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Post by uso on Mar 14, 2006 23:12:50 GMT -5
Hey
Is anybody able to help me trace my Chinese Roots starting from Samoa?
In the late 1800's and early 1900's in Samoa, many Chinese labourers were sent there to work on the plantations. Amongst them was my great grandfather Ah-Ching Sen Sen of Guangzhou, Guandong, China. He married there an died there, but never spoke of his family back home in China.
No records are kept in Samoa and noone in the family really knows how to go about tracing back his origins in China.
He would have been born about 1890's because my grandmother (his daughter) was born in 1924, he would have passed away in 1960 in a place called Tanugamanono, on the island of Upolu in Samoa.
I was told that there was a reason why all the Chinese men in Samoa put an "Ah" in front of their names, but i can't remember why...my grandmothers maiden name was Ah-ching...
Can anyone help me trace this man's roots back to China, i would love to meet my extended family over there...
email me at usofrancis@hotmail.com
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Post by helen on Mar 15, 2006 2:04:21 GMT -5
From what I can gather there men came from Siyip area - and they were working for the German Plantation owners. They had children with the Samoan women, but a government ruling meant that all the Chinese men were deported back to China, and no one know where they ended up after that.
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Post by helen on Mar 15, 2006 2:06:44 GMT -5
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Post by helen on Mar 15, 2006 2:12:28 GMT -5
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Post by twoupman on Mar 15, 2006 11:37:18 GMT -5
USO,
Of late there has been several enquiries about the Chinese in Samoa from their descendants. In the majority of cases, there is very little information to build on. Since your ggf died in Tanugamanono, on the island of Upolu in Samoa, would it be correct to say he is buried there? If so, do you know if his tombstone contains Chinese script? If it does, some of your problems may be solved. The first thing to do is to get a photo of his tombstone and we will try to figure out the information it may contain.
The name "Ah Ching Sen Sen" is quite interesting. The "Ah" does not have any real signifance other than to make it easier to pronounce a following monosyllabic word. The "Ching" appears to be a surname. The "Sen Sen" can mean "mister"; this is just a guess. If this assumption is correct, then in English it would be translated as "Mr. Ching".
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akui
Member
Posts: 1
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Post by akui on Apr 16, 2008 1:21:55 GMT -5
According to this book The Chinese in Western Samoa: 1875-1985, Nancy Y. W. Tom, 1986, p.38.
The first Chinese labourers came to Samoa in 1903, but there were 12 living there in 1903, six of them merchants. Among them were Ah Sue, Ah Ching, Ah Mu and Ah Soon.
Ah Cing, born January 19, 1954 in Foochow, Fukien Province and left in his teens as a crew member on a trading ship. He decided to settle in Samoa and married Fa'atupu Leota and had 10 children. Some of his children he was able to have educated in China, Avoke, Arthur and Edward and Bertha. He died in 1923, and buried beside his wife at the home in Tulaele.
My Great Grandfather is Ah Kuoi, who was also one of the early settlers in Samoa. We are still trying to find out more, but this book is a good start. Good luck.
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Post by helen on Apr 19, 2008 3:12:27 GMT -5
Were your families in Western Samoa or America Samoa? New Zealand Archives have some information: archway.archives.govt.nz/CallSimpleSearch.doInwards letters and registered files Administration and Miscellaneous - Chinese in Samoa - Repatriation of 1917 1917 Army Department [Record Group] O Wgtn Inwards letters and registered files Chinese Labour for Samoa 1920 1933 Treasury [Record Group] O Wgtn Miscellaneous office papers dealing with the administration of Samoa Papers concerning the question of importing Chinese labour into Samoa, 30 September - 3 December 1936 - Ratification of International Labour Office Conventions, 1946 - (See also file IT 20/1) 1936 1936 Island Territories Department [Record Group] M Wgtn Registered correspondence Labour - Chinese immigration to Samoa - Prohibitions against Chinese 1920 1947 Island Territories Department [Record Group] O Wgtn Labour - Samoa - General - Chinese - General file 1933 1938 Island Territories Department [Record Group] O Wgtn Western Samoa - Chinese - Entry into Australian Territories 1948 1950 Island Territories Department [Record Group] O Wgtn |
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Post by helen on Apr 19, 2008 3:17:45 GMT -5
Customs Inwards Letters
[1] Richard Carter, Secretary and Inspector, Wellington - Chinese - permission cannot be granted for Chinese servant to land upon depositing £100 - such deposit to be returnable if he leaves the Dominion within 4 months; [2] George A Armstrong, Apia, Samoa - Chinese Servants - accompanying their Masters to Auckland - asking about restrictions
1909 1909 New Zealand Customs Service, Auckland Offiice O Akld
Richard Carter, Secretary and Inspector, Wellington - Mrs Solf, Her Excellency of Samoa - re admission of a Chinese nurse in her employment
1909 1909 New Zealand Customs Service, Auckland Offiice O Akld
W D G Grant, Tide Surveyor, Customs Office, Auckland - Solf Governor of Samoa - Chinese servant of his wife sailed for Samoa per "Tofua" 2 February
1910 1910 New Zealand Customs Service, Auckland Offiice O Akld
William Seed, Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington - Ah Gee and Ah Gow, Chinese en route for Samoa - poll tax to be returned
1884 1884 New Zealand Customs Service, Auckland Offiice O Akld
Inwards letters and registered files
Chinese Labour for Samoa
1920 1933 Treasury [Record Group] O Wgtn
Miscellaneous office papers dealing with the administration of Samoa
Papers concerning the question of importing Chinese labour into Samoa, 30 September - 3 December 1936 - Ratification of International Labour Office Conventions, 1946 - (See also file IT 20/1)
1936 1936 Island Territories Department [Record Group] M Wgtn
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Post by samoanborn on Jul 1, 2008 17:09:04 GMT -5
Can anyone help me trace the history of my great grandfather surname Ah-Cheung, he is buried in samoa (Moamoa) but I would like to find out if he had family in china.
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Post by osana on May 17, 2014 17:35:26 GMT -5
Hi Samoanborn.
This is quite interesting, as my great grandfather too has the same surname and is also buried on his land in Moamoa. I believe his is from Kanton, China. This is one search that is quite hard and am keen to get into it more. His first name was Lu and his surname was Cheung. My mother has fond memories of him as she was raised by him and my great grandmother Iutita.
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Post by milo11 on Jun 10, 2014 19:15:24 GMT -5
what i can tell you, you wont find your grandfather's family in china, coz everyone can be use ah as their nicked name, like ah wang, ah zhao, ah hu. AH+ SURNAME is just a normal way in china, you cannot id one person according to that info. by the way. cheung is big family name in china as well, that means millon of people would have same family name as cheung there.
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Post by milo11 on Jun 10, 2014 19:17:49 GMT -5
if you have a picture or something he brought to samoa, maybe it can be the clues for id him. but noboday will help you to id one person for free in china. coz people there have no time to do other things but make money.
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Post by Doug 周 on Jun 13, 2014 11:23:49 GMT -5
what i can tell you, you wont find your grandfather's family in china, coz everyone can be use ah as their nicked name, like ah wang, ah zhao, ah hu. AH+ SURNAME is just a normal way in china, you cannot id one person according to that info. .... milo11 is correct. The appellation 'Ah' is a normal name addition for people from Guangdong. It is like the term Mr. Wong. Mr is not a proper or given name for Wong. Also, without Chinese characters for the surname and given names, or the ancestral village, it is very difficult to locate your clan heritage. ... but noboday will help you to id one person for free in china. coz people there have no time to do other things but make money. That is a harsh statement. This Forum has a lot of stories where village residents who are complete strangers helped visiting overseas Chinese access the correct network of clan members, without the expectation of remuneration. Generally you need to have your information ahead of time when doing your field work in the ancestral homeland. 'Cold calling or writing' to any anonymous member of a community for help in genealogy is a certain recipe for failure, regardless of the country or culture. The members of this Forum try to guide family historians in this maze of research options. |
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Post by helen on Jun 15, 2014 5:52:47 GMT -5
Hi Osana refer to my links a few posts up. If you have someone in Wellington, they may be able to search for you.
archway.archives.govt.nz/CallSimpleSearch.do
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