Post by NZBC on Mar 23, 2010 20:44:59 GMT 12
www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/....rys-first-Asian
Book celebrates country's first Asian
By JOSH REICH - The Nelson Mail 1/3/2010
The life and achievements of Appo Hocton, the first person of Asian ethnicity to become a naturalised New Zealander, has been celebrated with the launch of a book and exhibition in Nelson.
Mr Hocton, whose full name was Wong Ah Poo Hoc Ting, arrived in Nelson after jumping ship from the Thomas Harrison in 1842, making him one of the early settlers in this region and almost certainly the first Chinese migrant to New Zealand.
He became a naturalised citizen in 1853 to allow him to become a landowner, and throughout his life contributed greatly to the development of Nelson.
He is thought to have about 1600 descendants living throughout New Zealand, a number of whom were in attendance at the launch at a packed-out Nelson Provincial Museum on Saturday.
The book was written by Karen Stade and contains much research carried out by Mr Hocton's great grand-daughter Diana Clark and museum staff member Steve Austin.
Mrs Clark, the "self-appointed" family historian, said the book was the result of six years of hard work.
"It's a very very special day," she said. "It's unique for Nelson's own history as well [as the family]. He was the first Chinese person to settle in Nelson and New Zealand."
Mr Hocton ran a number of businesses in the region, searched for gold in Golden Bay and built a number of houses.
Mrs Clark said he was at an advantage when he arrived in Nelson as he already spoke and could read English.
"He was very astute.
"This Chinaman came into a white society and was so well accepted by his English and Irish counterparts."
Among those at the celebration was Ethnic affairs Minister Pansy Wong, New Zealand's first Asian MP.
She said many people, including previously herself, believed the first Chinese person arrived in Otago in the 1860s.
She was delighted that through the book more people would learn the truth, and hoped other families would become interested in learning about their heritage.
"I believe our country's future would absolutely look much better because we're strengthened by the very strands of our ethnicity woven into our landscape, and this is another step for us to go on that fantastic journey."