Post by nzbc on Apr 20, 2024 22:45:20 GMT 12
Gordon Wu, Chinese community leader and researcher, b February 10, 1938; d February 12, 2024.
It is a good bet that few New Zealanders know the story of the SS Ventnor.
Keeping the memory of the Ventnor alive was something that Wellingtonian Gordon Wu, who died in February, aged 86, worked hard to achieve.
The Ventnor sank off Northland’s Hokianga Heads in October 1902, carrying the remains of 499 Chinese gold miners being taken to China for reburial.
Over the next few months their remains washed ashore, and members of Te Roroa and Te Rarawa iwi interred them in their urupā.
It created a unique bond between the New Zealand Chinese community and Northland Māori which, 122 years later, is a strong one.
Gordon Wu was born in 1938, in the home of a Hataitai, Wellington, midwife.
Gordon Wu, Chinese community leader and researcher, b February 10, 1938; d February 12, 2024.
It is a good bet that few New Zealanders know the story of the SS Ventnor.
Keeping the memory of the Ventnor alive was something that Wellingtonian Gordon Wu, who died in February, aged 86, worked hard to achieve.
The Ventnor sank off Northland’s Hokianga Heads in October 1902, carrying the remains of 499 Chinese gold miners being taken to China for reburial.
Over the next few months their remains washed ashore, and members of Te Roroa and Te Rarawa iwi interred them in their urupā.
It created a unique bond between the New Zealand Chinese community and Northland Māori which, 122 years later, is a strong one.
Gordon Wu was born in 1938, in the home of a Hataitai, Wellington, midwife.
As the eldest son, it was his responsibility to work in the family fruit and vegetable shop.
His son, Danny, said that it was not an easy job.
“His life at Wong She’s was hard, manual work. He hauled 90kg sacks of potatoes off the truck and into the shop. Veges were washed and trimmed by hand. This was in the days before refrigerated shelving.”
Every Saturday he would pack the entire contents of the shop and put everything into the cool store before washing down the shop.
At 18, he did his compulsory military training at Linton Military Camp where he was drafted into the medical corp. At a time when Chinese faced widespread racism, he won an efficiency trophy.
As the eldest son, it was his responsibility to work in the family fruit and vegetable shop.
His son, Danny, said that it was not an easy job.
“His life at Wong She’s was hard, manual work. He hauled 90kg sacks of potatoes off the truck and into the shop. Veges were washed and trimmed by hand. This was in the days before refrigerated shelving.”
Every Saturday he would pack the entire contents of the shop and put everything into the cool store before washing down the shop.
At 18, he did his compulsory military training at Linton Military Camp where he was drafted into the medical corp. At a time when Chinese faced widespread racism, he won an efficiency trophy.
Danny recalls his father “fancied himself” as a musician and singer.
“He loved to play the violin, harmonica and piano accordion whenever he got the opportunity. Us kids all learnt the piano and it was so irritating practising with him humming in the background.”
The choirboy in him, was always determined to have a voice.
“He would sing along to songs mostly out of tune and rhythm but he would sing. I could not believe it when he told me he sang at a family wedding recently.”
Gordon also worked hard to promote Cantonese. Believing it would keep their culture alive, he gave free lessons to anyone wanting to learn the language.
In his later years it was his passion for history and genealogy, where he achieved his greatest achievements.
Chinese Kiwis had long faced hostility in New Zealand and Gordon gave them a voice, helping out on numerous books on Chinese stories including Fruits of Our Labour, a book examining the importance of the humble fruit and vege store in Aotearoa.
He also became a skilled researcher. That was never more handy than when it came to the Ventnor.
In countries like Australia and New Zealand, which experienced gold rushes, Chinese always had to deal with the tricky issue of returning home if they died.
Chinese benevolent societies collected an annual fee and took responsibility for getting their remains to China.
In New Zealand, the first repatriation took place in 1883 by the Otago-based Cheong Shing Tong Society.
The Ventnor carried the remains of 499 Chinese who were exhumed from cemeteries across Aotearoa, including Karori.
The story of it sinking and the washing up of bones was quickly forgotten by everybody, other than Northland iwi.
In 2007, cultural consultant Wong Liu Shueng began hearing stories about bones being washed up and buried by local Māori.
In an article in New Zealand Geographic Wong spoke of talking to Māori elders who remembered being told: “There’s Chinese over there. Don’t play in there.”
It set off a series of events, which led to the discovery of the wreck, a documentary and the involvement of the Chinese government.
One big question, however, remained – what were the names of the 499 men? A research group headed by Wong Liu Shueng failed to find any relevant documents, until Gordon visited National Archives in 2016.
Gordon found a list of exhumation requests with Chinese names appended from 39 cemeteries.
Amongst the names was Gordon’s great-grand-father, Ng Jor Ching of which Gordon said: “He is the brother of my grandfather's natural father. He went back to China and married. Came back to New Zealand and had no children. When he died – his wife had no children, so she adopted his brother’s youngest son. She brought up grandfather as her son.“
In other words, Ng Jor Ching was Gordon’s great-grandfather by adoption and his great-grand uncle by blood.
His discovery of the Ventnor names came just in time for them to be added to a memorial put up by the New Zealand Chinese Association.
Throughout his life Gordon had a great sense of community. When the Wahine sank in 1968 he took food from his Strathmore dairy to feed survivors and rescuers, and he was a member of a number of Chinese community and church groups.
One notable organisation was the Tung Jung Association of New Zealand, set up to encourage Cantonese culture and language among descendants from the Tung Goon and Jung Seng counties of Guangdong.
He was the heart and soul of the organisation for over 20 years. As well as welcoming new arrivals he researched family history to help Chinese understand who their relatives were and where they came from in China.
Family friend and historian Kirsten Wong wrote an obituary for the Tung Jung newsletter noting the depth of his influence and knowledge.
“In our little group of history buffs we had an in-joke, ‘what Gordon doesn’t know about Wellington (its Chinese community), isn’t worth knowing’.”
It was his willingness to serve the community, that was his greatest strength, she said.
“With Gordon’s passing a world has been lost – not just of knowledge but of a certain old-fashioned way of doing things. Gordon was a people person. He valued community service and he valued relationships. Whatever he could do to help, he did.”
Speakers at his funeral spoke of a man that worked hard for his family and community.
In the 2021, he was awarded a Queens Service Medal for services to the Chinese community.
Danny said his father was “chuffed” when he rang to say he was getting a gong.
“The family were so proud that his community contributions were recognised.”
Gordon is survived by siblings Grace, Harvey and Victor, wife Yvonne, and his children Karen, Danny and Rodney.
– by Nicholas Boyack
– Sources: Danny Wu, Rodney Wu, Kirsten Wong, Willie Wong, Kevin Leong and New Zealand Geographic.
www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350247237/obituary-businessman-and-avid-researcher-kept-links-history-alive
It is a good bet that few New Zealanders know the story of the SS Ventnor.
Keeping the memory of the Ventnor alive was something that Wellingtonian Gordon Wu, who died in February, aged 86, worked hard to achieve.
The Ventnor sank off Northland’s Hokianga Heads in October 1902, carrying the remains of 499 Chinese gold miners being taken to China for reburial.
Over the next few months their remains washed ashore, and members of Te Roroa and Te Rarawa iwi interred them in their urupā.
It created a unique bond between the New Zealand Chinese community and Northland Māori which, 122 years later, is a strong one.
Gordon Wu was born in 1938, in the home of a Hataitai, Wellington, midwife.
Gordon Wu, Chinese community leader and researcher, b February 10, 1938; d February 12, 2024.
It is a good bet that few New Zealanders know the story of the SS Ventnor.
Keeping the memory of the Ventnor alive was something that Wellingtonian Gordon Wu, who died in February, aged 86, worked hard to achieve.
The Ventnor sank off Northland’s Hokianga Heads in October 1902, carrying the remains of 499 Chinese gold miners being taken to China for reburial.
Over the next few months their remains washed ashore, and members of Te Roroa and Te Rarawa iwi interred them in their urupā.
It created a unique bond between the New Zealand Chinese community and Northland Māori which, 122 years later, is a strong one.
Gordon Wu was born in 1938, in the home of a Hataitai, Wellington, midwife.
As the eldest son, it was his responsibility to work in the family fruit and vegetable shop.
His son, Danny, said that it was not an easy job.
“His life at Wong She’s was hard, manual work. He hauled 90kg sacks of potatoes off the truck and into the shop. Veges were washed and trimmed by hand. This was in the days before refrigerated shelving.”
Every Saturday he would pack the entire contents of the shop and put everything into the cool store before washing down the shop.
At 18, he did his compulsory military training at Linton Military Camp where he was drafted into the medical corp. At a time when Chinese faced widespread racism, he won an efficiency trophy.
As the eldest son, it was his responsibility to work in the family fruit and vegetable shop.
His son, Danny, said that it was not an easy job.
“His life at Wong She’s was hard, manual work. He hauled 90kg sacks of potatoes off the truck and into the shop. Veges were washed and trimmed by hand. This was in the days before refrigerated shelving.”
Every Saturday he would pack the entire contents of the shop and put everything into the cool store before washing down the shop.
At 18, he did his compulsory military training at Linton Military Camp where he was drafted into the medical corp. At a time when Chinese faced widespread racism, he won an efficiency trophy.
Danny recalls his father “fancied himself” as a musician and singer.
“He loved to play the violin, harmonica and piano accordion whenever he got the opportunity. Us kids all learnt the piano and it was so irritating practising with him humming in the background.”
The choirboy in him, was always determined to have a voice.
“He would sing along to songs mostly out of tune and rhythm but he would sing. I could not believe it when he told me he sang at a family wedding recently.”
Gordon also worked hard to promote Cantonese. Believing it would keep their culture alive, he gave free lessons to anyone wanting to learn the language.
In his later years it was his passion for history and genealogy, where he achieved his greatest achievements.
Chinese Kiwis had long faced hostility in New Zealand and Gordon gave them a voice, helping out on numerous books on Chinese stories including Fruits of Our Labour, a book examining the importance of the humble fruit and vege store in Aotearoa.
He also became a skilled researcher. That was never more handy than when it came to the Ventnor.
In countries like Australia and New Zealand, which experienced gold rushes, Chinese always had to deal with the tricky issue of returning home if they died.
Chinese benevolent societies collected an annual fee and took responsibility for getting their remains to China.
In New Zealand, the first repatriation took place in 1883 by the Otago-based Cheong Shing Tong Society.
The Ventnor carried the remains of 499 Chinese who were exhumed from cemeteries across Aotearoa, including Karori.
The story of it sinking and the washing up of bones was quickly forgotten by everybody, other than Northland iwi.
In 2007, cultural consultant Wong Liu Shueng began hearing stories about bones being washed up and buried by local Māori.
In an article in New Zealand Geographic Wong spoke of talking to Māori elders who remembered being told: “There’s Chinese over there. Don’t play in there.”
It set off a series of events, which led to the discovery of the wreck, a documentary and the involvement of the Chinese government.
One big question, however, remained – what were the names of the 499 men? A research group headed by Wong Liu Shueng failed to find any relevant documents, until Gordon visited National Archives in 2016.
Gordon found a list of exhumation requests with Chinese names appended from 39 cemeteries.
Amongst the names was Gordon’s great-grand-father, Ng Jor Ching of which Gordon said: “He is the brother of my grandfather's natural father. He went back to China and married. Came back to New Zealand and had no children. When he died – his wife had no children, so she adopted his brother’s youngest son. She brought up grandfather as her son.“
In other words, Ng Jor Ching was Gordon’s great-grandfather by adoption and his great-grand uncle by blood.
His discovery of the Ventnor names came just in time for them to be added to a memorial put up by the New Zealand Chinese Association.
Throughout his life Gordon had a great sense of community. When the Wahine sank in 1968 he took food from his Strathmore dairy to feed survivors and rescuers, and he was a member of a number of Chinese community and church groups.
One notable organisation was the Tung Jung Association of New Zealand, set up to encourage Cantonese culture and language among descendants from the Tung Goon and Jung Seng counties of Guangdong.
He was the heart and soul of the organisation for over 20 years. As well as welcoming new arrivals he researched family history to help Chinese understand who their relatives were and where they came from in China.
Family friend and historian Kirsten Wong wrote an obituary for the Tung Jung newsletter noting the depth of his influence and knowledge.
“In our little group of history buffs we had an in-joke, ‘what Gordon doesn’t know about Wellington (its Chinese community), isn’t worth knowing’.”
It was his willingness to serve the community, that was his greatest strength, she said.
“With Gordon’s passing a world has been lost – not just of knowledge but of a certain old-fashioned way of doing things. Gordon was a people person. He valued community service and he valued relationships. Whatever he could do to help, he did.”
Speakers at his funeral spoke of a man that worked hard for his family and community.
In the 2021, he was awarded a Queens Service Medal for services to the Chinese community.
Danny said his father was “chuffed” when he rang to say he was getting a gong.
“The family were so proud that his community contributions were recognised.”
Gordon is survived by siblings Grace, Harvey and Victor, wife Yvonne, and his children Karen, Danny and Rodney.
– by Nicholas Boyack
– Sources: Danny Wu, Rodney Wu, Kirsten Wong, Willie Wong, Kevin Leong and New Zealand Geographic.
www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350247237/obituary-businessman-and-avid-researcher-kept-links-history-alive