New Zealand Chinese Collection

Collection

Collection DescriptionIn 1879, Rev Alexander Don was appointed to the position of Presbyterian missionary to Otago’s Chinese gold-seekers. Although his designated task of bringing this community to Christianity was largely unsuccessful, he created an unsurpassed legacy through his diligent and detailed documentation for more than 35 years of more than 3500 individuals, their names, occupations, place of origin, health, families and other social details. Entries in Don’s Roll of Chinese and his handwritten diaries over this period reflect the changing nature and lives of the Chinese community in New Zealand.

In 1959 Dr James Ng, a descendant of a Chinese goldmining family, began to collect documents and other information relating to the heritage of the New Zealand Chinese Community. Significant items include the Roll of Chinese and Don’s four remaining handwritten diaries. These items, along with Dr Ng’s research notes for his 4 volume publication Windows on a Chinese Past, papers (including unpublished Chinese community newsletters) and at least 300 letters in Cantonese and English form the Ng New Zealand Chinese Heritage Collection, now held by the Presbyterian Research Centre. This Collection is listed on the UNESCO New Zealand Memory of the World Register.

Items below are just some of the highlights from this collection - please use the search bar to locate more.

Collection SummaryPhotographs and documents relating to Chinese New Zealanders with links to the Otago Goldfields. Last edited by: Jane Thomsen

The title image portrays Tang Yin Ling of Horse Flat, Macraes, Central Otago, returning home after collecting his supplies. Photograph by Rev Alexander Don, c.1900-01.

Search the collection Last edited by: Jennifer Jeffery

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New Zealand Chinese Collection