How Did They Travel

[June]

In early 1940's my In-Laws travelled from Kong Moon and ended up in Papua New Guinea. Due to World War II and what was happening in the Pacific this seems to be an odd time to be making a journey such as that.

I am interested in why and how people would have made that journey at such at time. I am also interested in knowing if Papua New Guinea would have been their preferred journey's end.

Does anyone know if there was mass migration happening at that time.

Thank you

June

[philiptancl]

Dear June,

I am not able to provide a direct reply to the subject matters raised by you. However from my observation, I could surmise the preferred destination of people who left China in the past depended very much on where their fellow villagers in China had ventured to before them. The place in Malaysia that my grandfather first pioneered out in establishing it, many of his fellow villagers subsequently followed; initially working for him and subsequently branching out to establish their own businesses. I would imagine that your In-Laws venture to Papua New Guinea would be similar.

With the comfort at this time we are in now in our respective places, it may be difficult for us to imagine why our forebears ventured out to seek a new life elsewhere. But if we can imagine the history of that time and the situation they were in then, the risk of venturing out would not be much greater than the deprivation and poverty they would had to endure by staying put.

Talking about Papua New Guinea, I remembered that the Prime Minister there some 20 years ago for two periods of time was Julius Chan and that he was a descendant of Chan (ê). I further understand his Chinese name is Ch¨¦n Zh¨°ngm¨ªn (êÖÙÃñ). Is my information correct?


Philip

[June]

Thank you for the information Philip.

You are correct about Julius Chan. And yes that is his Chinese name. Although he was born in PNG his father was born in Taishan.

Regards - June

[geoff]

Would PNG have been their preferred destination? They may have been destined for Australia but Australia was still under the "White Australia Policy". The 1901 Australian Immigration Restriction Act which required a dictation test on entry was still inforce. Do you know if they had any relatives or friends already living in PNG? Maybe they moved to join them?

During WW2, chinese living in PNG were temporarily moved to Australia & later allowed to reside in Australia.

Did they later reside in Australia? When? Where?

[June]

Not all Chinese were moved from Papua New Guinea to Australia. Many were taken prisoner and interred in camps. My father in law died while a prisoner.

[pngdavid]

I understand that deprivation and poverty in China was a prime reason for so many Si Yup (Say Yup) speaking Chinese leaving China in the late 19C. The lure of Gold was also a key reason for those who left China for Australia (Brisbane, Sydney) and the USA (San Francisco) have large Si Yup speaking communities.

With reference to Chinese gold traders in Australia, there is an interesting link surrounding the etymology of the Australia term 'Dinkum' to Si Yup Chinese.
www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/what-are-the-origins-of-the-phrase-fair-dinkum-and-how-did-it-come-to-mean-what-it-does-20050122-gdkjif.html#:~:text=The%20word%20%22dinkum%22%20was%20reputedly,translating%20as%20%22true%20gold%22.


I was told that a significant number of those leaving China jumped off boats passing south through New Guinea and sold themselves into servitude on German plantations. My family are predominantly from Rabaul, New Britain and from New Ireland. As a German Colony, New Britain was known as Neupommern and New Ireland was known as Neumecklenburg. After WWI, New Ireland was ceded to Britain/Australia. My Grandfather was born in 1914 on a plantation on Tabar Island (off the east coast of New Ireland). He told me that he was "the son of a slave". He recall him proudly stating that he eventually became the owner of that same plantation that he was born on.

David