Explore essential resources on the Chinese in New Zealand. This page showcases resources such as amateur and official New Zealand history websites, news articles, films, and key publications. A concise reference for understanding the Chinese narrative in Aotearoa.
These resources are most suited for taking your personal interest in Chinese history in Aotearoa further. Some of these resources are scholarly, but many are not, and few are peer-reviewed. For academic sources only, including scholarly books, journal articles, and theses, please see Academic Sources.
Websites
Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
The primary Chinese section by Manying Ip provides a general overview of Chinese history in Aotearoa and further reading. Other pages, such as Paul Spoonley’s, ‘Ethnic and religious intolerance – Intolerance towards Asians‘, cover topics like intolerance towards Chinese and Indian people in Aotearoa.
Chinese NZ Oral History Foundation Inc.
Established in early 2003, the NZ Chinese Oral History Foundation has undertaken projects to record the voices of NZ-Chinese Poll Tax Descendants. Comprised of poll-tax descendants, new migrants, and other New Zealanders, the foundation’s oral-historian-interviewers follow NOHANZ ethical standards.
The Website also has links to articles and blog posts on Chinese history in Aotearoa.
Papers Past
Papers Past hosts millions of pages of digitised content from New Zealand and the Pacific.
When searching the database for material on Chinese New Zealanders, bear in mind that some newspapers were overly saturated with racist content, and were not always an accurate reflection of contemporary public opinions; they pushed an agenda, rather than reflecting common discourse. Be sure to read the Getting Started page for tips on refining results.
Timespanner blog
Timespanner: A Journey through Te Wao Avondale, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand history is a popular history blog established by historian Lisa Truttman in 2008. Lisa has covered Chinese history in Aotearoa in several articles: an incomplete list can be found here.
Wellington Chinese History Wiki
This wiki focuses on the history of Chinese people in the greater Wellington area, and contains hundreds of pages on events, locations, people, businesses, organisations, and historical advertisements.
Books
Murphy, Nigel — Success through adversity (2012)
Success through Adversity: A History of the Dominion Federation of New Zealand Chinese Commercial Growers = Chenggong de zi kuhan lai by Nigel Murphy (2012).
The Dominion Federation was established in 1943 and since then it has been the representative body of Chinese market gardeners throughout New Zealand. This book covers the Federation’s history including its formation, the challenges it has faced, and its achievements over the years.