Chinese Languages in Aotearoa

Chinese Languages in Aotearoa is an ongoing project using language to highlight complex issues of cultural identity within various Chinese New Zealand communities.

It begins with a series of videos, of people – a poet, a restaurateur, a typeface designer, and an interpreter – sharing stories of their connection to their heritage Chinese languages, speaking in Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese, and Hakka. These videos have been made by local Chinese and Chinese New Zealand filmmakers.

The second part consists of illustrators responding to stories from people of diverse Chinese cultural heritages in Aotearoa. More on that to come.

Chinese Languages in Aotearoa is part of Voices of Asian Aotearoa. For more information, read our introductory blog ‘Exploring Asian Aotearoa’s diverse cultures through languages’.

A woman sits on a chair in the middle of a room, being interviewed by another woman sitting opposite her. A large light shines on the subject

Exploring Asian Aotearoa’s diverse cultures through languages

Voices of Asian Aotearoa will see a variety of projects focused on the languages and cultural identities of different Asian New Zealand communities. Curator Grace Gassin introduces our first project, Chinese Languages in Aotearoa.

Henry Liu talks directly to camera in a darkened space

Watch: Hakka, with interpreter Henry Liu

Henry Liu is an interpreter and the first and only New Zealander to have held office as President of the FIT (International Federation of Translators). Here, he speaks about language interpretation, the struggles of minority languages, and the difficulties of not being about to communicate.

Jack stand with his hands on a fence that is out of shot, staring at the camera. Behind him is the crest of St Mark’s School

Watch: Cantonese, with publisher and typeface designer Jack Yan

Jack Yan was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Wellington. Here he discusses how he has remained connected to his mother tongue, Cantonese.

A woman is seen from behind putting noodles into a wok in a busy kitchen

Watch: Penang Hokkien, with restaurateur Tee Phee

Tee Phee, owner of Wellington’s Little Penang restaurants, is a fluent speaker of Penang Hokkien and was always determined to ensure that her local-born children grew up speaking the language. Here she discusses her relationship with the language.

Watch: Mandarin, with poet Ya-Wen Ho

Ya-Wen Ho is a 1.5 generation Taiwanese Hakka New Zealander, a poet, and type researcher at Wai-te-ata Press in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. Here she discusses her complicated relationship with Mandarin and how it became her ‘mother tongue’.

A woman stands in front of a microphone reading from a book in a book store

What does it mean to be ‘Chinese’ in Aotearoa?

You can never assume what a person’s relationship to a language is, says Ya-Wen Ho in a conversation with Grace Gassin, Curator Asian New Zealand Histories, about her past and present connections with heritage Chinese languages.

Henry stands in front of a large tree looking into the distance. Tim stands beside him looking in the same direction

‘There is a future for minority languages’: interpreter Henry Liu on Hakka

In the latest instalment of the Chinese Languages in Aotearoa project, curator Grace Gassin talks with interpreter Henry Liu about Hakka and how it has influenced his career.

Jack sits on his couch. A boom mic is in shot

‘It’s who I am’: publisher and typeface designer Jack Yan on Cantonese

Curator Grace Gassin and magazine publisher and typeface designer Jack Yan talk about Cantonese, an especially significant language in the history of Chinese migration to Aotearoa New Zealand.

A woman smiles as she talks to an interviewer off-screen

‘This is the identity of our ancestors’: Little Penang’s Tee Phee on nurturing Hokkien

Curator Grace Gassin and Tee Phee of Wellington’s Little Penang restaurant introduce Hokkien, a Chinese language originating in the southern Chinese province of Fujian.

Illustration depicting memories: of a young man embracing his grandmother, of a pathway showing many people in his lives

Hsen-Han Khoo’s story

“I only learnt to speak Hokkien in my 20s to connect with my roots, and more importantly to communicate with my grandmother.”

Hsen-Han Khoo talks about his relationship with Hokkien.

Illustration of a young woman reading a book to a girl, sitting on her lap

Laura Luo’s story

“My story is simple and ordinary. A mother trying to pass my culture down to my child.”

Laura Luo talks about her relationship with Sichuanese and Mandarin.

An illustration depicting a young woman and her parents on graduation day

Wanwan Liao’s story

“I felt like I had a superpower with my Hakka. It meant that I had a special language that others couldn’t understand.”

Wanwan Liao talks about her relationship with Hakka, Mandarin, and Taiwanese Hokkien.

Illustration of a young woman on a bicycle, with a balloon in the shape of a rabbit’s head

Koreen Liew-Young’s story

“[Buying a balloon] was such a simple and playful act, but it reminds me of the wholesome joys that connecting with your culture can bring.”

Koreen Liew-Young talks about her long-gestating relationship with Cantonese and Mandarin.

Collage of photos. In the middle is a family photo at the beach, showing four people. Surrounding this photos are many photos depiting the New Zealand flag, food, cows in a field, a flower, and a rugby goalpost

Samantha Fei’s story

“I think telling diasporic stories, like mine, bring alternative and often undocumented/heavily underrepresented experiences to light.”

Samantha Fei talks about her relationship with Cantonese, which begins in apartheid South Africa.

Crop from a page in the comic showing an interior view of a taxi. In the back are two people talking

Xixi Xian’s story

Relationships and language heal together.

Explore Xixi Xian’s journey with Cantonese.

A collage of nine screenshots from Zoom recordings, showing nine people

Watch: Friends pay tribute to singer Teresa Teng in their Chinese languages

In response to our public callout for Chinese New Zealanders to share stories of their connection with their heritage languages, Aucklander George Thien brought together people from across the motu to recite the lyrics to a famed Teresa Teng song in their chosen language.

Three people look at a large book on top of a shelving unit. One person holds a light to illuminate the book, one person is filming the scene, and another person is looking through the book