.
AT the last census, in 2006, Auckland's Chinese population sat at 97,425, close to double that of the 2001 census. Professor Spoonley points out this means a significant proportion of Auckland's Chinese population are recent arrivals. "I expect that within about five to six years a quarter of all Aucklanders will be Asian."
The results give some interesting insights into the lives of the Chinese migrants interviewed. The employers among them work an average of 65 hours a week; 45 per cent have a family member working for them without wages or salary.
Three-quarters of the employees came on student visas and 65 per cent felt their current job does not make use of their qualifications. Almost all interviewees plan to still be living in Auckland in three years; more than half saw themselves retiring in New Zealand.
For 95 per cent of employers, Mandarin is the main language used to communicate with staff. Professor Spoonley says language is a particular issue for all participants and, as a host country, we could be doing more:
"There's quite a hostile response in Auckland to the idea that we should provide services in Mandarin and yet, if you are going to meet the needs of these migrants, the thing you could do that would be most effective would be to provide services in Mandarin."
Overall, employees have better English than their employers but agreed lack of language skills and local knowledge were hurdles to integration.
THE importance of fitting in and understanding Kiwi culture resonates throughout the report and my conversations with other Chinese migrants.
The executive director of the Chinese New Settlers Services Trust is tall, elegant and well-spoken. Jenny Wang came to New Zealand from Dalian, in northeast China, in 1994. Her experiences and observations of being a newcomer moved her to set up the trust: "In the 90s, the immigration policy changed and lots of Asian migrants came to New Zealand. I think at that time, as a country, we were not ready for so many different people with no English background and there were a lot of settlement issues."
Moving from a job in the Chinese Government's education department, Mrs Wang started again in Auckland, first studying English then social work to prepare for her new role.
The trust's first office was in the garage of her Papatoetoe home. Now there are seven branches around Auckland with a combined staff of 26. Among other things the trust offers employment services, culture seminars, language lessons and counselling.
Mrs Wang says it's her experience that Chinese migrants are trying very hard to integrate into New Zealand society.
"There are a lot of cultural differences. They may not understand the legislation - such as you can't leave a child under 14 at home alone, or you can't just take as much shellfish as you like at the beach. Even how to do rubbish collection is very different here."
Migrants want to participate in society as soon as possible and we can help.
"If you have a Chinese neighbour, they are probably not that different from you. If you see them doing something wrong, tell them gently. It may be something they have never before had to deal with."
Mrs Wang's observations fit with the findings of Professor Spoonley's team. While Chinese migrants have "outward ambition" and want to fit in, they find it necessary to be inward-looking in the early years.
The report's title, Bamboo Networks, refers to the social ties Chinese migrants form for
support and advice. Professor Spoonley says these networks are relied on extensively and are a source of strength.
"There are very obvious examples of Chinese networks and centres in Auckland. I'm not sure many people understand how big and how economically significant they are."
These networks play a key role in settlement, particularly as migrants are, in general, left to their own devices, sometimes even facing indifference from New Zealanders and New
Zealand organisations.
ON the flipside, three Chinese business owners I spoke with emphasise they found New Zealand a warm, welcoming country. They say that when information is at times hard to find, the Chinese business mindset is to persevere and give everything you've got.
I meet one such go-getter, Frank Hua, in his opulent Newmarket restaurant, where we chat with a translator's help. Mr Hua came from Tianjin, in northeast China, in 2004.
"I went to many other countries around the world and New Zealand is much friendlier to migrants than other places. There are so many nations living all together here."
Would some level of English make life easier? "It's not a big issue because I have Chinese friends and a manager who speak English. But," he is quick to add, "I'm studying now because better English means I can share life with the Kiwis."
In China he worked in real estate; here, he hopes his two restaurants can provide a "bridge of understanding" between two worlds. "At the beginning, I thought New Zealand didn't really understand the Chinese so I wanted it to be like a window showing Chinese culture and what real Chinese food is like."
With a huge smile Mr Hua says he considers Auckland home, and wants to put his efforts into creating business ties between New Zealand and China. "I have been able to bring some important Chinese businesspeople here. At present, I don't think we are taking the chance to encourage Chinese businesses to invest here.
"Chinese people are hard-working and I think this is a gift to the economy. They are really good at doing what they do."
The Chinese migrants I speak to cite New Zealand's clean, green environment as their top reason for emigrating. Those interviewed for the report echo this attraction.
"The reasons they come here are quite distinctive", says Professor Spoonley. "It's about lifestyle, education for their children and themselves and it's a safe, clean city in global terms. If you look at Auckland in international rankings, it's one of the most livable cities in the world."
Census results show Chinese in Auckland are settling in a distinctive pattern, leading to concentrations of Chinese commerce and community. The main ethnic precincts - "ethno-burbs", as the report calls them - are in Auckland Central, Three Kings, Hillsborough, Avondale, New Lynn, Howick and Pakuranga.
Professor Spoonley believes recognising Auckland's diversity as a strength is vital for a flourishing city. "The super-city is a moment where you could say, 'Well, let's make Auckland a city that celebrates its diversity and use that diversity for economic advantage'."
He cites Vancouver - rated the most livable city in the world - as an example of a place which makes ethnic diversity a key component.
"One of the things I think is disappointing is that Auckland has what I would call a diversity dividend. The question is: are we actually capturing that ethnic and immigrant diversity?"
Liked it so much, they're selling the country
Anne and George Zhou emigrated from Beijing in 1994. They came on a short-term work assignment but liked it so much they stayed.
The couple say the green landscape and friendly people are the best things about life in New Zealand: "Our children are born here and this is our country now. Every day we think how lucky we are to live here."
Having travelled extensively, they believe "New Zealand really is the best country in the world".
Now, through their Panmure travel agency and tour company, they are proud to sell that image to Chinese and Indian tourists.
The Zhous bought into a franchise and say the existing staff and head office were a great source of support in the early days. They emphasise it can take time for migrants to settle in.
"English is the biggest thing and having an understanding of Kiwi culture. You've got to understand the local business culture, not try to use your Chinese mindset to figure it out."
Arrival lounge
The top six source countries for migrants recorded by the Department of Labour in the year to February:
United Kingdom: 4626 (17 per cent)
China: 3538 (13 per cent)
South Africa: 3266 (12 per cent)
Philippines: 2449 (9 per cent)
India: 2177 (8 per cent)
Fiji: 1905 (7 per cent)
Total from all nations: 27,215
http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/they-will-call-aotearoa-home/3914204/
Fun, fire, feasting
16th January 2008
Auckland's Chinese community will be celebrating the start of the Year of the Rat and the Chinese New Year at the Showgrounds on Saturday. The free community event will be a day of colour and cultural entertainment. Highlights include a fire-eater and flame-thrower, facechanging artists (rarely seen outside China), a lion dance group of 4 to 15 year-olds, and guest MC Caleigh Cheung, star of the TV2 drama Ride with the Devil. Two halls at the Showgrounds will be transformed into a lively market. As well as a market and exhibitions, visitors have the chance to win return trips to Hong Kong.
Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day, ASB Showgrounds, January 19, 9.30 am to 3.30 pm.
16th January 2008
Auckland's Chinese community will be celebrating the start of the Year of the Rat and the Chinese New Year at the Showgrounds on Saturday. The free community event will be a day of colour and cultural entertainment. Highlights include a fire-eater and flame-thrower, facechanging artists (rarely seen outside China), a lion dance group of 4 to 15 year-olds, and guest MC Caleigh Cheung, star of the TV2 drama Ride with the Devil. Two halls at the Showgrounds will be transformed into a lively market. As well as a market and exhibitions, visitors have the chance to win return trips to Hong Kong.
Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day, ASB Showgrounds, January 19, 9.30 am to 3.30 pm.
Dancing in the Year of the Rat
Many Aucklanders look forward to The Lantern Festival each year. Perhaps it's the everchanging lantern characters lighting up Albert Park late into the night that attracts them. Hundreds of beautiful lanterns - including brand new designs from China - help to bring Chinese New Year celebrations to a glowing finale. Last year's flock of "sheep" and "sheepdog" positioned beneath an old oak were a particular hit. Another big attraction is the food, its fragrance wafting into the park from Princes St, where there's lots of it to tempt spectators. This year's Lantern Festival ushers in the Chinese zodiac's Year of the Rat with far more than food and illumination. Traditional music and dance will vow to wow the crowds, too. Among the line-up of overseas and local performers will be Stephanie Lin's Chinese folk dance group, Yun- Tzu Cheng-Chueh Association. Taiwan-born Aucklander Lin says performing at festivals is "a great chance for us to forge understanding between the cultures". She has five teams of 10 students drawn from Parnell District School dancing at the festival who've been practicing hard for their performances. "I love getting all the students from different backgrounds together dressed up in little Chinese costumes," she says.
"You have to get every part of your body right. You have to remember your eyes, fingers, toes, knees, facial expression, listening to the music, remember the steps and work together as a team." For a colourful cultural experience, the Lantern Festival's makes a great walk in the park.
Auckland Lantern Festival, Albert Park, Auckland. Feb 22-24, 5pm-10.30pm. Free entry. Details, see www.aucklandcity.govt.nz
By Sharu Delilkan 6th February 2008 http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/living/news/dancing-in-the-year-of-the-rat/3762802/
"You have to get every part of your body right. You have to remember your eyes, fingers, toes, knees, facial expression, listening to the music, remember the steps and work together as a team." For a colourful cultural experience, the Lantern Festival's makes a great walk in the park.
Auckland Lantern Festival, Albert Park, Auckland. Feb 22-24, 5pm-10.30pm. Free entry. Details, see www.aucklandcity.govt.nz
By Sharu Delilkan 6th February 2008 http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/living/news/dancing-in-the-year-of-the-rat/3762802/
Kristy sure can do taekwan-do
Dragons, acrobats, martial art experts ... the Chinese New Year Festival will be a cracker, writes Sharu Delilkan.
It will be a family affair when Kristy Leong returns for the third time to demonstrate her taekwan-do skills at the ACCC Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day next month.
Her father, Don, and her 13-year-old brother, Mitchell, will also show their moves.
The colourful, exuberant, free community event, which this year welcomes in the Year of the Tiger, has been hosted by the Auckland Chinese Community Centre for more than two decades. Among its many highlights are a 24-person dragon dance, a troupe of acrobats from China and a highly respected portrait artist, Mu Yu Ming, also from China.
"We live in such a multicultural society here in Auckland, it makes sense to educate others and share our culture with them," says ACCC's vice chairman and events organiser Kai Luey.
Besides demonstrating taekwan-do, Kristy has competed for years, gaining accolades at the 2007 and 2009 World Champs.
She was also crowned 2007's Counties Manukau Junior Sportswoman of the Year and 2008's ITFNZ Junior Student of the Year.
Kristy says she's never had to worry about competing with her brother or father. "We compete in different categories because it's defined by our age and sex. Luckily, rivalry doesn't figure in our relationship."
Chinese New Year Festival & Market Day, Feb 13. ASB Showgrounds, 217 Green Lane West, Greenlane, Feb 13, 9.30am-4pm. Contact: Kai Luey, ph 522 1840.
Sharu Delilkan | 28th January 2010 http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/living/news/kristy-sure-can-do-taekwan-do/3909098/
It will be a family affair when Kristy Leong returns for the third time to demonstrate her taekwan-do skills at the ACCC Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day next month.
Her father, Don, and her 13-year-old brother, Mitchell, will also show their moves.
The colourful, exuberant, free community event, which this year welcomes in the Year of the Tiger, has been hosted by the Auckland Chinese Community Centre for more than two decades. Among its many highlights are a 24-person dragon dance, a troupe of acrobats from China and a highly respected portrait artist, Mu Yu Ming, also from China.
"We live in such a multicultural society here in Auckland, it makes sense to educate others and share our culture with them," says ACCC's vice chairman and events organiser Kai Luey.
Besides demonstrating taekwan-do, Kristy has competed for years, gaining accolades at the 2007 and 2009 World Champs.
She was also crowned 2007's Counties Manukau Junior Sportswoman of the Year and 2008's ITFNZ Junior Student of the Year.
Kristy says she's never had to worry about competing with her brother or father. "We compete in different categories because it's defined by our age and sex. Luckily, rivalry doesn't figure in our relationship."
Chinese New Year Festival & Market Day, Feb 13. ASB Showgrounds, 217 Green Lane West, Greenlane, Feb 13, 9.30am-4pm. Contact: Kai Luey, ph 522 1840.
Sharu Delilkan | 28th January 2010 http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/living/news/kristy-sure-can-do-taekwan-do/3909098/
In the skin of a lion
27th February 2007
When Hua Khoo came to New Zealand in 1976 from Malaysia, he was adamant about not losing sight of his Chinese roots. In keeping with his aim of maintaining tradition in his family, he decided to learn lion dancing. Herne Bay resident Mr Khoo says his Chinese martial arts and tai chi background helped him enormously to master the acrobatic movements involved in the artform. His seven-member lion dancing troupe, Khoo Lion Dance, is feverishly training to perform at the 2007 Auckland Chinese New Year Lantern Festival this weekend. This year's festival, for the eighth consecutive year, will be celebrated on the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. About 150,000 people attended last year's Lantern Festival at Albert Park. The free event will feature a variety of dance, music and martial arts performances, including the all-girl percussion group Red Poppy, acrobats from Tiajin and Zhou Xiaofang, and demonstrations of the art of gong fu cha, a tea ritual. Avondale School science teacher Mr Khoo has since tried to pass on his knowledge of lion dancing to his students. He says it's been difficult to recruit as ''the kids have found it hard to spare the time after school''. But his mission to impart the craft has not been in vain. His son Nick has taken to the dance like a duck to water.
Nick, 23, the group's official drummer, says he started learning the lion dance when he was 2. ''I enjoy the noise,'' he says. ''It gives me a sense of belonging. Lion dancing is part of what makes me, me.'' Mr Khoo, 53, says he chose the lion dance ? not to be confused with the dragon dance, which features a team of 10 or more dancers ? because of its manageable size. The lion dance mimics a lion's movements in a lion costume which usually involves a pair of dancers. The father-of-two, who usually plays the gong, says he is the ''super-sub'' who fills in where required. He has also managed to rope in his wife Joyce, who's conveniently a skilled seamstress, to help with the costumes. ''It's great the way he gets us involved,'' Mrs Khoo says. ''It adds to the spirit of the festivities.'' Mr Khoo, who's looking forward to helping create atmosphere at the festival, says, ''It's great that we're wandering around the park this year as we'll be able to have more rapport with the crowd while chasing away the evil spirits.''
2007 Auckland Chinese New Year Lantern Festival, Albert Park, March 2-4, 5.30pm-10pm. For more details see www. aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/
By Sharu Delilkan
When Hua Khoo came to New Zealand in 1976 from Malaysia, he was adamant about not losing sight of his Chinese roots. In keeping with his aim of maintaining tradition in his family, he decided to learn lion dancing. Herne Bay resident Mr Khoo says his Chinese martial arts and tai chi background helped him enormously to master the acrobatic movements involved in the artform. His seven-member lion dancing troupe, Khoo Lion Dance, is feverishly training to perform at the 2007 Auckland Chinese New Year Lantern Festival this weekend. This year's festival, for the eighth consecutive year, will be celebrated on the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. About 150,000 people attended last year's Lantern Festival at Albert Park. The free event will feature a variety of dance, music and martial arts performances, including the all-girl percussion group Red Poppy, acrobats from Tiajin and Zhou Xiaofang, and demonstrations of the art of gong fu cha, a tea ritual. Avondale School science teacher Mr Khoo has since tried to pass on his knowledge of lion dancing to his students. He says it's been difficult to recruit as ''the kids have found it hard to spare the time after school''. But his mission to impart the craft has not been in vain. His son Nick has taken to the dance like a duck to water.
Nick, 23, the group's official drummer, says he started learning the lion dance when he was 2. ''I enjoy the noise,'' he says. ''It gives me a sense of belonging. Lion dancing is part of what makes me, me.'' Mr Khoo, 53, says he chose the lion dance ? not to be confused with the dragon dance, which features a team of 10 or more dancers ? because of its manageable size. The lion dance mimics a lion's movements in a lion costume which usually involves a pair of dancers. The father-of-two, who usually plays the gong, says he is the ''super-sub'' who fills in where required. He has also managed to rope in his wife Joyce, who's conveniently a skilled seamstress, to help with the costumes. ''It's great the way he gets us involved,'' Mrs Khoo says. ''It adds to the spirit of the festivities.'' Mr Khoo, who's looking forward to helping create atmosphere at the festival, says, ''It's great that we're wandering around the park this year as we'll be able to have more rapport with the crowd while chasing away the evil spirits.''
2007 Auckland Chinese New Year Lantern Festival, Albert Park, March 2-4, 5.30pm-10pm. For more details see www. aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/
By Sharu Delilkan
Talented Tyla has a touch of class
Rugby's in her blood and she aims to play for her country. Lauren Mentjox explains.
Tyla Nathan-Wong's family has a motto that guides her on and off the sports field: "Deeds, not words."
It has paid off for the softly-spoken 15-year-old who will go to Australia to represent New Zealand in touch rugby - provided she can raise the money.
Tyla was selected for the national Under-17 and Under-19 touch squads and is scheduled to play in tournaments and test matches across the Tasman later this year and in January 2011.
She needs to raise $7000 to get there.
"It's a lot of money, but we will be able to do it," says Tyla. "Playing for your country is one of the highest honours you can get so this is pretty awesome."
Tyla has played rugby union, rugby league and touch football since she could first throw a ball.
Despite being half the size of most rugby players, she has played at a representative level since primary school, saying that it is technique that matters most.
Dozens of her trophies are on display at the family home in Blockhouse Bay for sporting achievements that are not limited to rugby.
Tyla also has a red belt in taekwon-do, has played top level soccer, and won school cross-country events.
Last year, the Lynfield College student was a member of 11 teams in nine sports, including the Auckland secondary schools rugby team and the Aotearoa Maori Invitational touch team.
Sofia Hameed, the Year 10 dean at Lynfield College, described her as one of the most "exceptionally gifted all round athletes" the school has had.
"[Tyla] is a talented, committed and visionary young woman," she says.
Humble about her achievements, Tyla takes it all in her stride.
This year, when she's not training with her dad or playing for Auckland's Marist Rugby Club's open women's team, she is working on gaining NCEA level one credits in seven subjects.
In the future, Tyla says she hopes to add other sporting achievements to her touch rugby success. Making the Black Ferns and the 2016 Olympic rugby sevens team are high priorities.
"I want to go as high as I can go," she says. "I am competitive, but it is a lot of fun and I like meeting lots of people."
While Tyla's parents and grandparents are "over the moon" at her selection in the New Zealand touch teams, sporting ability is something that runs in the family.
Her grandfather, David Wong, was the first Chinese New Zealander to play rugby league for Auckland. He is still involved with Ponsonby United and Bay-Roskill clubs, and helped organise the International Masters competition in Auckland last year.
Tyla's aunt, Sheree, and her mother, Deanne, represented New Zealand in touch rugby while her father, Russell, was an Auckland Maori representative.
For now, the whole family is getting behind Tyla's selection with a "full on" fundraising drive that includes everything from social gatherings to sausage sizzles to make sure she gets to Oz.
Email russellnw@xtra.co.nz for information about sponsoring Tyla.
Lauren Mentjox | 27th April 2010
http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/sport/news/talented-tyla-has-a-touch-of-class/3912746/
Tyla Nathan-Wong's family has a motto that guides her on and off the sports field: "Deeds, not words."
It has paid off for the softly-spoken 15-year-old who will go to Australia to represent New Zealand in touch rugby - provided she can raise the money.
Tyla was selected for the national Under-17 and Under-19 touch squads and is scheduled to play in tournaments and test matches across the Tasman later this year and in January 2011.
She needs to raise $7000 to get there.
"It's a lot of money, but we will be able to do it," says Tyla. "Playing for your country is one of the highest honours you can get so this is pretty awesome."
Tyla has played rugby union, rugby league and touch football since she could first throw a ball.
Despite being half the size of most rugby players, she has played at a representative level since primary school, saying that it is technique that matters most.
Dozens of her trophies are on display at the family home in Blockhouse Bay for sporting achievements that are not limited to rugby.
Tyla also has a red belt in taekwon-do, has played top level soccer, and won school cross-country events.
Last year, the Lynfield College student was a member of 11 teams in nine sports, including the Auckland secondary schools rugby team and the Aotearoa Maori Invitational touch team.
Sofia Hameed, the Year 10 dean at Lynfield College, described her as one of the most "exceptionally gifted all round athletes" the school has had.
"[Tyla] is a talented, committed and visionary young woman," she says.
Humble about her achievements, Tyla takes it all in her stride.
This year, when she's not training with her dad or playing for Auckland's Marist Rugby Club's open women's team, she is working on gaining NCEA level one credits in seven subjects.
In the future, Tyla says she hopes to add other sporting achievements to her touch rugby success. Making the Black Ferns and the 2016 Olympic rugby sevens team are high priorities.
"I want to go as high as I can go," she says. "I am competitive, but it is a lot of fun and I like meeting lots of people."
While Tyla's parents and grandparents are "over the moon" at her selection in the New Zealand touch teams, sporting ability is something that runs in the family.
Her grandfather, David Wong, was the first Chinese New Zealander to play rugby league for Auckland. He is still involved with Ponsonby United and Bay-Roskill clubs, and helped organise the International Masters competition in Auckland last year.
Tyla's aunt, Sheree, and her mother, Deanne, represented New Zealand in touch rugby while her father, Russell, was an Auckland Maori representative.
For now, the whole family is getting behind Tyla's selection with a "full on" fundraising drive that includes everything from social gatherings to sausage sizzles to make sure she gets to Oz.
Email russellnw@xtra.co.nz for information about sponsoring Tyla.
Lauren Mentjox | 27th April 2010
http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/sport/news/talented-tyla-has-a-touch-of-class/3912746/
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Heritage recognition draining local coffers - China.org.cn
Heritage recognition draining local coffers - China.org.cn
The famous Diaolou Towers site in Kaiping, Guangzhou Province, is struggling to make ends meet in order to preserve and live up to its UNESCO World Heritage status bestowed upon it by the UN organ.
The site is renowned architecturally for its well-preserved, fortified, multi-story towers built by overseas Chinese in the 1920s and 1930s.
The towers, added to the World Heritage List in 2007, are in need of 230 million yuan ($34.5 million) to prevent them from further deterioration, the Guangzhou Daily reported, citing Feng Lijian, local Party chief of Kaiping.
Zhang Guoxiong, a preservation specialist of the Diaolou site at Wuyi University in Guangdong, told the Global Times that among 1,833 such towers still standing Wednesday, a total of 501 need special preservation, but the maintenance has either proceeded slowly or come to a halt due to the shortage of funds.
The 230 million yuan is what the site needs to spend to fulfill the commitment it made six years ago when it was bidding for the UNESCO title, and the need for money is becoming increasingly urgent because the site is due to be reviewed by UNESCO in 2013 to make sure the property has been properly protected and not become over-developed, Zhang said.
Zhang also noted that fixing up each building could cost upwards of 100,000 yuan each. The repairs include waterproofing, guarding against lightning, fixing up roads, reinforcing concrete structures and general appearance improvements.
Tan Jinhua, another expert on the site's preservation, from the Guangdong Qiaoxiang Culture Studies Center, said only routine maintenance can be guaranteed, as special maintenance measures, including those protecting against acid rain and geological settlement, fall short of funding.
"Ticket income can hardly pay for the routine maintenance costs. The preservation of these towers has become a heavy burden on us," Tan said.
The famous Diaolou Towers site in Kaiping, Guangzhou Province, is struggling to make ends meet in order to preserve and live up to its UNESCO World Heritage status bestowed upon it by the UN organ.
The site is renowned architecturally for its well-preserved, fortified, multi-story towers built by overseas Chinese in the 1920s and 1930s.
The towers, added to the World Heritage List in 2007, are in need of 230 million yuan ($34.5 million) to prevent them from further deterioration, the Guangzhou Daily reported, citing Feng Lijian, local Party chief of Kaiping.
Zhang Guoxiong, a preservation specialist of the Diaolou site at Wuyi University in Guangdong, told the Global Times that among 1,833 such towers still standing Wednesday, a total of 501 need special preservation, but the maintenance has either proceeded slowly or come to a halt due to the shortage of funds.
The 230 million yuan is what the site needs to spend to fulfill the commitment it made six years ago when it was bidding for the UNESCO title, and the need for money is becoming increasingly urgent because the site is due to be reviewed by UNESCO in 2013 to make sure the property has been properly protected and not become over-developed, Zhang said.
Zhang also noted that fixing up each building could cost upwards of 100,000 yuan each. The repairs include waterproofing, guarding against lightning, fixing up roads, reinforcing concrete structures and general appearance improvements.
Tan Jinhua, another expert on the site's preservation, from the Guangdong Qiaoxiang Culture Studies Center, said only routine maintenance can be guaranteed, as special maintenance measures, including those protecting against acid rain and geological settlement, fall short of funding.
"Ticket income can hardly pay for the routine maintenance costs. The preservation of these towers has become a heavy burden on us," Tan said.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Dr Renee Liang
25 June 2010
In gallery:
* Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards 2010
2010 Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Award Recipient
Renee Liang is a consultant paediatrician whose research looks at human development trajectories from early life to adolescence. She is also a widely published poet, short story writer and playwright – her plays Lantern and The Bone Feeder have played to sold-out audiences. By drawing on her diverse talents in both medicine and the arts, Renee is helping to define the cultural landscape of New Zealand and supporting positive community development.
Renee currently leads the Asian Advisory Group for Growing Up in New Zealand – a longitudinal study designed to gather information to improve the lives of all New Zealand children. She has previously undertaken a clinical project looking at the health of aboriginal children in Far Western New South Wales.
In 2006, Renee participated in the development of An Absolute Rush – a grassroots performing arts initiative for at-risk youth in South Auckland, run on almost no budget, but a groundswell of community energy. Believing that writing and performance empower youth through use of their own voice, Renee organised speakers and ran poetry workshops for the students. This resulted in a collection of moving stories of hopes and dreams. She also looked at the benefits from a youth health perspective and recorded footage for a documentary.
Renee believes strongly that linking across communities strengthens society as a whole. She is a driving force of initiatives such as Metonymy – which aims to spark creative collaborations by ‘blind dating’ artists from different disciplines; Funky Oriental Beats – propelling Kiwi Asians into the burgeoning arts scene in Auckland; and the Guerilla Poets, who demystify literature by literally bringing poetry onto the streets. She’s known as both a performer and an organiser of Poetry Live, a weekly event. As an Asian New Zealander she often uses her writing to provide cultural commentary and spark discussion. Through her blog on The Big Idea, Renee profiles emerging artists and community initiatives.
Renee’s ability to bring people together was reflected in her selection this year for the Emerging Pacific Leaders’ Dialogue – an initiative to strengthen the capacity of the Pacific region’s future leaders to manage challenges collaboratively, positively and creatively. Renee visited Samoa, Fiji and Tonga to share information and forge networks. She now works with fellow alumni to find ways to benefit the region.
As well as her medical degrees and specialist qualification as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Renee also holds a Master of Creative Writing from the University of Auckland, and has recently graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Drama Studies.
“My shared skills and passion for medicine and arts has often converged in my projects, and that’s because I believe they are the same thing. I’m interested in the stories people have to tell and the history that stands behind them. The work we do shouldn’t be determined by degrees or job titles, but by what excites us. By choosing something that makes your skin buzz – by following your bliss - you are more likely to succeed.”
Dr Renee Liang
http://www.gg.govt.nz/node/2889
In gallery:
* Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards 2010
2010 Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Award Recipient
Renee Liang is a consultant paediatrician whose research looks at human development trajectories from early life to adolescence. She is also a widely published poet, short story writer and playwright – her plays Lantern and The Bone Feeder have played to sold-out audiences. By drawing on her diverse talents in both medicine and the arts, Renee is helping to define the cultural landscape of New Zealand and supporting positive community development.
Renee currently leads the Asian Advisory Group for Growing Up in New Zealand – a longitudinal study designed to gather information to improve the lives of all New Zealand children. She has previously undertaken a clinical project looking at the health of aboriginal children in Far Western New South Wales.
In 2006, Renee participated in the development of An Absolute Rush – a grassroots performing arts initiative for at-risk youth in South Auckland, run on almost no budget, but a groundswell of community energy. Believing that writing and performance empower youth through use of their own voice, Renee organised speakers and ran poetry workshops for the students. This resulted in a collection of moving stories of hopes and dreams. She also looked at the benefits from a youth health perspective and recorded footage for a documentary.
Renee believes strongly that linking across communities strengthens society as a whole. She is a driving force of initiatives such as Metonymy – which aims to spark creative collaborations by ‘blind dating’ artists from different disciplines; Funky Oriental Beats – propelling Kiwi Asians into the burgeoning arts scene in Auckland; and the Guerilla Poets, who demystify literature by literally bringing poetry onto the streets. She’s known as both a performer and an organiser of Poetry Live, a weekly event. As an Asian New Zealander she often uses her writing to provide cultural commentary and spark discussion. Through her blog on The Big Idea, Renee profiles emerging artists and community initiatives.
Renee’s ability to bring people together was reflected in her selection this year for the Emerging Pacific Leaders’ Dialogue – an initiative to strengthen the capacity of the Pacific region’s future leaders to manage challenges collaboratively, positively and creatively. Renee visited Samoa, Fiji and Tonga to share information and forge networks. She now works with fellow alumni to find ways to benefit the region.
As well as her medical degrees and specialist qualification as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Renee also holds a Master of Creative Writing from the University of Auckland, and has recently graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Drama Studies.
“My shared skills and passion for medicine and arts has often converged in my projects, and that’s because I believe they are the same thing. I’m interested in the stories people have to tell and the history that stands behind them. The work we do shouldn’t be determined by degrees or job titles, but by what excites us. By choosing something that makes your skin buzz – by following your bliss - you are more likely to succeed.”
Dr Renee Liang
http://www.gg.govt.nz/node/2889
RENEE LIANG - PAEDIATRICIAN AND POET
RENEE LIANG - PAEDIATRICIAN AND POET
If you ever call the Liang residence, here's a tip: Don't ask for Dr Liang.
The response is: "Which one?"
With three doctors in Renee Liang's family - her father is also a paediatrician and a sister is a surgeon on the Gold Coast - she has never been far from excellence.
A third sister is a film maker.
Renee Liang, 37, grew up in Auckland and is a proud old girl of St Cuthbert's College in Epsom.
She says that growing up in a family who supported her love of both medicine and the arts helped her to become a confident woman.
"I always felt encouraged and always felt mastery.
"My primary school friends tell me that they can still remember me saying that I wanted to be a pediatrician - and I was 7 years old!
"But my dad was one and I knew the word - I always looked up to him and now I'm here."
Dr Liang works as a consultant paediatrician and researcher.
She has an interest in community and child health and her research involves looking at human development.
Her second love - the arts - has also seen her become a widely published poet, playwright and short-story writer, as well as being involved in the performing arts.
She says her Chinese name, Wei Wei, was given to her by her grandfather and means "literary blossom."
"My grandfather named me that because he said there were too many doctors in the family - we need a writer or an artist!
"My mother didn't tell me that until my third year into medicine, so who knows what would have been if I had known that before."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10654478
Dr Liang plans to continue her journey in life "as sort of a surprise".
If you ever call the Liang residence, here's a tip: Don't ask for Dr Liang.
The response is: "Which one?"
With three doctors in Renee Liang's family - her father is also a paediatrician and a sister is a surgeon on the Gold Coast - she has never been far from excellence.
A third sister is a film maker.
Renee Liang, 37, grew up in Auckland and is a proud old girl of St Cuthbert's College in Epsom.
She says that growing up in a family who supported her love of both medicine and the arts helped her to become a confident woman.
"I always felt encouraged and always felt mastery.
"My primary school friends tell me that they can still remember me saying that I wanted to be a pediatrician - and I was 7 years old!
"But my dad was one and I knew the word - I always looked up to him and now I'm here."
Dr Liang works as a consultant paediatrician and researcher.
She has an interest in community and child health and her research involves looking at human development.
Her second love - the arts - has also seen her become a widely published poet, playwright and short-story writer, as well as being involved in the performing arts.
She says her Chinese name, Wei Wei, was given to her by her grandfather and means "literary blossom."
"My grandfather named me that because he said there were too many doctors in the family - we need a writer or an artist!
"My mother didn't tell me that until my third year into medicine, so who knows what would have been if I had known that before."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10654478
Dr Liang plans to continue her journey in life "as sort of a surprise".
Monday, August 30, 2010
Long palace reign comes to an end
Almost three decades of filling hungry Marlborough tummies will come to an end for Kitsee and Danny Young when they close the door on their Scott St restaurant, Chung Wah Palace, tomorrow night.
The couple, helped by their children Christopher and Melissa, have served thousands of Chinese, Cantonese, Cambodian, Thai and Kiwi meals, first at their Grove Rd takeaway shop, the Golden Wonton, and later at Chung Wah.
They retain ownership of the building, which will re-open as Accent Restaurant under husband and wife team Merv Smith and Helen Lyon in October. Mr Smith said the restaurant would serve contemporary New Zealand food.
Mrs Young said the family was sad to give up the business, but it was the right decision.
A serious back injury she suffered in 2008 had made it too hard to continue, she said.
"I never stop until I drop ... but my husband didn't want to see me suffer. That's why we decided to sell our business."
Their main message was one of thanks to the Marlborough community, including loyal customers, suppliers and friends who had supported them for 28 years.
They had received many phone calls, cards and flowers after announcing the restaurant would close, she said.
The couple have no immediate plans, other than to "enjoy life", she said.
They will remain in Marlborough.
Farewell: Chung Wah Palace restaurant owners Danny Young, left, her husband Kitsee, and their daughter, Melissa, will end 28 years in the restaurant business when Chung Wah Palace closes tomorrow night
The couple, helped by their children Christopher and Melissa, have served thousands of Chinese, Cantonese, Cambodian, Thai and Kiwi meals, first at their Grove Rd takeaway shop, the Golden Wonton, and later at Chung Wah.
They retain ownership of the building, which will re-open as Accent Restaurant under husband and wife team Merv Smith and Helen Lyon in October. Mr Smith said the restaurant would serve contemporary New Zealand food.
Mrs Young said the family was sad to give up the business, but it was the right decision.
A serious back injury she suffered in 2008 had made it too hard to continue, she said.
"I never stop until I drop ... but my husband didn't want to see me suffer. That's why we decided to sell our business."
Their main message was one of thanks to the Marlborough community, including loyal customers, suppliers and friends who had supported them for 28 years.
They had received many phone calls, cards and flowers after announcing the restaurant would close, she said.
The couple have no immediate plans, other than to "enjoy life", she said.
They will remain in Marlborough.
Farewell: Chung Wah Palace restaurant owners Danny Young, left, her husband Kitsee, and their daughter, Melissa, will end 28 years in the restaurant business when Chung Wah Palace closes tomorrow night
Saturday, July 03, 2010
China film deal: The great fast forward
As a New Zealand-China movie co-production treaty nears, Patrick Crewdson looks at the opportunities it will give Kiwi film-makers.
'Bigger, better and more epic than anything you've seen before," is how Chinese movie maestro John Woo described his military masterpiece Red Cliff.
So when the respected director needed his sweeping battle scenes and carefully choreographed action sequences to look their blazing, blood-soaked best, who did he call? Miramar's Park Road Post Production.
Sir Peter Jackson's post-production house provided DI (digital intermediate) for the two-part, five-hour epic.
Given how much Wellywood's cinematic reputation owes to another set of sword-swinging epics, the Red Cliff films were a natural fit for the capital.
But they also play as a preview of coming attractions, with Kiwi film-makers who want to crack China soon to be aided by a bilateral co-production deal (see sidebar) and leading companies such as Weta Digital and Park Road Post increasingly likely to look outside Hollywood for service work.
Red Cliff: Part I went on to usurp Titanic atop China's all-time box office charts (a spot since claimed by another film with Wellington ties, Avatar). And it probably eased some introductions for Park Road Post general manager Cameron Harland when he – along with Weta Digital general manager Tom Greally – went to China last month with a Wellington business and cultural delegation.
For the film-makers, the trip to Beijing, Shanghai and Wuxi was a useful opportunity to tour movie facilities and scope out who the true players are.
"This is the second-biggest market in terms of box office in the world and is growing at 40 per cent a year, so clearly there are opportunities," says Mr Harland. "We're smart just to get in here as early as we can and try to gauge where they might come from."
The pair also made cameos at a New Zealand film night at the 1920s-era Shanghai Grand Cinema, where the newly knighted Sir Richard Taylor introduced The Lovely Bones.
Sir Richard told the invited audience that New Zealand companies were "perfectly placed" not just to deliver contract work like on Red Cliff, but also to partner on genuine co-productions.
Some film-makers have already made inroads, even if the cameras are not rolling yet.
Wellington producer Michelle Turner, who produced Stickmen and worked on Avatar, has been pushing a co-production for two years.
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She hopes Little Dragon – the story of an 11-year-old Shanghainese girl whose family move to New Zealand and take over an uncle's restaurant in "the roughest part of Wellington" – will be one of the first official co-productions.
Penned by Wellington writer Lynda Chanwai Earle, the drama would be shot in Wellington and Shanghai. The lead cast is likely to come from China, but most of the crew would be Kiwi, including director Rachel Douglas.
Her short film Shadow Over The Sun played at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2008, where Little Dragon was also selected for a pitch and catch competition with a listed budget of US$4 million.
Kiwi connections to that festival continued this year, with Niki Caro's The Vintner's Luck, Gaylene Preston's Home By Christmas and James Napier's I'm Not Harry Jenson screening.
Wellington film and entertainment lawyer Michael Stephens was this year selected as New Zealand's international delegate for the festival. He says the "true opportunity for" Kiwi film-makers in China lies in developing joint projects suitable for international markets.
With a gross box office of US$909 million and more than 4700 cinema screens, China already boasts a huge audience. And the 450 films made there last year, including 67 official co-productions, qualify it as the world's third-biggest film producer.
But domestic income and influence are not enough. The government wants to turn the country into a cinematic titan, and sees co-productions as a way to reach global audiences. Mr Greally says New Zealand could help satisfy China's desire for higher standards.
"Our calling card is our innovation, our creativity, and the quality that brings. Their game is how they can do things quickly and at a very low cost. There's got to be a meeting somewhere of those two objectives."
The brands of Weta Digital and Park Road Post are already recognised in China, where names like Avatar, King Kong and Sir Peter Jackson carry serious weight.
Their cutting-edge reputations have attracted potential customers such as Lifeng Wang, president of animation and visual FX house Xing Xing, which worked on Twilight.
"It's just a natural match if we work with Weta and maybe do some outsourcing for them. And maybe some of the work we have, which is very technically challenging, we can use Weta's help."
Mr Wang says Chinese companies could benefit from New Zealand's creativity, technological know-how and R&D capacity.
One major advantage of co-production status is entry to Chinese cinemas. China enforces a quota of only 20 foreign films per year – "and that's everything from Kung Fu Panda to a French Cannes winner," says Ms Turner – but co-productions count as local content.
However, there's a significant tradeoff. Co-productions go under the scrutiny of Chinese censors, whose comprehensive regulations forbid content that harms the reputation of the state; inappropriately depicts ghosts, masturbation or homosexuality; corrupts social morality; or distorts Chinese history – among a laundry list of other no-go areas.
Mr Stephens also warns film-makers off thinking that China's increasing "economic muscle" means its movies are all blockbusters.
"The reality is that they only do a few at very large budget points ... the film-makers who I'm talking to that are interested in doing films with New Zealand, often their films are as low as half a million dollars or less."
Small-screen producers are also zooming in on China.
Wellington production company Gibson Group is in the script development stage of a co-production with Chinese television company Beijing Ye Chen.
The 40-episode epic drama Gold Rush Revelation, about early Chinese migrants in New Zealand and their descendants a century later, is slated to screen in China on national network CCTV and in New Zealand on Maori TV.
Managing director Dave Gibson says "the trickiest thing" is working out scripts to suit both markets.
"They could write 40 scripts, shoot in New Zealand and put it on Chinese television and that'd be fine, but because of the way we're doing it, we have to get 40 scripts that work in New Zealand and China."
Mr Gibson says even with the co-production treaty about to be signed, he sees more opportunities for television than movie work in China.
"I don't know that will lead to a flurry of films. If I look at the sort of TV work we do, I think it's compatible. If I look at the couple of films we've got on our development slate, I don't think it's that compatible."
Gold Rush is just one element of the Gibson Group's China strategy. The company has another four projects on the go, including a co-production project with Tianjin Television's Binhai Channel, and has recently appointed a Beijing-born producer, Eric Zhang, as head of Chinese projects.
Fast forward a few years, and will the Kiwi and Chinese entertainment industries be closer?
Mr Stephens at least is bullish, predicting that once the bilateral treaty is signed, New Zealand and China could "quite quickly" get to the point of making as many as half a dozen co-productions a year.
CO-PRODUCTION TREATY CLOSE
A film co-production treaty between New Zealand and China could be signed as early as this month.
It would give Kiwi film-makers a ticket to the expanding Chinese movie market, and a way around the quota system that admits just 20 foreign movies a year.
Bilateral negotiations with China began in July 2008, and by January this year New Zealand had submitted a proposed first draft to Chinese authorities. Indications are strong the deal will be inked this month.
Vivien Meek, senior policy adviser (arts) at the Culture and Heritage Ministry, the lead agency, said negotiations were in their final stages and they hoped to sign the agreement soon.
Prime Minister John Key is visiting Beijing and Shanghai this week.
New Zealand already has film co-production deals with 10 countries, including Australia, Britain and South Korea.
Such treaties tend to extend to official co-productions the funding, tax incentives and distribution arrangements available in either country, as well as making it easier to import crew and equipment.
According to Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry documents, most co-production deals take a broad view of what constitutes film, including television and animation. But Gibson Group managing director Dave Gibson says he understands the deal with China will not initially cover television.
Patrick Crewdson travelled to China courtesy of NZTE.
BusinessDay
Last updated 05:00 03/07/2010
FILM OPPORTUNITY: Kiwi film-makers who want to crack China will soon to be aided by a bilateral co-production deal.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3881051/China-film-deal-The-great-fast-forward
'Bigger, better and more epic than anything you've seen before," is how Chinese movie maestro John Woo described his military masterpiece Red Cliff.
So when the respected director needed his sweeping battle scenes and carefully choreographed action sequences to look their blazing, blood-soaked best, who did he call? Miramar's Park Road Post Production.
Sir Peter Jackson's post-production house provided DI (digital intermediate) for the two-part, five-hour epic.
Given how much Wellywood's cinematic reputation owes to another set of sword-swinging epics, the Red Cliff films were a natural fit for the capital.
But they also play as a preview of coming attractions, with Kiwi film-makers who want to crack China soon to be aided by a bilateral co-production deal (see sidebar) and leading companies such as Weta Digital and Park Road Post increasingly likely to look outside Hollywood for service work.
Red Cliff: Part I went on to usurp Titanic atop China's all-time box office charts (a spot since claimed by another film with Wellington ties, Avatar). And it probably eased some introductions for Park Road Post general manager Cameron Harland when he – along with Weta Digital general manager Tom Greally – went to China last month with a Wellington business and cultural delegation.
For the film-makers, the trip to Beijing, Shanghai and Wuxi was a useful opportunity to tour movie facilities and scope out who the true players are.
"This is the second-biggest market in terms of box office in the world and is growing at 40 per cent a year, so clearly there are opportunities," says Mr Harland. "We're smart just to get in here as early as we can and try to gauge where they might come from."
The pair also made cameos at a New Zealand film night at the 1920s-era Shanghai Grand Cinema, where the newly knighted Sir Richard Taylor introduced The Lovely Bones.
Sir Richard told the invited audience that New Zealand companies were "perfectly placed" not just to deliver contract work like on Red Cliff, but also to partner on genuine co-productions.
Some film-makers have already made inroads, even if the cameras are not rolling yet.
Wellington producer Michelle Turner, who produced Stickmen and worked on Avatar, has been pushing a co-production for two years.
Ad Feedback
She hopes Little Dragon – the story of an 11-year-old Shanghainese girl whose family move to New Zealand and take over an uncle's restaurant in "the roughest part of Wellington" – will be one of the first official co-productions.
Penned by Wellington writer Lynda Chanwai Earle, the drama would be shot in Wellington and Shanghai. The lead cast is likely to come from China, but most of the crew would be Kiwi, including director Rachel Douglas.
Her short film Shadow Over The Sun played at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2008, where Little Dragon was also selected for a pitch and catch competition with a listed budget of US$4 million.
Kiwi connections to that festival continued this year, with Niki Caro's The Vintner's Luck, Gaylene Preston's Home By Christmas and James Napier's I'm Not Harry Jenson screening.
Wellington film and entertainment lawyer Michael Stephens was this year selected as New Zealand's international delegate for the festival. He says the "true opportunity for" Kiwi film-makers in China lies in developing joint projects suitable for international markets.
With a gross box office of US$909 million and more than 4700 cinema screens, China already boasts a huge audience. And the 450 films made there last year, including 67 official co-productions, qualify it as the world's third-biggest film producer.
But domestic income and influence are not enough. The government wants to turn the country into a cinematic titan, and sees co-productions as a way to reach global audiences. Mr Greally says New Zealand could help satisfy China's desire for higher standards.
"Our calling card is our innovation, our creativity, and the quality that brings. Their game is how they can do things quickly and at a very low cost. There's got to be a meeting somewhere of those two objectives."
The brands of Weta Digital and Park Road Post are already recognised in China, where names like Avatar, King Kong and Sir Peter Jackson carry serious weight.
Their cutting-edge reputations have attracted potential customers such as Lifeng Wang, president of animation and visual FX house Xing Xing, which worked on Twilight.
"It's just a natural match if we work with Weta and maybe do some outsourcing for them. And maybe some of the work we have, which is very technically challenging, we can use Weta's help."
Mr Wang says Chinese companies could benefit from New Zealand's creativity, technological know-how and R&D capacity.
One major advantage of co-production status is entry to Chinese cinemas. China enforces a quota of only 20 foreign films per year – "and that's everything from Kung Fu Panda to a French Cannes winner," says Ms Turner – but co-productions count as local content.
However, there's a significant tradeoff. Co-productions go under the scrutiny of Chinese censors, whose comprehensive regulations forbid content that harms the reputation of the state; inappropriately depicts ghosts, masturbation or homosexuality; corrupts social morality; or distorts Chinese history – among a laundry list of other no-go areas.
Mr Stephens also warns film-makers off thinking that China's increasing "economic muscle" means its movies are all blockbusters.
"The reality is that they only do a few at very large budget points ... the film-makers who I'm talking to that are interested in doing films with New Zealand, often their films are as low as half a million dollars or less."
Small-screen producers are also zooming in on China.
Wellington production company Gibson Group is in the script development stage of a co-production with Chinese television company Beijing Ye Chen.
The 40-episode epic drama Gold Rush Revelation, about early Chinese migrants in New Zealand and their descendants a century later, is slated to screen in China on national network CCTV and in New Zealand on Maori TV.
Managing director Dave Gibson says "the trickiest thing" is working out scripts to suit both markets.
"They could write 40 scripts, shoot in New Zealand and put it on Chinese television and that'd be fine, but because of the way we're doing it, we have to get 40 scripts that work in New Zealand and China."
Mr Gibson says even with the co-production treaty about to be signed, he sees more opportunities for television than movie work in China.
"I don't know that will lead to a flurry of films. If I look at the sort of TV work we do, I think it's compatible. If I look at the couple of films we've got on our development slate, I don't think it's that compatible."
Gold Rush is just one element of the Gibson Group's China strategy. The company has another four projects on the go, including a co-production project with Tianjin Television's Binhai Channel, and has recently appointed a Beijing-born producer, Eric Zhang, as head of Chinese projects.
Fast forward a few years, and will the Kiwi and Chinese entertainment industries be closer?
Mr Stephens at least is bullish, predicting that once the bilateral treaty is signed, New Zealand and China could "quite quickly" get to the point of making as many as half a dozen co-productions a year.
CO-PRODUCTION TREATY CLOSE
A film co-production treaty between New Zealand and China could be signed as early as this month.
It would give Kiwi film-makers a ticket to the expanding Chinese movie market, and a way around the quota system that admits just 20 foreign movies a year.
Bilateral negotiations with China began in July 2008, and by January this year New Zealand had submitted a proposed first draft to Chinese authorities. Indications are strong the deal will be inked this month.
Vivien Meek, senior policy adviser (arts) at the Culture and Heritage Ministry, the lead agency, said negotiations were in their final stages and they hoped to sign the agreement soon.
Prime Minister John Key is visiting Beijing and Shanghai this week.
New Zealand already has film co-production deals with 10 countries, including Australia, Britain and South Korea.
Such treaties tend to extend to official co-productions the funding, tax incentives and distribution arrangements available in either country, as well as making it easier to import crew and equipment.
According to Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry documents, most co-production deals take a broad view of what constitutes film, including television and animation. But Gibson Group managing director Dave Gibson says he understands the deal with China will not initially cover television.
Patrick Crewdson travelled to China courtesy of NZTE.
BusinessDay
Last updated 05:00 03/07/2010
FILM OPPORTUNITY: Kiwi film-makers who want to crack China will soon to be aided by a bilateral co-production deal.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3881051/China-film-deal-The-great-fast-forward
Sunday, June 27, 2010
The Bone Feeder
http://chinglish-renee.blogspot.com/2010/03/bone-feeder-story-on-asia-downunder.html#links
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Bone Feeder - story on Asia Downunder
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Bone Feeder - story on Asia Downunder
We're in no position to lecture China on democracy
I DON'T KNOW Tibetan history chapter and verse, but I know cultural arrogance when I see it, and Russel Norman put on an interesting display of it when he pestered the visiting Chinese vice-president.
Rather than being snide about how the Chinese people wouldn't see this embarrassing scene in their news coverage, as some reporters were, we should be thankful, because he looked like such a dork.
We're deluded if we think Chinese viewers would be impressed with that graceless demonstration of freedom of speech, and rise as one to demand the novelty. They would surely have been struck, as I was, by the contrast between the composure of the leader of one of the world's great nations (theirs) compared with a sandy-haired git in a beige(!) suit (ours) mouthing off like a hysterical schoolboy somewhere in the remote Pacific. It takes a hell of a lot more intelligence and political skill to be a Xi Jinping in China than a Green MP in New Zealand – and better manners as well. That was obvious.
There's a level on which it's inherently embarrassing to see any European wagging their finger at a Chinese leader: our common history in their country is not a proud one, and is not forgotten there. I've seen colonial-era film footage of the signs in parks in China reading, "No Dogs or Chinese Allowed" – and this was less than a century ago. We knew better than the Chinese then, too, even in their own country. Perhaps it's something to do with our beigeness.
This was at a time when we still treated Chinese immigrants as a special case, when we dreaded the "yellow peril", and had recently had a prime minister, Richard Seddon, who used such racism as a political platform.
Our great-grandparents voted for him, and even erected the odd pigeon poo-bedecked statue in his memory. That Norman's display was on the steps of parliament, near where Seddon stands on a plinth in all his glory, was unpleasantly apt.
Thanks to this attitude of ours, from 1896 until 1944, Chinese immigrants had to pay a poll tax of 100 pounds – a heck of a lot of money – to be allowed to come here, and couldn't bring their families. In 1908 they were deprived of the right to be naturalised, an insult which remained legal until 1951. All in all, it's a history that's shaky ground to preach from, even if we've apologised for it, to a country with a history and civilisation going back thousands of years.
I was reminded, watching Norman's antics, of a display I saw in Shanghai a while back, showing the city's history. Our Chinese guides urged our media group on, but some of us stayed to watch it through, and saw how Europeans were depicted. Let me put it this way: a sandy-haired fellow in a beige suit would have blended in perfectly with the deadpan account of how the city was formerly divided between European powers whose venal attitude left much to be desired. By what right did we do this, and why weren't we preaching democracy then?
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I don't imagine Xi will care one way or the other about Norman's display of bad manners, and I sure don't expect he cares what you or I think about anything, least of all Tibet. He's quite busy running one of the most populous countries in the world, with its own problems and perspective on history, including how it looks on Tibet. We may disagree, but so what? We won't be changing anything.
Sure, we don't like the colonisation, as it appears to us, by the Chinese there. We have the luxury of that perspective, as heirs to the British wholesale colonisation of vast tracts of the planet, justified by confidence in our inherent cultural superiority, and the drive for trade. That's how we got here, not because Maori invited us.
As a descendant of blacksmiths, shoemakers and agricultural labourers from Europe, I'm not ungrateful.
But surely we charged into this country much as the Chinese have done into Tibet, and with as much consideration for Maori and their beliefs and practices as the Chinese show to the Tibetans.
My missionary ancestors were pretty keen to eradicate Maori religious practices, too, albeit with the most benevolent of intentions.
Time has a way of turning beliefs on their heads, of making wrongs right and rights wrong, as we, of all people, ought to know. So instead of brandishing other countries' flags and fighting other nations' battles, we might try being less smug about our own.
rosemary.mcleod@star-times.co.nz
By ROSEMARY MCLEOD - Sunday Star Times
Last updated 05:00 27/06/2010
Rather than being snide about how the Chinese people wouldn't see this embarrassing scene in their news coverage, as some reporters were, we should be thankful, because he looked like such a dork.
We're deluded if we think Chinese viewers would be impressed with that graceless demonstration of freedom of speech, and rise as one to demand the novelty. They would surely have been struck, as I was, by the contrast between the composure of the leader of one of the world's great nations (theirs) compared with a sandy-haired git in a beige(!) suit (ours) mouthing off like a hysterical schoolboy somewhere in the remote Pacific. It takes a hell of a lot more intelligence and political skill to be a Xi Jinping in China than a Green MP in New Zealand – and better manners as well. That was obvious.
There's a level on which it's inherently embarrassing to see any European wagging their finger at a Chinese leader: our common history in their country is not a proud one, and is not forgotten there. I've seen colonial-era film footage of the signs in parks in China reading, "No Dogs or Chinese Allowed" – and this was less than a century ago. We knew better than the Chinese then, too, even in their own country. Perhaps it's something to do with our beigeness.
This was at a time when we still treated Chinese immigrants as a special case, when we dreaded the "yellow peril", and had recently had a prime minister, Richard Seddon, who used such racism as a political platform.
Our great-grandparents voted for him, and even erected the odd pigeon poo-bedecked statue in his memory. That Norman's display was on the steps of parliament, near where Seddon stands on a plinth in all his glory, was unpleasantly apt.
Thanks to this attitude of ours, from 1896 until 1944, Chinese immigrants had to pay a poll tax of 100 pounds – a heck of a lot of money – to be allowed to come here, and couldn't bring their families. In 1908 they were deprived of the right to be naturalised, an insult which remained legal until 1951. All in all, it's a history that's shaky ground to preach from, even if we've apologised for it, to a country with a history and civilisation going back thousands of years.
I was reminded, watching Norman's antics, of a display I saw in Shanghai a while back, showing the city's history. Our Chinese guides urged our media group on, but some of us stayed to watch it through, and saw how Europeans were depicted. Let me put it this way: a sandy-haired fellow in a beige suit would have blended in perfectly with the deadpan account of how the city was formerly divided between European powers whose venal attitude left much to be desired. By what right did we do this, and why weren't we preaching democracy then?
Ad Feedback
I don't imagine Xi will care one way or the other about Norman's display of bad manners, and I sure don't expect he cares what you or I think about anything, least of all Tibet. He's quite busy running one of the most populous countries in the world, with its own problems and perspective on history, including how it looks on Tibet. We may disagree, but so what? We won't be changing anything.
Sure, we don't like the colonisation, as it appears to us, by the Chinese there. We have the luxury of that perspective, as heirs to the British wholesale colonisation of vast tracts of the planet, justified by confidence in our inherent cultural superiority, and the drive for trade. That's how we got here, not because Maori invited us.
As a descendant of blacksmiths, shoemakers and agricultural labourers from Europe, I'm not ungrateful.
But surely we charged into this country much as the Chinese have done into Tibet, and with as much consideration for Maori and their beliefs and practices as the Chinese show to the Tibetans.
My missionary ancestors were pretty keen to eradicate Maori religious practices, too, albeit with the most benevolent of intentions.
Time has a way of turning beliefs on their heads, of making wrongs right and rights wrong, as we, of all people, ought to know. So instead of brandishing other countries' flags and fighting other nations' battles, we might try being less smug about our own.
rosemary.mcleod@star-times.co.nz
By ROSEMARY MCLEOD - Sunday Star Times
Last updated 05:00 27/06/2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
First novel in line for award
First novel in line for award
By Rebekah White
4:00 AM Tuesday Jun 22, 2010
A first novel has been shortlisted for New Zealand's top literary honour.
As the Earth Turns Silver by Alison Wong is up against works by established writers Fiona Farrell and Owen Marshall in the fiction category of this year's New Zealand Post Book Awards.
Wong took 12 years to research and write the novel, which follows the secret relationship between a Pakeha woman and a Chinese immigrant in 1920s Wellington.
Judges' convener Stephen Stratford said it was always going to be a challenge, "but we agree that each of these three finalist books is convincing, compelling, superbly crafted and contributes distinctively to New Zealand's literature."
Sixteen finalists have been selected in the four categories of fiction, poetry, general non-fiction and illustrated non-fiction.
Stratford said illustrated non-fiction proved to be the standout category this year.
Winners will be announced on August 27. Voting for the People's Choice Award, where readers select the recipient of a $5000 prize, opens today.
By Rebekah White
By Rebekah White
4:00 AM Tuesday Jun 22, 2010
A first novel has been shortlisted for New Zealand's top literary honour.
As the Earth Turns Silver by Alison Wong is up against works by established writers Fiona Farrell and Owen Marshall in the fiction category of this year's New Zealand Post Book Awards.
Wong took 12 years to research and write the novel, which follows the secret relationship between a Pakeha woman and a Chinese immigrant in 1920s Wellington.
Judges' convener Stephen Stratford said it was always going to be a challenge, "but we agree that each of these three finalist books is convincing, compelling, superbly crafted and contributes distinctively to New Zealand's literature."
Sixteen finalists have been selected in the four categories of fiction, poetry, general non-fiction and illustrated non-fiction.
Stratford said illustrated non-fiction proved to be the standout category this year.
Winners will be announced on August 27. Voting for the People's Choice Award, where readers select the recipient of a $5000 prize, opens today.
By Rebekah White
Two homegrown writing debuts show promise
Alison Wong's first novel is modest in style, generous in tone, accomplished in structure; wide-ranging in characters. It's not surprising that overseas publishers are interested.
The Titahi Bay author, almost inevitably a graduate of Victoria University's writing school, sets her story at the start of the 20th century, when a Chinese person on a central Wellington street is an instant target for beggars and bigots, name-calling and plait-pulling.
Racism is one of the book's central motifs, in poems lip-smackingly recited by an apparently cultured lunch guest, stones thrown through a greengrocer's window, a Prime Minister quite unabashed by his membership of an anti-Asian faction.
It's not only Chinese who are targeted. Maori are apparently dying out — and a good thing too, say People In Power. There are also the situations vacant ads: "Maid required for light duties by respectable gentleman. No Irish need apply." And there's the prejudice against women, in the smug misogyny of Truby King et al. But it's "John Chinaman" who is victimised most.
Amid the bigotry, a love affair begins, between Yung the quick-minded, quick-fisted shopkeeper, ridding himself of his long rope of hair and his premises of invading thugs, and Katherine, with her caricature of a bullying husband (who has the decency to fall drunk into Wellington Harbour).
Both parties feel "an emptiness, a hungry space". Both are dissatisfied with convention or tradition, and are ready for transformation.
Alison Wong's first novel is modest in style, generous in tone, accomplished in structure; wide-ranging in characters. It's not surprising that overseas publishers are interested.
The Titahi Bay author, almost inevitably a graduate of Victoria University's writing school, sets her story at the start of the 20th century, when a Chinese person on a central Wellington street is an instant target for beggars and bigots, name-calling and plait-pulling.
Racism is one of the book's central motifs, in poems lip-smackingly recited by an apparently cultured lunch guest, stones thrown through a greengrocer's window, a Prime Minister quite unabashed by his membership of an anti-Asian faction.
It's not only Chinese who are targeted. Maori are apparently dying out — and a good thing too, say People In Power. There are also the situations vacant ads: "Maid required for light duties by respectable gentleman. No Irish need apply." And there's the prejudice against women, in the smug misogyny of Truby King et al. But it's "John Chinaman" who is victimised most.
Amid the bigotry, a love affair begins, between Yung the quick-minded, quick-fisted shopkeeper, ridding himself of his long rope of hair and his premises of invading thugs, and Katherine, with her caricature of a bullying husband (who has the decency to fall drunk into Wellington Harbour).
Both parties feel "an emptiness, a hungry space". Both are dissatisfied with convention or tradition, and are ready for transformation.
Article continues below
XXXIXXX
CCID: 36159 | adwidth=440
Things start under a cabbage tree by the Basin Reserve, and lead via delight and terror to an ending on a shop floor.
A quick shuttle of chapters keeps the plot pulsing along. Wong spreads complex nets of love and grief that catch up nearly every character. She does an impressively unshowy job of capturing the varied voices.
Period details feel just right. There's Mrs Newman the emancipist, fuming against being addressed by her husband's name and celebrating the first women in the Olympics. There's the jingoistic marching and cheering as WWI is declared. And there's a splendidly-evoked Haining Street, with "the smell of garlic and ginger", where a European shoots an Asian walking home, then defends himself with the argument that a Chinese "is not a man".
You could suggest that the ending is a bit prolonged and unremitting. You could also suggest that there's a whiff of Mills & Boon about the love affair, with its lingering glances, meaningful hand-touchings, and fireworks going off inside. But this is a striking and successful debut. Bring on Alison Wong's next one(s).
As the Earth Turns Silver $37: reviewed by David Hill
David Hill is a Taranaki writer.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10586926&pnum=0
The Titahi Bay author, almost inevitably a graduate of Victoria University's writing school, sets her story at the start of the 20th century, when a Chinese person on a central Wellington street is an instant target for beggars and bigots, name-calling and plait-pulling.
Racism is one of the book's central motifs, in poems lip-smackingly recited by an apparently cultured lunch guest, stones thrown through a greengrocer's window, a Prime Minister quite unabashed by his membership of an anti-Asian faction.
It's not only Chinese who are targeted. Maori are apparently dying out — and a good thing too, say People In Power. There are also the situations vacant ads: "Maid required for light duties by respectable gentleman. No Irish need apply." And there's the prejudice against women, in the smug misogyny of Truby King et al. But it's "John Chinaman" who is victimised most.
Amid the bigotry, a love affair begins, between Yung the quick-minded, quick-fisted shopkeeper, ridding himself of his long rope of hair and his premises of invading thugs, and Katherine, with her caricature of a bullying husband (who has the decency to fall drunk into Wellington Harbour).
Both parties feel "an emptiness, a hungry space". Both are dissatisfied with convention or tradition, and are ready for transformation.
Alison Wong's first novel is modest in style, generous in tone, accomplished in structure; wide-ranging in characters. It's not surprising that overseas publishers are interested.
The Titahi Bay author, almost inevitably a graduate of Victoria University's writing school, sets her story at the start of the 20th century, when a Chinese person on a central Wellington street is an instant target for beggars and bigots, name-calling and plait-pulling.
Racism is one of the book's central motifs, in poems lip-smackingly recited by an apparently cultured lunch guest, stones thrown through a greengrocer's window, a Prime Minister quite unabashed by his membership of an anti-Asian faction.
It's not only Chinese who are targeted. Maori are apparently dying out — and a good thing too, say People In Power. There are also the situations vacant ads: "Maid required for light duties by respectable gentleman. No Irish need apply." And there's the prejudice against women, in the smug misogyny of Truby King et al. But it's "John Chinaman" who is victimised most.
Amid the bigotry, a love affair begins, between Yung the quick-minded, quick-fisted shopkeeper, ridding himself of his long rope of hair and his premises of invading thugs, and Katherine, with her caricature of a bullying husband (who has the decency to fall drunk into Wellington Harbour).
Both parties feel "an emptiness, a hungry space". Both are dissatisfied with convention or tradition, and are ready for transformation.
Article continues below
XXXIXXX
CCID: 36159 | adwidth=440
Things start under a cabbage tree by the Basin Reserve, and lead via delight and terror to an ending on a shop floor.
A quick shuttle of chapters keeps the plot pulsing along. Wong spreads complex nets of love and grief that catch up nearly every character. She does an impressively unshowy job of capturing the varied voices.
Period details feel just right. There's Mrs Newman the emancipist, fuming against being addressed by her husband's name and celebrating the first women in the Olympics. There's the jingoistic marching and cheering as WWI is declared. And there's a splendidly-evoked Haining Street, with "the smell of garlic and ginger", where a European shoots an Asian walking home, then defends himself with the argument that a Chinese "is not a man".
You could suggest that the ending is a bit prolonged and unremitting. You could also suggest that there's a whiff of Mills & Boon about the love affair, with its lingering glances, meaningful hand-touchings, and fireworks going off inside. But this is a striking and successful debut. Bring on Alison Wong's next one(s).
As the Earth Turns Silver $37: reviewed by David Hill
David Hill is a Taranaki writer.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10586926&pnum=0
Sunday, June 13, 2010
150th anniversary discovery in New Zealand’s - gold.
The Lawrence-Tuapeka community is gearing up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of perhaps the most significant discovery in New Zealand’s history – gold.
Gold, in the payable form, was first struck by Gabriel Read near Lawrence on 25th May 1861. Read, an Australian-born prospector was initially told he was on a ‘wild goose chase’ but his discovery, in the gully that now bears his name, changed the course of history and laid a foundation for both Otago and New Zealand. By July 1861, the Tuapeka area was very much immersed in the gold rush, with the district’s population swelling to over 11,000 compared to the less than 6,000 in Dunedin at the time.
In 2011, attention will again turn to Lawrence as it celebrates 150 years since what was essentially the birth of our nation. Realising the significance of such an occasion, the Lawrence Community will be hosting a four day celebration, Gabriel’s Gully Goldrush 150th from Friday 18th to Monday 21st March 2011.
The four day celebration will feature a drama which re-enacts the Goldrush with treks and walks to take us back in time to the 1860’s. With music, historical tours and displays, visual art, drama and family games and fun, there’s something for everyone, young or old.
http://www.lawrence.co.nz/pages/98/Lawrence-2011-Gold-Celebrations
Gold, in the payable form, was first struck by Gabriel Read near Lawrence on 25th May 1861. Read, an Australian-born prospector was initially told he was on a ‘wild goose chase’ but his discovery, in the gully that now bears his name, changed the course of history and laid a foundation for both Otago and New Zealand. By July 1861, the Tuapeka area was very much immersed in the gold rush, with the district’s population swelling to over 11,000 compared to the less than 6,000 in Dunedin at the time.
In 2011, attention will again turn to Lawrence as it celebrates 150 years since what was essentially the birth of our nation. Realising the significance of such an occasion, the Lawrence Community will be hosting a four day celebration, Gabriel’s Gully Goldrush 150th from Friday 18th to Monday 21st March 2011.
The four day celebration will feature a drama which re-enacts the Goldrush with treks and walks to take us back in time to the 1860’s. With music, historical tours and displays, visual art, drama and family games and fun, there’s something for everyone, young or old.
http://www.lawrence.co.nz/pages/98/Lawrence-2011-Gold-Celebrations
Friday, June 04, 2010
Life & Style Next Article: Chill out, and enjoy your wine Shanghai Lil's back on the scene
Auckland's nightlife hasn't been the same without it. Shanghai Lil's has finally reopened in its third incarnation in Parnell
Russel Green, owner of Shanghai Lil. Photo / Babiche Martens Expand
Many hearts were broken when Shanghai Lil's, housed in the iconic Birdcage in Freemans Bay, closed its doors to revellers last year. In a city where you'll find 10 leatherette-clad, R&B-playing cafe-bars for one quirky independent establishment, Lil's managed to be instantly memorable and effortlessly cool.
All hand-carved dragons, Chinese red lanterns and 1930s art prints, entering Shanghai Lil's was like walking on to a film set - all the elegance of In The Mood For Love paired with the battiness of Grey Gardens - but regulars will tell you the most important part of the furniture has always been the double act of delightfully eccentric owner Russel Green and his resident jazz pianist - and partner of 22 years, Billy Farnell.
Clad in Chinese silk and prone to sporadic outbursts of the can-can on the dance floor, they treated regulars, newbies and the occasional Hollywood star with the same degree of warmth and attention.
But all good things must come to an end - in this case it was thanks to a wrecking ball courtesy of the Victoria Park tunnel which means the Birdcage will be dismantled and moved to a new location.
For those who missed out on it, and for those who miss it, there is good news.
Shanghai Lil's has found a new home in a colonial-style underground bar in Parnell Village.
"As soon as I peered through the dust-covered window, I knew I'd found something special," says Green, sitting proudly on a plush sofa in the den-like new venue. "In fact, 'remembered' would be a better word than 'found', because I'd worked here back in 1994 when it was Valerio's. It's got a wonderful feel to it, and I love the fact that its underground, like an opium den.
"The courtyard, with its wrought-iron spiral staircase and views of the Sky Tower sealed the deal. Plus we've got a dining room out the back, so we're finally able to include a restaurant."
The shift from bar to restaurant is a new step for Shanghai Lil's, although Green has had stints as a chef in a long hospitality career. "I've always loved the concept of 1930s supper clubs, where people can dine, enjoy post-dinner cocktails and have a turn on the dance floor, all in the same venue."
The all-new Shanghai Lil's has been open just a few weeks and has already hosted several "successful first dates", a "wonderfully celebratory" funeral wake and a dance floor takeover by a visiting dance act.
"Shanghai Lil's is all about escapism. I want to provide an extraordinary setting where people feel free to let dramas unfold in their lives - whether it's kissing in a corner, dancing to the piano or meeting a fabulous new friend over a cocktail."
So what do regulars make of the new venue? "As soon as people walk in, they say, 'Oh, it still feels like Shanghai Lil's'. Some say they prefer the low-ceiling intimacy of this place to The Birdcage."
It's certainly got the same Aladdin's Cave feel to it: no nook or cranny is left devoid of an antique porcelain vase or elaborately-carved rosewood chest.
"It's been fabulous fun delving into our collection to find pieces that fit here," says Green. The couple's art collection is legendary. Between the two of them they have 90 years worth of obsessive collecting of oriental furniture and art, Art Deco pieces and "anything whimsical and different, really". "Shanghai Lil's is essentially an extension of our living room at home. We joke that we opened the bar because we needed somewhere else to put everything."
And what of the move from Ponsonby to Parnell? Is Green worried that the hipsters, musicians and visiting thespians who made Shanghai Lil's so colourful will be lost to other venues along the way?
"Oh no," he says. "You see, we've put a sign up outside."
It's this refreshingly low-key attitude that has made Shanghai Lil's a hit with visiting luminaries including Sir Ian McKellen, Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett; people who wouldn't dare show their faces at Spy Bar.
In fact, the only reason Viva knows about the new opening is because we walked past the building; there were no press releases or vodka-sponsored launch parties here.
Though Green insists he isn't in thrall to fame - "Everybody works hard and needs fun, everybody pays the same for a drink, so no so-called VIP is going to skip the door queue" - he clearly relishes Shanghai Lil's status as an underground celebrity hangout.
"When Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush (filming soon-to-be-released The Warrior's Way) came to the bar last year it was just delightful. Geoffrey got stuck into the red wine and after a couple of cocktails Kate agreed to have a dance with me. She was absolutely lovely - although so skinny I was terrified I'd break her in half - and we gave a great high-kicking floor-show."
"And Scarlett! She was lovely. Although I didn't have a clue who she was, of course. This girl came in here with an American accent and a denim jacket on and mentioned that we'd been full the last time she was here and she'd been turned away at the door. It was only later that that someone told me who she was."
The star stories come thick and fast, from the time Sir Ian McKellen chatted candidly about his Kiwi former beau to the time Anna Hoffman (who scandalised 1960s society by getting caught selling marijuana) counselled Millie Holmes (who scandalised 2008 society with her own brush with drugs) about "experimenting but not getting caught".
"People call me a name-dropper, but everyone's got a name. It just happens that I like people whose names everyone knows. I admire people who've got up to do something different, whether they're a Hollywood actress or a reformed Mongrel Mob member. It's the story, not the name, that attracts me."
Still, the fact that famous faces show up in your bar can hardly hurt business, can it?
"Oh, it's never been about the money," laughs Green, as if this is the greatest joke in the world. "People assume that if you've got A-listers in your venue you're rolling in cash, but they spend the same on a glass of wine as anyone else. They just make our evenings a bit more interesting. Which is much more important anyway."
If you're searching for the secret of Green's success, this is it in a nutshell: he's clearly doing it just for fun.
"We count ourselves lucky to have a lifestyle that has us hosting a Fashion Week wrap party one week and an Aids Awareness initiative the next. The move to Parnell just means we'll have new faces, and new occasions to create. Running Shanghai Lil's keeps Billy and I in the middle of things. And that's exactly where we like to be."
* Shanghai Lil's, 311 Parnell Rd, ph (09) 358 0868, open Wed-Thurs 4.30pm-3am, Friday 12pm-3am, Sat 6pm-3am, Sun 10am-6pm.
By Anna Hart
4:00 AM Friday Jun 4, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10649240&pnum=0
Russel Green, owner of Shanghai Lil. Photo / Babiche Martens Expand
Many hearts were broken when Shanghai Lil's, housed in the iconic Birdcage in Freemans Bay, closed its doors to revellers last year. In a city where you'll find 10 leatherette-clad, R&B-playing cafe-bars for one quirky independent establishment, Lil's managed to be instantly memorable and effortlessly cool.
All hand-carved dragons, Chinese red lanterns and 1930s art prints, entering Shanghai Lil's was like walking on to a film set - all the elegance of In The Mood For Love paired with the battiness of Grey Gardens - but regulars will tell you the most important part of the furniture has always been the double act of delightfully eccentric owner Russel Green and his resident jazz pianist - and partner of 22 years, Billy Farnell.
Clad in Chinese silk and prone to sporadic outbursts of the can-can on the dance floor, they treated regulars, newbies and the occasional Hollywood star with the same degree of warmth and attention.
But all good things must come to an end - in this case it was thanks to a wrecking ball courtesy of the Victoria Park tunnel which means the Birdcage will be dismantled and moved to a new location.
For those who missed out on it, and for those who miss it, there is good news.
Shanghai Lil's has found a new home in a colonial-style underground bar in Parnell Village.
"As soon as I peered through the dust-covered window, I knew I'd found something special," says Green, sitting proudly on a plush sofa in the den-like new venue. "In fact, 'remembered' would be a better word than 'found', because I'd worked here back in 1994 when it was Valerio's. It's got a wonderful feel to it, and I love the fact that its underground, like an opium den.
"The courtyard, with its wrought-iron spiral staircase and views of the Sky Tower sealed the deal. Plus we've got a dining room out the back, so we're finally able to include a restaurant."
The shift from bar to restaurant is a new step for Shanghai Lil's, although Green has had stints as a chef in a long hospitality career. "I've always loved the concept of 1930s supper clubs, where people can dine, enjoy post-dinner cocktails and have a turn on the dance floor, all in the same venue."
The all-new Shanghai Lil's has been open just a few weeks and has already hosted several "successful first dates", a "wonderfully celebratory" funeral wake and a dance floor takeover by a visiting dance act.
"Shanghai Lil's is all about escapism. I want to provide an extraordinary setting where people feel free to let dramas unfold in their lives - whether it's kissing in a corner, dancing to the piano or meeting a fabulous new friend over a cocktail."
So what do regulars make of the new venue? "As soon as people walk in, they say, 'Oh, it still feels like Shanghai Lil's'. Some say they prefer the low-ceiling intimacy of this place to The Birdcage."
It's certainly got the same Aladdin's Cave feel to it: no nook or cranny is left devoid of an antique porcelain vase or elaborately-carved rosewood chest.
"It's been fabulous fun delving into our collection to find pieces that fit here," says Green. The couple's art collection is legendary. Between the two of them they have 90 years worth of obsessive collecting of oriental furniture and art, Art Deco pieces and "anything whimsical and different, really". "Shanghai Lil's is essentially an extension of our living room at home. We joke that we opened the bar because we needed somewhere else to put everything."
And what of the move from Ponsonby to Parnell? Is Green worried that the hipsters, musicians and visiting thespians who made Shanghai Lil's so colourful will be lost to other venues along the way?
"Oh no," he says. "You see, we've put a sign up outside."
It's this refreshingly low-key attitude that has made Shanghai Lil's a hit with visiting luminaries including Sir Ian McKellen, Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett; people who wouldn't dare show their faces at Spy Bar.
In fact, the only reason Viva knows about the new opening is because we walked past the building; there were no press releases or vodka-sponsored launch parties here.
Though Green insists he isn't in thrall to fame - "Everybody works hard and needs fun, everybody pays the same for a drink, so no so-called VIP is going to skip the door queue" - he clearly relishes Shanghai Lil's status as an underground celebrity hangout.
"When Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush (filming soon-to-be-released The Warrior's Way) came to the bar last year it was just delightful. Geoffrey got stuck into the red wine and after a couple of cocktails Kate agreed to have a dance with me. She was absolutely lovely - although so skinny I was terrified I'd break her in half - and we gave a great high-kicking floor-show."
"And Scarlett! She was lovely. Although I didn't have a clue who she was, of course. This girl came in here with an American accent and a denim jacket on and mentioned that we'd been full the last time she was here and she'd been turned away at the door. It was only later that that someone told me who she was."
The star stories come thick and fast, from the time Sir Ian McKellen chatted candidly about his Kiwi former beau to the time Anna Hoffman (who scandalised 1960s society by getting caught selling marijuana) counselled Millie Holmes (who scandalised 2008 society with her own brush with drugs) about "experimenting but not getting caught".
"People call me a name-dropper, but everyone's got a name. It just happens that I like people whose names everyone knows. I admire people who've got up to do something different, whether they're a Hollywood actress or a reformed Mongrel Mob member. It's the story, not the name, that attracts me."
Still, the fact that famous faces show up in your bar can hardly hurt business, can it?
"Oh, it's never been about the money," laughs Green, as if this is the greatest joke in the world. "People assume that if you've got A-listers in your venue you're rolling in cash, but they spend the same on a glass of wine as anyone else. They just make our evenings a bit more interesting. Which is much more important anyway."
If you're searching for the secret of Green's success, this is it in a nutshell: he's clearly doing it just for fun.
"We count ourselves lucky to have a lifestyle that has us hosting a Fashion Week wrap party one week and an Aids Awareness initiative the next. The move to Parnell just means we'll have new faces, and new occasions to create. Running Shanghai Lil's keeps Billy and I in the middle of things. And that's exactly where we like to be."
* Shanghai Lil's, 311 Parnell Rd, ph (09) 358 0868, open Wed-Thurs 4.30pm-3am, Friday 12pm-3am, Sat 6pm-3am, Sun 10am-6pm.
By Anna Hart
4:00 AM Friday Jun 4, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10649240&pnum=0
Gwa Leng Wongs in New Zealand
Gwa Leng Wongs in New Zealand
The Gwa Leng NZ Family History Group,
founded by Michael Wong, is delighted to
advise that the book Gwa Leng Wongs in
New Zealand is now available for purchase.
'It takes a village to raise a child', says the
proverb. Gwa Leng, in the southern province
of Guangdong, China, is a special village for
many in NZ; and some of its children -now
elders themselves in a faraway land -have
contributed to this special book to tell the
history and the stories of the village and its
people.
Authored by ex-villager Dr Edmon Wong, an
eminent former scientist, the book is
centered on his translation of the only known
copy of Gwa Leng's original genealogical
record. From material collated from disparate sources, he also writes about
origins; about places and events; and about families long ago and today. This
is a friendly elder's guide for younger generations interested in their historical
roots.
With sincerity and goodwill, and mostly in their own words and pictures, many
of these later generation NZ Gwa Leng families share their own recent day
stories with the three contributing authors in a latter part of the book.
For historical accuracy, the book uses written Chinese characters (not just
romanised transliterations) for original proper names. For readers of Chinese,
it also includes an appendix of a collection of Essays on Gwa Leng by the
former administrative head of Gwa Leng.
This unique bilingual book is a legacy that both honours those past, and
serves those present and still to come.
Paper Back: 180 pages
ISBN 978-0-473-16525-3
Book Dimensions: 189 X 268 X12 mm
Copies are available at a cost of
$30.00 plus postage and packing.
The Gwa Leng NZ Family History Group,
founded by Michael Wong, is delighted to
advise that the book Gwa Leng Wongs in
New Zealand is now available for purchase.
'It takes a village to raise a child', says the
proverb. Gwa Leng, in the southern province
of Guangdong, China, is a special village for
many in NZ; and some of its children -now
elders themselves in a faraway land -have
contributed to this special book to tell the
history and the stories of the village and its
people.
Authored by ex-villager Dr Edmon Wong, an
eminent former scientist, the book is
centered on his translation of the only known
copy of Gwa Leng's original genealogical
record. From material collated from disparate sources, he also writes about
origins; about places and events; and about families long ago and today. This
is a friendly elder's guide for younger generations interested in their historical
roots.
With sincerity and goodwill, and mostly in their own words and pictures, many
of these later generation NZ Gwa Leng families share their own recent day
stories with the three contributing authors in a latter part of the book.
For historical accuracy, the book uses written Chinese characters (not just
romanised transliterations) for original proper names. For readers of Chinese,
it also includes an appendix of a collection of Essays on Gwa Leng by the
former administrative head of Gwa Leng.
This unique bilingual book is a legacy that both honours those past, and
serves those present and still to come.
Paper Back: 180 pages
ISBN 978-0-473-16525-3
Book Dimensions: 189 X 268 X12 mm
Copies are available at a cost of
$30.00 plus postage and packing.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Buy well, advises investor
There are plenty of courses about sales, but very little education about how to buy well, a leading property investor has told a Palmerston North audience.
"We've got to learn to buy better," Ron Hoy Fong said at a Manawatu Property Investors' Association meeting.
Mr Hoy Fong, who described himself as third-generation Kiwi Chinese, had a second crack at property investing from 2003 and his wealth was now at $10 million, he said.
He advocated buying at least one property a year.
Mr Hoy Fong, from Auckland, said there were three ways to make money from property – buying "wholesale", renovating to add value, and buying before a boom.
"If you start when the boom starts, it's too late."
He expected property values to double in the next decade.
Mr Hoy Fong told his audience to be wary of sales psychology.
Buyers at an auction should not go above the limit they had determined before getting there, he said.
A house that met its reserve was probably too expensive for a property investor, he said.
It was better to be the top bidder, under the reserve price, then negotiate. Buyers should also look for motivated sellers.
y GRANT MILLER - Manawatu Standard
Last updated 00:00 10/04/2010
"We've got to learn to buy better," Ron Hoy Fong said at a Manawatu Property Investors' Association meeting.
Mr Hoy Fong, who described himself as third-generation Kiwi Chinese, had a second crack at property investing from 2003 and his wealth was now at $10 million, he said.
He advocated buying at least one property a year.
Mr Hoy Fong, from Auckland, said there were three ways to make money from property – buying "wholesale", renovating to add value, and buying before a boom.
"If you start when the boom starts, it's too late."
He expected property values to double in the next decade.
Mr Hoy Fong told his audience to be wary of sales psychology.
Buyers at an auction should not go above the limit they had determined before getting there, he said.
A house that met its reserve was probably too expensive for a property investor, he said.
It was better to be the top bidder, under the reserve price, then negotiate. Buyers should also look for motivated sellers.
y GRANT MILLER - Manawatu Standard
Last updated 00:00 10/04/2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Millennium Tree ends fraught journey
A $150,000 gift to Auckland plagued by numerous setbacks has found a home in the Auckland Domain.
Unveiled yesterday by Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, the stainless steel Millennium Tree sculpture nearly died after trustees could not raise enough money for the project, which was first proposed in 1999 as a gift from Chinese New Zealanders to the city.
Then last October, when a site was approved in the Parnell Rose Gardens, residents formed a protest group to stop the work, citing a lack of consultation and the aesthetic clash with the gardens' Victorian and Edwardian atmosphere.
At its permanent home next to the Winter Gardens, the sculpture stands 6.5m high on a raised platform surrounded by large phoenix palms.
Wellington artist Guy Ngan's work was inspired by the wand of the Monkey King of Chinese legend - the fabled staff could dispel all obstacles.
"I'm sure he had something to do with it," Ngan said.
The artist, who has 35 other public artworks in Australia and New Zealand, was delighted with the work's final location.
XXXIXXX
CCID: 33175 | adwidth=300 | type=RM
Click here to find out more!
"It picks up all the beautiful trees. I can't think of a better place in the world.
"We started this project in the last millennium, and we have had to overcome one hurdle after another.
"It's been a very slow beginning, but we've not at any time really been disappointed. We've always had enough support to keep it alive. Finally we've got it built."
During the unveiling, Ron Sang, trustee of the Chinese New Zealanders Millennium Trust, paid tribute to the 150 sponsors who kept the project alive.
He said the Millennium Tree was not a monument to the past, but one that celebrates the contributions the Chinese have made to New Zealand since the 1860s.
Meanwhile, Auckland City is set to get another public sculpture on Thursday when the Prime Minister and Arts Minister, Helen Clark, unveils a work by Denis O'Connor, Raupo Rap, in Viaduct Harbour Ave.
- additional reporting Bernard Orsman
By Bernard Orsman and Errol Kiong | Email Bernard By Bernard Orsman and Errol Kiong
5:00 AM Wednesday Nov 2, 2005
Unveiled yesterday by Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, the stainless steel Millennium Tree sculpture nearly died after trustees could not raise enough money for the project, which was first proposed in 1999 as a gift from Chinese New Zealanders to the city.
Then last October, when a site was approved in the Parnell Rose Gardens, residents formed a protest group to stop the work, citing a lack of consultation and the aesthetic clash with the gardens' Victorian and Edwardian atmosphere.
At its permanent home next to the Winter Gardens, the sculpture stands 6.5m high on a raised platform surrounded by large phoenix palms.
Wellington artist Guy Ngan's work was inspired by the wand of the Monkey King of Chinese legend - the fabled staff could dispel all obstacles.
"I'm sure he had something to do with it," Ngan said.
The artist, who has 35 other public artworks in Australia and New Zealand, was delighted with the work's final location.
XXXIXXX
CCID: 33175 | adwidth=300 | type=RM
Click here to find out more!
"It picks up all the beautiful trees. I can't think of a better place in the world.
"We started this project in the last millennium, and we have had to overcome one hurdle after another.
"It's been a very slow beginning, but we've not at any time really been disappointed. We've always had enough support to keep it alive. Finally we've got it built."
During the unveiling, Ron Sang, trustee of the Chinese New Zealanders Millennium Trust, paid tribute to the 150 sponsors who kept the project alive.
He said the Millennium Tree was not a monument to the past, but one that celebrates the contributions the Chinese have made to New Zealand since the 1860s.
Meanwhile, Auckland City is set to get another public sculpture on Thursday when the Prime Minister and Arts Minister, Helen Clark, unveils a work by Denis O'Connor, Raupo Rap, in Viaduct Harbour Ave.
- additional reporting Bernard Orsman
By Bernard Orsman and Errol Kiong | Email Bernard By Bernard Orsman and Errol Kiong
5:00 AM Wednesday Nov 2, 2005
Engineer's career reaches dizzy heights
You could say Greg Sang has reached the peak of his profession. The Kiwi is in charge of building Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building, in the frantic heart of the United Arab Emirates.
This Middle Eastern monster has already reached a breathtaking 160 levels or 650m. But still it grows terrifyingly, already twice the height of Auckland's SkyTower and four times as tall as the Vero office block in downtown Auckland. No one knows where the Burj will finish.
"The height is confidential," Sang said on the phone from Dubai this week. "At the top, you look down on everything. It's quite neat and it does feel really tall.
"It's like being in an aeroplane. Some people get scared but for the people who work there, it's run-of-the-mill."
Thousands of people are working on the US$1.1 billion ($1.4 billion) building which will be finished next year and home to one of the first hotel and spas by Giorgio Armani. The multi-use tower will be part-hotel, part-apartment block and part-offices.
"The lower zone will be a hotel designed by Mr Armani. We'll also have about 140 apartments by Mr Armani, another 900 luxury apartments and the top zone will be offices," Sang said.
Level 124 will be a public observatory, chosen because Sang said that with existing technology, this was the highest reached by an elevator in one continuous run. Viewers will be able to get to that floor in a non-stop 90-second adrenalin rush.
The Burj will have 56 lifts travelling at 40km/h and its penthouses are expected to fetch tens of millions of dollars each.
Sang is a former Aucklander who looks Asian, speaks with a Kiwi accent and has a New Zealand passport.
The great-grandfather of his mother, Joana Sang, emigrated from Canton to Auckland. Len Sang, Greg's father, had a more circuitous route here. Len's father emigrated from China for Fiji but come 1942, the family's concern about World War II and lack of schooling choice in the islands saw Len shipping to Auckland to stay with family and get a New Zealand education.
Greg's brother, Ant Sang, is a graphic artist who works on the television series bro'Town. The other brother, Richard, works in the technology sector in London. Award-winning Auckland architect Ron Sang is Len Sang's cousin. Ron is creating a dragon sculpture for the New Zealand Olympic team to sit within our village athletes' compound in Beijing.
In 1977, the Orient called the Sang family back. Len, an architect who spent many years at the Education Department, took them to Hong Kong after he got a public works job there. Greg has strong memories of the shift.
"I was 11 and it was a bit of a family adventure. I remember the heat of Hong Kong because it was summer when we arrived. I remember the excitement of staying in a hotel for the first six months while we were looking for accommodation."
Greg returned in 1984 and spent a few months at Auckland Grammar before enrolling in civil engineering at Auckland University.
But he finished in 1989, grim times for property professionals.
"I tried to work in New Zealand but the crash of '87 was still being felt."
So he worked for a short time as a building labourer and later at the then-Takapuna City Council on drains and water mains.
Len remembers worrying about Greg's career direction and encouraging him to shift to Hong Kong where he had connections and thought there were better opportunities.
So Greg moved to Hong Kong and worked for giant Japanese contractor Kumagai Gumi, for Britain's Maunsell Group and Ove Arup & Partners, eventually specialising in high-rise development. His masterpiece is Hong Kong Central's giant International Finance Centre, a HK$40 billion ($6.8 billion) 500,000sq m four-tower project which dominates the area's skyline.
The project, completed in the late 1990s, is Hong Kong's tallest office development and has a luxury shopping mall, cinemas and hotel.
"I was wrapping up the Hong Kong project when I got a call from Emaar Properties in Dubai about building the tallest building in the world. They asked if I could help because I had experience in tall buildings. So I came to have a look and after two or three months, I moved here," Sang said.
That was October 2004 and he has been working on the Burj ever since. He does not plan to return here but says life in Dubai is excruciatingly busy. Weekends are Fridays and Saturdays but international time differences mean Sang often finds himself working seven days a week, his BlackBerry phone constantly beeping.
"I find it difficult to imagine what I would do workwise if I returned to New Zealand, which is a great place to live but I like working, and I like working on big projects. I would not be able to work on projects of the same scale in New Zealand."
What he misses most is the pace of life here. Dubai is an intense and somewhat frantic city, its famously daredevil motorists forcing Sang to become a fanatically defensive driver.
One of his most loved places in the world is the wide expanse of Auckland's west coast beaches, one in particular.
"My favourite place is Piha, to be body-boarding there and eating some great hamburgers!"
In the meantime, it's Dubai for Sang and building the globe's biggest castle in the sand.
GREGORY PAUL FONG SANG
Age: 42
Position: Director, projects, Emaar Properties PJSC
Lives: Emirates Hills, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Schools: Meadowbank Primary, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland Grammar
Tertiary: University of Auckland
Qualification: Civil engineer
Family: Married to Julia
Children from first marriage: Zachary, 11, Erin and Jessica, both 9
By Anne Gibson
5:00 AM Saturday May 17, 2008
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10510671&pnum=0
This Middle Eastern monster has already reached a breathtaking 160 levels or 650m. But still it grows terrifyingly, already twice the height of Auckland's SkyTower and four times as tall as the Vero office block in downtown Auckland. No one knows where the Burj will finish.
"The height is confidential," Sang said on the phone from Dubai this week. "At the top, you look down on everything. It's quite neat and it does feel really tall.
"It's like being in an aeroplane. Some people get scared but for the people who work there, it's run-of-the-mill."
Thousands of people are working on the US$1.1 billion ($1.4 billion) building which will be finished next year and home to one of the first hotel and spas by Giorgio Armani. The multi-use tower will be part-hotel, part-apartment block and part-offices.
"The lower zone will be a hotel designed by Mr Armani. We'll also have about 140 apartments by Mr Armani, another 900 luxury apartments and the top zone will be offices," Sang said.
Level 124 will be a public observatory, chosen because Sang said that with existing technology, this was the highest reached by an elevator in one continuous run. Viewers will be able to get to that floor in a non-stop 90-second adrenalin rush.
The Burj will have 56 lifts travelling at 40km/h and its penthouses are expected to fetch tens of millions of dollars each.
Sang is a former Aucklander who looks Asian, speaks with a Kiwi accent and has a New Zealand passport.
The great-grandfather of his mother, Joana Sang, emigrated from Canton to Auckland. Len Sang, Greg's father, had a more circuitous route here. Len's father emigrated from China for Fiji but come 1942, the family's concern about World War II and lack of schooling choice in the islands saw Len shipping to Auckland to stay with family and get a New Zealand education.
Greg's brother, Ant Sang, is a graphic artist who works on the television series bro'Town. The other brother, Richard, works in the technology sector in London. Award-winning Auckland architect Ron Sang is Len Sang's cousin. Ron is creating a dragon sculpture for the New Zealand Olympic team to sit within our village athletes' compound in Beijing.
In 1977, the Orient called the Sang family back. Len, an architect who spent many years at the Education Department, took them to Hong Kong after he got a public works job there. Greg has strong memories of the shift.
"I was 11 and it was a bit of a family adventure. I remember the heat of Hong Kong because it was summer when we arrived. I remember the excitement of staying in a hotel for the first six months while we were looking for accommodation."
Greg returned in 1984 and spent a few months at Auckland Grammar before enrolling in civil engineering at Auckland University.
But he finished in 1989, grim times for property professionals.
"I tried to work in New Zealand but the crash of '87 was still being felt."
So he worked for a short time as a building labourer and later at the then-Takapuna City Council on drains and water mains.
Len remembers worrying about Greg's career direction and encouraging him to shift to Hong Kong where he had connections and thought there were better opportunities.
So Greg moved to Hong Kong and worked for giant Japanese contractor Kumagai Gumi, for Britain's Maunsell Group and Ove Arup & Partners, eventually specialising in high-rise development. His masterpiece is Hong Kong Central's giant International Finance Centre, a HK$40 billion ($6.8 billion) 500,000sq m four-tower project which dominates the area's skyline.
The project, completed in the late 1990s, is Hong Kong's tallest office development and has a luxury shopping mall, cinemas and hotel.
"I was wrapping up the Hong Kong project when I got a call from Emaar Properties in Dubai about building the tallest building in the world. They asked if I could help because I had experience in tall buildings. So I came to have a look and after two or three months, I moved here," Sang said.
That was October 2004 and he has been working on the Burj ever since. He does not plan to return here but says life in Dubai is excruciatingly busy. Weekends are Fridays and Saturdays but international time differences mean Sang often finds himself working seven days a week, his BlackBerry phone constantly beeping.
"I find it difficult to imagine what I would do workwise if I returned to New Zealand, which is a great place to live but I like working, and I like working on big projects. I would not be able to work on projects of the same scale in New Zealand."
What he misses most is the pace of life here. Dubai is an intense and somewhat frantic city, its famously daredevil motorists forcing Sang to become a fanatically defensive driver.
One of his most loved places in the world is the wide expanse of Auckland's west coast beaches, one in particular.
"My favourite place is Piha, to be body-boarding there and eating some great hamburgers!"
In the meantime, it's Dubai for Sang and building the globe's biggest castle in the sand.
GREGORY PAUL FONG SANG
Age: 42
Position: Director, projects, Emaar Properties PJSC
Lives: Emirates Hills, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Schools: Meadowbank Primary, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland Grammar
Tertiary: University of Auckland
Qualification: Civil engineer
Family: Married to Julia
Children from first marriage: Zachary, 11, Erin and Jessica, both 9
By Anne Gibson
5:00 AM Saturday May 17, 2008
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10510671&pnum=0
It is all about the pictures
Ron Sang's white shirt sleeve is splattered with drops of orange and red, surely more by design than slovenliness. The architect, collector and publisher loves colour. He sits at his dining room table drinking coffee, carefully positioned in front of a large painting by Ralph Hotere that features the same brilliant oranges and reds. It is a favourite from the painter Sang insists is "the only artist who is a living national treasure in this country."
A copy of the same painting, authorised by the artist, graces the study floor. "Ralph [Hotere] said to me, 'You own the painting, you can do what you like with it'," says Sang, gazing down at the inferno-red rug he had specially woven.
The entire house, as with all Sang-designed buildings, is built for art. Walls are white and wide without too many windows, the proportions gracious yet cosy. Carpets are pearl grey. Everything, from the massive bright blue front door, is larger than life. And then there's the art: several energetic Pat Hanlys, a massive Philippa Blair, from her Heart series, interspersed with Peter Siddell and a gleaming stainless steel dragon by Guy Ngan on the wall just outside the kitchen window.
Add in hundreds of pieces of pottery crammed into every corner and shelf - including the loo: enormous vases, some decorated, others gleaming with glaze, every variation imaginable of Len Castle's volcano series, an entire shelf of exquisite John Parker bottles - every collection complemented by enough glass to fill an art gallery.
But despite the numbers, there is a sense of grace and orderliness. Paintings are given plenty of wall space. And the impact takes your breath away.
This is only half of Sang's collection. "I love pottery," he says. "But there were so many comments saying the place looked like a junk shop we put away 50 per cent."
Now, rather than in the Parnell and Newmarket offices Sang Architects occupied for 18 years, Sang works from home in a light-filled room upstairs with spare desks for his two children who contract for the family business. He likes to invite clients back to the house so they can see a living example of his work. "It's quite, quite different from what they imagine," he says cheerfully. "A bit of a shock!"
"But don't worry about all this," adds Sang. "This is about the book!"
He is talking about the Ralph Hotere book due for release next week. It is a large, elegant publication with Hotere's unmistakable signature rolled across the frontispiece, and page after page of large, heart-stopping photos presented on thick 150g paper.
This is the latest offering from Sang's Montana award-winning publishing empire. He started Ron Sang Publications in 2002 with Len Castle Potter which won a Montana Book Award. Two years later came Michael Smither Painter which was a finalist. Now four years later - and a good 12 months behind schedule - comes Ralph Hotere.
Why Hotere? "Because he is the greatest painter in this country," says Sang. "That's not only my view, but also that of the art community. And there have been only minor books published about him."
Until now. The publishing, stresses Sang, is a part-time hobby. Which for a perfectionist who also works full-time as an architect, sounds near-impossible.
The Hotere book has taken three years to prepare. First Sang, in collaboration with Hotere, had to identify which of the artist's hundreds of paintings from a 46-year career would make the cut. In the end they chose 257, bringing together the biggest and most balanced collection ever of the artist's work. For months Sang travelled between Hotere's home and studio at Port Chalmers near Dunedin, identifying his most important works. Next came the task of tracking down the paintings. Some were in museums and galleries and reasonably accessible, the rest in private collections. Sang worked through Hotere's dealer, Sue Crockford. "She would contact the owners and ask them to call me. It took ages."
The good part, he says, was getting into houses you don't normally see - and seeing other peoples' collections. "I loved it - like getting into private galleries."
Although Sang's first two books were works of art in themselves, and had done brilliantly at the Montana Book Awards - but earned little money for either publisher or the artist involved - some owners of Hotere's paintings were wary. While most were excited at the prospect of being in the book, others asked for a fee for allowing their painting to be photographed.
Once they had permission, Sang and his photographer, Simon Harper, were reluctant to move them, making it complicated to capture the perfect image. "The black-on-black surfaces of Hotere's paintings are notoriously difficult to photograph," says Sang. "But Harper's technology and techniques have captured their textures and contrasts with a clarity of detail often not possible in reproductions."
Next came the printing. For the third time in six years Sang travelled to Everbest printers in Nan Sha, near where his parents were born in Southern China, to oversee printing. "Accuracy of colour is absolutely essential," he says. "Eighty per cent of the prints had to be adjusted and 50 per cent of those done again."
Sang and designer Kelly Farrimond worked 12-hour days, 9am to 9pm, alongside the factory workers. "It's a modern plant but it's noisy and dirty. The weather was hot, 31 degrees and 80 per cent humidity, but they give you very good service."
That service extended to lunch and dinner with the boss of the factory for the 12 days it took to perfect every print. Then they flew home and waited for the first book to arrive.
And there it is - sophisticated, impressive and, as Hotere wanted it, all about the pictures. "A picture book," says Sang. Apart from nine chapter introductions, complete with nine iconic Marti Friedlander photographs of Hotere himself, there are two essays - one by Kriselle Baker, written around Hotere's famous Godwit/Kuaka 18m mural which hung in the arrivals hall at Auckland airport from 1977, and now forms a five-page foldout in the book. The other essay, which chronicles Hotere's career, is by poet, novelist and short story writer Vincent O'Sullivan.
Both writers were nominated by Hotere himself, presumably because they understand his personal philosophy and loathing for cant. O'Sullivan puts it crisply: "His well-known distaste for `art talk', his deep reservations on highbrow theoretical chatter, is at base, a dislike for elitism," he writes. "He [Hotere] insists that what he is famous for is no more distancing between himself and non-artistic friends than any other kind of job. And that's the way it's to be."
Hotere, published by Ron Sang Publications, is released on Monday; standard edition (3000 copies) $195; limited edition with stainless steel cover, 170gm paper, rimu presentation box and signed by the author (100 copies) $1965. Available from bookshops or direct from Ron Sang Publications, ph (09) 638 6898 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (09) 638 6898 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
By Carroll du Chateau | Email Carroll
By Carroll du Chateau
4:00 AM Saturday Nov 22, 2008
A copy of the same painting, authorised by the artist, graces the study floor. "Ralph [Hotere] said to me, 'You own the painting, you can do what you like with it'," says Sang, gazing down at the inferno-red rug he had specially woven.
The entire house, as with all Sang-designed buildings, is built for art. Walls are white and wide without too many windows, the proportions gracious yet cosy. Carpets are pearl grey. Everything, from the massive bright blue front door, is larger than life. And then there's the art: several energetic Pat Hanlys, a massive Philippa Blair, from her Heart series, interspersed with Peter Siddell and a gleaming stainless steel dragon by Guy Ngan on the wall just outside the kitchen window.
Add in hundreds of pieces of pottery crammed into every corner and shelf - including the loo: enormous vases, some decorated, others gleaming with glaze, every variation imaginable of Len Castle's volcano series, an entire shelf of exquisite John Parker bottles - every collection complemented by enough glass to fill an art gallery.
But despite the numbers, there is a sense of grace and orderliness. Paintings are given plenty of wall space. And the impact takes your breath away.
This is only half of Sang's collection. "I love pottery," he says. "But there were so many comments saying the place looked like a junk shop we put away 50 per cent."
Now, rather than in the Parnell and Newmarket offices Sang Architects occupied for 18 years, Sang works from home in a light-filled room upstairs with spare desks for his two children who contract for the family business. He likes to invite clients back to the house so they can see a living example of his work. "It's quite, quite different from what they imagine," he says cheerfully. "A bit of a shock!"
"But don't worry about all this," adds Sang. "This is about the book!"
He is talking about the Ralph Hotere book due for release next week. It is a large, elegant publication with Hotere's unmistakable signature rolled across the frontispiece, and page after page of large, heart-stopping photos presented on thick 150g paper.
This is the latest offering from Sang's Montana award-winning publishing empire. He started Ron Sang Publications in 2002 with Len Castle Potter which won a Montana Book Award. Two years later came Michael Smither Painter which was a finalist. Now four years later - and a good 12 months behind schedule - comes Ralph Hotere.
Why Hotere? "Because he is the greatest painter in this country," says Sang. "That's not only my view, but also that of the art community. And there have been only minor books published about him."
Until now. The publishing, stresses Sang, is a part-time hobby. Which for a perfectionist who also works full-time as an architect, sounds near-impossible.
The Hotere book has taken three years to prepare. First Sang, in collaboration with Hotere, had to identify which of the artist's hundreds of paintings from a 46-year career would make the cut. In the end they chose 257, bringing together the biggest and most balanced collection ever of the artist's work. For months Sang travelled between Hotere's home and studio at Port Chalmers near Dunedin, identifying his most important works. Next came the task of tracking down the paintings. Some were in museums and galleries and reasonably accessible, the rest in private collections. Sang worked through Hotere's dealer, Sue Crockford. "She would contact the owners and ask them to call me. It took ages."
The good part, he says, was getting into houses you don't normally see - and seeing other peoples' collections. "I loved it - like getting into private galleries."
Although Sang's first two books were works of art in themselves, and had done brilliantly at the Montana Book Awards - but earned little money for either publisher or the artist involved - some owners of Hotere's paintings were wary. While most were excited at the prospect of being in the book, others asked for a fee for allowing their painting to be photographed.
Once they had permission, Sang and his photographer, Simon Harper, were reluctant to move them, making it complicated to capture the perfect image. "The black-on-black surfaces of Hotere's paintings are notoriously difficult to photograph," says Sang. "But Harper's technology and techniques have captured their textures and contrasts with a clarity of detail often not possible in reproductions."
Next came the printing. For the third time in six years Sang travelled to Everbest printers in Nan Sha, near where his parents were born in Southern China, to oversee printing. "Accuracy of colour is absolutely essential," he says. "Eighty per cent of the prints had to be adjusted and 50 per cent of those done again."
Sang and designer Kelly Farrimond worked 12-hour days, 9am to 9pm, alongside the factory workers. "It's a modern plant but it's noisy and dirty. The weather was hot, 31 degrees and 80 per cent humidity, but they give you very good service."
That service extended to lunch and dinner with the boss of the factory for the 12 days it took to perfect every print. Then they flew home and waited for the first book to arrive.
And there it is - sophisticated, impressive and, as Hotere wanted it, all about the pictures. "A picture book," says Sang. Apart from nine chapter introductions, complete with nine iconic Marti Friedlander photographs of Hotere himself, there are two essays - one by Kriselle Baker, written around Hotere's famous Godwit/Kuaka 18m mural which hung in the arrivals hall at Auckland airport from 1977, and now forms a five-page foldout in the book. The other essay, which chronicles Hotere's career, is by poet, novelist and short story writer Vincent O'Sullivan.
Both writers were nominated by Hotere himself, presumably because they understand his personal philosophy and loathing for cant. O'Sullivan puts it crisply: "His well-known distaste for `art talk', his deep reservations on highbrow theoretical chatter, is at base, a dislike for elitism," he writes. "He [Hotere] insists that what he is famous for is no more distancing between himself and non-artistic friends than any other kind of job. And that's the way it's to be."
Hotere, published by Ron Sang Publications, is released on Monday; standard edition (3000 copies) $195; limited edition with stainless steel cover, 170gm paper, rimu presentation box and signed by the author (100 copies) $1965. Available from bookshops or direct from Ron Sang Publications, ph (09) 638 6898 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (09) 638 6898 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
By Carroll du Chateau | Email Carroll
By Carroll du Chateau
4:00 AM Saturday Nov 22, 2008
Kiwi back to earth after tallest skyscraper completed
The New Zealander in charge of putting up the world's tallest skyscraper leaves the Dubai developer this week.
Greg Sang, director of projects at Emaar Properties PJSC, said his role had ended with the completion of Burj Khalifa, the 828m tall glittering glass and steel structure named after Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi.
"When I arrived in Dubai in October 2004, Burj Khalifa was a hole in the ground. Today the tower is open and making money so my work is done and it is time for me to move on," he said.
The controversial tower has had its share of problems.
Panic hit in February after a lift broke down and 15 people were trapped for 45 minutes until rescuers managed to pry open the doors.
Sang said the view from the tower's top was "like being in an aeroplane. Some people get scared but for the people who work there, it's run-of-the-mill". His last day is tomorrow and Sang said he was holding a small farewell event at night.
Sang's great-grandfather migrated from Canton and Greg Sang went to Auckland Grammar School before enrolling in civil engineering at Auckland University.
For a short time, he was a building labourer and later worked at Takapuna City Council on drains and water mains.
He then moved to Hong Kong and the giant Japanese contractor Kumagai Gumi. He worked for Britain's Maunsell Group and Ove Arup & Partners, eventually specialising in high-rise development.
Sang said he had enjoyed working on Burj Khalifa and it had been an exciting journey.
He is returning to Hong Kong where he said he would take a lower-profile role.
By Anne Gibson | Email Anne By Anne Gibson
4:00 AM Wednesday May 12, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=10644277
Greg Sang, director of projects at Emaar Properties PJSC, said his role had ended with the completion of Burj Khalifa, the 828m tall glittering glass and steel structure named after Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi.
"When I arrived in Dubai in October 2004, Burj Khalifa was a hole in the ground. Today the tower is open and making money so my work is done and it is time for me to move on," he said.
The controversial tower has had its share of problems.
Panic hit in February after a lift broke down and 15 people were trapped for 45 minutes until rescuers managed to pry open the doors.
Sang said the view from the tower's top was "like being in an aeroplane. Some people get scared but for the people who work there, it's run-of-the-mill". His last day is tomorrow and Sang said he was holding a small farewell event at night.
Sang's great-grandfather migrated from Canton and Greg Sang went to Auckland Grammar School before enrolling in civil engineering at Auckland University.
For a short time, he was a building labourer and later worked at Takapuna City Council on drains and water mains.
He then moved to Hong Kong and the giant Japanese contractor Kumagai Gumi. He worked for Britain's Maunsell Group and Ove Arup & Partners, eventually specialising in high-rise development.
Sang said he had enjoyed working on Burj Khalifa and it had been an exciting journey.
He is returning to Hong Kong where he said he would take a lower-profile role.
By Anne Gibson | Email Anne By Anne Gibson
4:00 AM Wednesday May 12, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=10644277
Chinese audiences treated to NZ films
A New Zealand film festival to screen in China next month is aimed at showing Chinese audiences that anyone in New Zealand can be a successful film-maker.
Boy, a box office hit directed by Taika Waititi, and Take 3, a short film by New Zealand Chinese director Roseanne Liang, will be among the films to screen at the festival - which organisers hope will encourage more Chinese investment in joint movie projects with New Zealand.
The festival will precede the signing of a film co-production agreement between the two countries in July, said Jim He, chairman of the Pacific Culture and Arts Exchange Centre.
It is understood the agreement will ease temporary immigration and importation of equipment between the two countries, to make it easier for screen production companies from China and New Zealand to work together.
New Zealand has film co-production agreements with Australia, Canada, France, Italy and Britain.
"The movies selected for the festival will show that New Zealand is more than just Peter Jackson," Mr He said.
XXXIXXX
CCID: 33175 | adwidth=300 | type=RM
Click here to find out more!
"We are a multicultural nation, and even non-European film producers can be successful here."
The centre has taken NZ films to China since 2002, and will this year host the festival in five Chinese cities: Beijing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and Hang Zhou from June 7. Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey will lead the delegation.
Other films featuring include Gaylene Preston's Home By Christmas, based on her father's World War II experiences, Simone Horrocks' After Waterfall and Adam Strange's Aphrodite's Farm.
"There will be no blood and violence, because the Chinese love family-themed movies," said Mr He. "The selection of movies will give the Chinese audience a window to the beautiful New Zealand landscape, and also the wide options for filming in New Zealand."
Mr He said the Chinese were big movie fans, watching between 10 and 16 films a year on average, and films at the festival often played in theatres that were 90 per cent full.
Prime Minister John Key, in his message for the festival, said the Chinese communities here played an important role in shaping New Zealand's future.
"We have many Chinese communities in New Zealand, all of which have an important role to play in shaping the future of our country," Mr Key said.
"The Government is committed to ensuring their voices are heard.
"This is helped by the leadership of our first Asian Cabinet minister, the Minister of Ethnic Affairs, Pansy Wong."
By Lincoln Tan | Email Lincoln By Lincoln Tan
4:00 AM Monday May 3, 2010
Boy, a box office hit directed by Taika Waititi, and Take 3, a short film by New Zealand Chinese director Roseanne Liang, will be among the films to screen at the festival - which organisers hope will encourage more Chinese investment in joint movie projects with New Zealand.
The festival will precede the signing of a film co-production agreement between the two countries in July, said Jim He, chairman of the Pacific Culture and Arts Exchange Centre.
It is understood the agreement will ease temporary immigration and importation of equipment between the two countries, to make it easier for screen production companies from China and New Zealand to work together.
New Zealand has film co-production agreements with Australia, Canada, France, Italy and Britain.
"The movies selected for the festival will show that New Zealand is more than just Peter Jackson," Mr He said.
XXXIXXX
CCID: 33175 | adwidth=300 | type=RM
Click here to find out more!
"We are a multicultural nation, and even non-European film producers can be successful here."
The centre has taken NZ films to China since 2002, and will this year host the festival in five Chinese cities: Beijing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and Hang Zhou from June 7. Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey will lead the delegation.
Other films featuring include Gaylene Preston's Home By Christmas, based on her father's World War II experiences, Simone Horrocks' After Waterfall and Adam Strange's Aphrodite's Farm.
"There will be no blood and violence, because the Chinese love family-themed movies," said Mr He. "The selection of movies will give the Chinese audience a window to the beautiful New Zealand landscape, and also the wide options for filming in New Zealand."
Mr He said the Chinese were big movie fans, watching between 10 and 16 films a year on average, and films at the festival often played in theatres that were 90 per cent full.
Prime Minister John Key, in his message for the festival, said the Chinese communities here played an important role in shaping New Zealand's future.
"We have many Chinese communities in New Zealand, all of which have an important role to play in shaping the future of our country," Mr Key said.
"The Government is committed to ensuring their voices are heard.
"This is helped by the leadership of our first Asian Cabinet minister, the Minister of Ethnic Affairs, Pansy Wong."
By Lincoln Tan | Email Lincoln By Lincoln Tan
4:00 AM Monday May 3, 2010
Chinese Lifeline at risk of closing
A funding crisis is threatening to shut down a popular telephone counselling service for Chinese residents on the North Shore and across Auckland.
Chinese Lifeline is a free Cantonese and Mandarin language service that is part of Lifeline Auckland. It caters for distressed members of the Chinese community and provides affordable face-to-face counselling.
Lifeline manager Sunday Tsoi says the service helps not only new migrants struggling to settle into Kiwi life but also those who have been in New Zealand for some time and unable to cope.
She says it is now in danger of being suspended because of funding problems.
"There is a real need for Chinese Lifeline and it is heart-breaking to think it may be suspended.
"The service saves lives – we have had people write in and tell us Chinese Lifeline has been their lifeboat, it has given them strength to carry on," Mrs Tsoi says.
The service is appealing for donations to continue helping migrants on the Shore.
To help raise funds, Lifeline volunteers have organised a charity screening of two top-grossing Chinese films.
The love story Hot Summer Days will be screened at the Highland Park SkyCity Cinema on Wednesday, May 12, at 6.30pm.
The action-packed Bodyguards and Assassins will screen at St Lukes SkyCity Cinema on Monday, May 17, from 6.30pm.
To book tickets or make a donation go to the Chinese Lifeline website www.chineselifeline.org. nz or call Grace on 909-8753.
BY JODEAL CADACIO - North Shore Times
Last updated 10:31 06/05/2010
Chinese Lifeline is a free Cantonese and Mandarin language service that is part of Lifeline Auckland. It caters for distressed members of the Chinese community and provides affordable face-to-face counselling.
Lifeline manager Sunday Tsoi says the service helps not only new migrants struggling to settle into Kiwi life but also those who have been in New Zealand for some time and unable to cope.
She says it is now in danger of being suspended because of funding problems.
"There is a real need for Chinese Lifeline and it is heart-breaking to think it may be suspended.
"The service saves lives – we have had people write in and tell us Chinese Lifeline has been their lifeboat, it has given them strength to carry on," Mrs Tsoi says.
The service is appealing for donations to continue helping migrants on the Shore.
To help raise funds, Lifeline volunteers have organised a charity screening of two top-grossing Chinese films.
The love story Hot Summer Days will be screened at the Highland Park SkyCity Cinema on Wednesday, May 12, at 6.30pm.
The action-packed Bodyguards and Assassins will screen at St Lukes SkyCity Cinema on Monday, May 17, from 6.30pm.
To book tickets or make a donation go to the Chinese Lifeline website www.chineselifeline.org. nz or call Grace on 909-8753.
BY JODEAL CADACIO - North Shore Times
Last updated 10:31 06/05/2010
NOT BOTHERED: Baker Maurice Piner has been working alongside what may be the ghost of a Chinese immigrant who hanged himself in 1891 on the site of
NOT BOTHERED: Baker Maurice Piner has been working alongside what may be the ghost of a Chinese immigrant who hanged himself in 1891 on the site of what is now Phil's Bakery on Gresson St, Greymouth.
The tragic tale of a Chinese thief may explain the ghostly goings-on at a West Coast bakery.
Baker Maurice Piner has been bothered by mysterious voices, creeping shadows and things going bump at Phil's Bakery in Greymouth.
"When I was working on my own in the morning, I would see shadows going around the bakery and ovens and that," Piner said.
"Sometimes you could hear banging and crashing upstairs, and sometimes you can hear whispering and talking in the bakery.
"You look around to see if there's anyone there, and you can't."
However, a Greymouth tourist operator believes he can shed some light on the mystery.
Paul Schramm, manager of Wild West Adventures, has been researching a new tourist attraction where visitors are guided around the town by an audio device that uses GPS positioning to tell stories as they enter different areas.
During his research, Schramm came across the tale of Ah Shing, a Chinese miner, who hanged himself in the boarding house that used to stand on the site of the Gresson St bakery.
On October 17, 1891, the Grey River Argus reported that Ah Shing's body was found early in the day hanging from a rafter in the boarding house.
It said Shing had earlier pawned a "silver lever watch and chain" that he stole from a friend, Bernard Gallagher.
Julia Bradshaw, author of a book on the history of the Chinese on the West Coast, said it was likely Shing was driven to the crime by debt.
"When the Chinese came out here, they would usually have a debt from the journey and sometimes run up a debt in stores or take out loans to send money home," she said.
The area around Gresson St became known as Chinatown in the 1890s because of the many Chinese living there, she said.
Bradshaw believed Shing may have been overcome by guilt after stealing from his friend.
Piner said it was interesting to have a theory to explain the whispers and shadows, but it would not put him off working alone.
By GILES BROWN - The Press
Last updated 05:00 05/05/2010
The tragic tale of a Chinese thief may explain the ghostly goings-on at a West Coast bakery.
Baker Maurice Piner has been bothered by mysterious voices, creeping shadows and things going bump at Phil's Bakery in Greymouth.
"When I was working on my own in the morning, I would see shadows going around the bakery and ovens and that," Piner said.
"Sometimes you could hear banging and crashing upstairs, and sometimes you can hear whispering and talking in the bakery.
"You look around to see if there's anyone there, and you can't."
However, a Greymouth tourist operator believes he can shed some light on the mystery.
Paul Schramm, manager of Wild West Adventures, has been researching a new tourist attraction where visitors are guided around the town by an audio device that uses GPS positioning to tell stories as they enter different areas.
During his research, Schramm came across the tale of Ah Shing, a Chinese miner, who hanged himself in the boarding house that used to stand on the site of the Gresson St bakery.
On October 17, 1891, the Grey River Argus reported that Ah Shing's body was found early in the day hanging from a rafter in the boarding house.
It said Shing had earlier pawned a "silver lever watch and chain" that he stole from a friend, Bernard Gallagher.
Julia Bradshaw, author of a book on the history of the Chinese on the West Coast, said it was likely Shing was driven to the crime by debt.
"When the Chinese came out here, they would usually have a debt from the journey and sometimes run up a debt in stores or take out loans to send money home," she said.
The area around Gresson St became known as Chinatown in the 1890s because of the many Chinese living there, she said.
Bradshaw believed Shing may have been overcome by guilt after stealing from his friend.
Piner said it was interesting to have a theory to explain the whispers and shadows, but it would not put him off working alone.
By GILES BROWN - The Press
Last updated 05:00 05/05/2010
Movie takes the Chinese out of Aussie war hero
By Kathy Marks
4:00 AM Wednesday May 12, 2010
Billy Sing, a Queenslander of Anglo-Chinese ancestry, earned himself the title of Australia's deadliest sniper during the Gallipoli campaign, killing 201 enemy soldiers.
He received the Distinguished Conduct Medal, second only to the Victoria Cross.
But now the World War I hero is at the centre of a row, centring on a mini-series about his life by an Australian director, Geoff Davis. Australians of Chinese descent are furious that Davis cast his son, Josh, in the lead role, rather than a Chinese actor.
Sing's father is played by Tony Bonner, who came to fame as the blonde helicopter pilot in the Skippy television series.
The president of the Chinese Australian Forum, Tony Pang, said: "I'm very sorry to learn that somebody is trying to whitewash a Chinese-Australian face with a white face. It's a disgrace. To see this distortion of historical fact, it's sad."
Davis has defended his choice, saying his problem was finding a 60-year-old Chinese actor to play Sing's father in The Legend of Billy Sing, which is still in production.
But Australians of Chinese descent called it a betrayal of their heritage.
"We'll now have people growing up thinking Billy Sing was white," said Bill O'Chee, a former National Party senator.
Sing, who had an English mother and a father from Shanghai, enlisted as a trooper in the 5th Light Horse Regiment. He became known as "The Assassin", and the Turks sent their champion sniper, "Abdul The Terrible" to hunt him down; however, Sing shot Abdul first.
Pang said: "The question I ask myself is, what if John Howard is being played by a Pakistani? It's ridiculous. It's just not appropriate."
- INDEPENDENT
By Kathy Marks | Email Kathy
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10644305
4:00 AM Wednesday May 12, 2010
Billy Sing, a Queenslander of Anglo-Chinese ancestry, earned himself the title of Australia's deadliest sniper during the Gallipoli campaign, killing 201 enemy soldiers.
He received the Distinguished Conduct Medal, second only to the Victoria Cross.
But now the World War I hero is at the centre of a row, centring on a mini-series about his life by an Australian director, Geoff Davis. Australians of Chinese descent are furious that Davis cast his son, Josh, in the lead role, rather than a Chinese actor.
Sing's father is played by Tony Bonner, who came to fame as the blonde helicopter pilot in the Skippy television series.
The president of the Chinese Australian Forum, Tony Pang, said: "I'm very sorry to learn that somebody is trying to whitewash a Chinese-Australian face with a white face. It's a disgrace. To see this distortion of historical fact, it's sad."
Davis has defended his choice, saying his problem was finding a 60-year-old Chinese actor to play Sing's father in The Legend of Billy Sing, which is still in production.
But Australians of Chinese descent called it a betrayal of their heritage.
"We'll now have people growing up thinking Billy Sing was white," said Bill O'Chee, a former National Party senator.
Sing, who had an English mother and a father from Shanghai, enlisted as a trooper in the 5th Light Horse Regiment. He became known as "The Assassin", and the Turks sent their champion sniper, "Abdul The Terrible" to hunt him down; however, Sing shot Abdul first.
Pang said: "The question I ask myself is, what if John Howard is being played by a Pakistani? It's ridiculous. It's just not appropriate."
- INDEPENDENT
By Kathy Marks | Email Kathy
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10644305
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