Chinese in Sydney - Museum Exhibition 29 MARCH - 12 OCT 2014

[amy]

It's nice to see the Chinese immigration history worldwide is finally getting told increasingly at mainstream museums now (instead of just in Asian community-focused institutions). Has anyone seen this exhibition yet?


sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/exhibitions/celestial-city-sydneys-chinese-story

CELESTIAL CITY: SYDNEY’S CHINESE STORY

MUSEUM OF SYDNEY

In 1888, as Sydney celebrated its centenary, several boats carrying Chinese immigrants sailed through Sydney Heads into a crisis that would shape the nation.
Chinese people had been arriving in Sydney for over 30 years, but by 1888 growing ill-will towards them had broken out into open hostility, and the tide turned against the immigrants aboard the SS Afghan, Menmuir and Guthrie. They were detained and deported under harsh new immigration laws hastily rushed through Parliament.

The ‘Afghan incident’ was catalysed by the threat of cheap Chinese labour, compounded by prejudices demonising the Chinese and their way of life. It was a turning point in the history of the Chinese in Australia, paving the way for the White Australia policy and the exclusion of Asian immigrants for the next 80 years.

Celestial City explores the background to and consequences of this nation-defining crisis through the stories of Sydney’s Chinese people who were there before, during and after this crucial moment in our history.

It celebrates the diversity of experiences and successes within the Chinese community by recognising the perseverance and achievement of individuals and families and the legacy this has given Sydney with such a strong and vibrant Chinese community today.

 

[douglaslam]

I have yet to make a visit, I have been busy working lately. My good friend King Fong and our member Brad Powe; they both were there on the opening day. Brad Powe's family featured prominently in the exhibition. The exhibition still has a few months to run.

It is unfortunate the non-Cantonese speaking newcomers are hi-jacking the exhibition. I refer to the video cover which features simplified characters and deviates from the traditional name for Sydney 雪梨 in Chinese. I find this most repugnant. 雪梨 is a name passed down to us from the early pioneers. It is like Honolulu 檀香山 Sandalwood Mountain, not 火怒露露. Both names are earthy, catchy and reflect the Pearl River Delta background of those early settlers. The bureaucrats in Beijing have no place or right to change our Cantonese subculture here. They have no respect for history or cultural heritage. BTW, the imbeciles from Beijing chose 悉尼 for Sydney. 悉尼 sounds too much like 食泥 in Cantonese. 食泥means eating dirt. In Cantonese colloquial only ghosts eat dirt. It is unflattering to call someone 鬼食泥,a ghost eating dirt, or 呃鬼食泥,to dupe a ghost to eat dirt. It is not a name the Cantonese would be comfortable with.

I do know some of the people featured in the video clip, though not personally.

[amy]

Douglas,

Have you been to the exhibition yet? How is it? I wish I could go to Sydney to see it, but I probably won't have another chance to travel to Australia for awhile. My last trip was in 2010 and it was a long flight and very expensive. Such a beautiful country though. I'm looking forward to visiting again someday.

I agree with your distaste for the mandarin 'renaming' of Sydney and other cities. You should voice this concern to the Museum. At the very least, there should be a subtitle with the traditional Cantonese name to acknowledge the original Chinese forebearers/settlers.

Amy

[douglaslam]

Amy,

I always thought you were living Down Under. Yes, I did go to the talk and have a good look at the exhibits. I am a museum tragic, I love visiting museums. This one was no exception.

I met up with our member Brad Powe, and had a chat with a few of the people who were so keen in preserving vestiges of early Chinese settlement.

Hope we can catch up in person one day.

Douglas