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Format: Paperback (Reprint Edition)
Language: English
Publisher: Dominion Federation of NZ Chinese Commercial Growers Inc
Reprint supported by: Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust
Subject categories:
New Zealand history
Chinese New Zealand heritage
Market gardening & horticulture
Migration and settlement
Social and community history
Sons of the Soil ISBN: 9780473196196 - https://natlib.govt.nz/records/29839089
Success through Adversity ISBN: 9780473196202 - https://natlib.govt.nz/records/50491597?search%5Bpath%5D=items&search%5Btext%5D=Success+through+adversity
Condition: New (Reprint)
黃土子嗣 Sons of the Soil: Chinese Market Gardeners in New Zealand is a 550-page, lavishly illustrated social and community history of more than 140 years of Chinese involvement producing the nation's vegetables.
The first Chinese market gardeners arrived with very little to make a home and a life on the land. They worked onerous hours in all weathers to make a place for themselves and their families. It would be a rare local New Zealand Chinese family that did not have a link with a market garden.
Authors Lily Lee and Ruth Lam travelled to the major market gardening regions to research and interview market gardeners to capture for the first time their stories in their own words.
The authors trace the beginnings of an often over-looked agricultural story, and recount the social and community stories that have never been told.
At the peak in the 1960s, Chinese market gardeners produced 80 per cent of the country's greenleaf vegetables. Sons of the Soil recounts the growth to a peak of 623 gardens and the decline that sees only 149 gardens in the present day.
The Chinese market gardeners have faced vast economic and social change, yet throughout have maintained a shared sense of camaraderie.
成功得自苦寒來 Success through Adversity: A History of the Dominion Federation of New Zealand Chinese Commercial Growers, authored by Nigel Murphy, is a 168-page story of service and dedication.
Founded in 1943 and run by men who gave of their time and effort on behalf of their fellow growers, the Dominion Federation of New Zealand Chinese Commercial Growers has steadfastly upheld the rights of Chinese market gardeners for nearly 70 years.
Success through Adversity relates the history of the Federation including its formation, its relationship with other growers' organisations, the challenges it has faced and its achievements. It is invaluable reading for anyone interested in knowing how the Federation succeeded in bringing the organisation into the twenty-first century.
Of particular interest to readers will be the list of over 1500 growers, from the 1930s to the 2010s, in the major Chinese market gardening communities around New Zealand.
Authors:
Lily Lee (Ho Li Li) born in Auckland in 1940 is a second generation Chinese New Zealander. Her mother and sister arrived as war refugees. Lily grew up on a market garden in Mangere during the late 1940s to 1960s. Lily graduated in Geography from Auckland University in 1961. She taught in primary and secondary schools for a number of years before joining the Ministry of Education as a Liaison Officer in 1989. She spent 17 years working in the school sector before retiring in 2005. In 2008 to 2010 she was invited to work with Asian communities for the Ministry of Social Development. In 1963, Lily visited her parent’s village of Gum Kei, Zhong Shan and gained a better appreciation of her culture, language and heritage. Over the years she has returned a number of times to China documenting her family history.
Ruth Lam, born in 1956, is a third generation Chinese New Zealander of Jung Seng descent. She is married to Alex (Pak Hung) who for many years has been market gardening successfully at Pukekawa. Ruth often assisted in the garden while bringing up their family of four children. Ruth has also been involved with local community groups including the Plunket Society and the Pukekawa School PTA. She co-edited the 1995 Pukekawa School Centenary book. In 1998, Ruth completed a Master of Arts degree in Education, with Honours from the University of Auckland. She then worked at the University on research projects to improve children’s reading. In recent years Ruth worked for the Franklin District Library Trust as a Customer Services Manager. It was during her time at the library that Ruth developed an interest in the history of Chinese market gardening in the Pukekohe district. Through this project, Ruth has enjoyed using her research skills to contribute to the preservation of the history of Chinese New Zealanders.
Nigel Murphy is a sixth generation New Zealander of Irish-German-English descent. He was born in 1958. He holds a Master degree in History. He has studied Chinese New Zealand history for over 25 years and has been involved in the Chinese New Zealand community as secretary of the Wellington Chinese Association and chair of the Wellington Chinese Language School. His publications include ‘The Poll Tax in New Zealand: a research report’ which was published in 1993 and 2003, and a 'Guide to Laws and Policies relating to the Chinese in New Zealand 1871-1997' which was published in 2008. He co-authored the 2005 ‘Aliens at My Table: Asians as New Zealander see them’ with Manying Ip. He also contributed chapters to 'Unfolding history, emerging identity: the Chinese in New Zealand' and 'Dragon and the Taniwha: Maori and Chinese in New Zealand' published in 2009. He was a research librarian at the Alexander Turnbull Library for 25 years. In 2002 he was seconded to the Office of Ethnic Affairs as a researcher and historian to support the Chinese poll tax apology reconciliation process. Between 2007 and 2010 he was an historian with the Waitangi Tribunal.