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Post by christine on Jul 4, 2011 23:50:45 GMT -5
I've recently learned that I have a fourth cousin via a DNA match - his family is from Trinidad and mine is from the U.S. While the DNA shows us having enough common DNA to be fourth cousins, it has no way of showing us the path or common ancestor through which we are related, so I need to figure out how to research the Chinese in Trinidad specifically. I'm well versed in researching Chinese in America and have visited my ancestral villages, but for Trinidad, I'm a newbie.
Anyone got any resources for Trinidad? I know my cousin's grandmother was half Chinese on her Dad's side, but what's hard is that they haven't got a record on him or even a full name, much less Chinese characters. All that is known is that the family name was Yeeloy, which I think is actually the father's first name that got mistaken for a last name, happens a lot. I believe he arrived in Trinidad in the "third wave" of Chinese immigration to that country, and it's not clear if he left after having some kids there, or died, or what became of him. I have asked my cousin if he can get a birth/death record for his grandmother, hoping it will list her father's information, so we shall see if anything happens there, but in the meantime, I wanted to see if there is anything at all online or in print format you all know of.
Thanks in advance!
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Post by helen on Jul 5, 2011 5:56:38 GMT -5
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Post by christine on Jul 8, 2011 0:04:01 GMT -5
Hi Helen,
Yes I've read through your resources - I am wondering if there are any online databases of Trinidad-related records. So far I haven't found anything on Ancestry, LDS, findagrave.com, Trinidad's National Archives website, or any reference to print copies of their archives available elsewhere besides in Trinidad itself. So, trying to figure out what is available without having to go to Trinidad.
One idea is that since it was a British colony, would British archives have anything?
Or if the Chinese ancestor left out of HK, does Hong Kong have an online database of emigrants??
I know the surname is YEE-LOY which I believe is first name that was reversed with the actual surname, and I believe the person arrived in the "third wave" of Chinese immigration to Trinidad.
He married a Trinidadian/black woman, but it's not clear if he stayed in Trinidad with his new family or if he left and went back to China.
Thanks,
christine
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Post by christine on Jul 8, 2011 0:05:04 GMT -5
I realize I've repeated some of my info, apologies! =P
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Post by helen on Jul 8, 2011 5:27:45 GMT -5
You may need to get hold of someone in the old Chinese community - most places would have had an association for the men - to get together to celebate Chinese New Year, and other celebrations - maybe an old China town.
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baksha
Member
wongyen@comcast.net
Posts: 105
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Post by baksha on Jul 28, 2011 20:24:18 GMT -5
Hi Christine,
Google author Wally Look Lai and Chinese in Trinidad, and you should find several articles.
Wally (Walton Look Lai) wrote "Chinese in the West Indies 1806-1995: A documentary history. The Press University of the West Indies, 1997. ISBN 976 640 021 0. 360 pp. Try larger universities with Asian American Studies Dept. ie. UC Berkeley, Ca. and/or interlibrary loan.
good luck.
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Post by Henry on Jul 28, 2011 23:12:12 GMT -5
Hi Christine,
Welcome to our Forum.
I suggest that you contact Walton Look Lai directly for information at : wllai@tstt.net.tt
Regards,
Henry
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Post by christine on Jul 29, 2011 15:28:27 GMT -5
Hi Baksha and Henry,
Thanks for the references to Walton Look Lai. In fact I have checked out a few books with his work in them from the local library. I am so happy to have his email address though! Thanks so much for this!
-Christine
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Post by christine on Aug 13, 2011 18:30:08 GMT -5
Updated info we think we have found: it appears that my relative has another relative (related by marriage/in-laws) who came to British Guaiana (Guyana) first with a wife and son, then left for Trinidad after their indentureship was over. There is a great resource for Chinese folks who arrived in Guyana here: www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~guycigtr/. The left panel has clickable sections. If you click on "Passengers" there is a whole list of ships listed by year, then you can browse each one and look for names, gender, village of origin (sometimes it's a village and sometimes it's just a county), the plantation they were sent off to, and known descendants' surnames. Very good resource for Caribbean Chinese with any ties to Guyana. Now knowing that many Trinidadian Chinese actually came through Guyana first, this is a must-see for Trinidadian Chinese researchers. My next question: does anyone know if there is a resource for emigrating Chinese out of China and/or Hong Kong? Does China or Hong Kong maintain any such archives that we can view online? Would be great if I can follow up on the arrivals in Guyana and match them back to the departure port in China or Hong Kong, and see what else I could glean. Thanks! -christine |
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