Chinese Kiwis to visit gold mining ancestors’ graves at Waitangi

By RNZ

More than 100 young Chinese New Zealanders will be travelling to Northland next month to attend Waitangi Day commemorations and pay respects to Chinese ancestors buried in Hokianga.

The trip is organised by the New Zealand Chinese Association.

President and former Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon said the trip would deepen the bond between Chinese and Māori.

The trip was organised so the younger generations of Chinese Kiwis to understand the experiences of tangata whenua, he said.

Waitangi Treaty Grounds. File photo. Photo / RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

“We really want to be there and get our young people to better understand and live the live experiences of tangata whenua and support them in any cause that they need us to support.”

The group will be visiting the graves of nearly 500 Chinese gold miners who were buried by local iwi, after a repatriation ship in 1902 carrying the bodies had sunk near the Hokianga harbour.

Nathan Blundell, who will be joining the trip, said it would be a great chance to explore the shared values between Chinese and Māori.

“Hopefully during that time we’ll be able to ... explore and celebrate those shared values of respecting your elders, heritage, whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, manaaki.”

- RNZ