New awareness

I am in the middle of a tertiary paper on different cultures in New Zealand, which I am finding both frustrating (because of some of the abstract theories) and enthralling. While on one level I thought I appreciated the depth of diversity in New Zealand, it has become more and more apparent that how lacking my knowledge was in the history of our countries makeup.

I have just completed an assignment based on the history of the Chinese in New Zealand and have been appalled at some of what I read. The level of prejudice against the Chinese went to the very highest level of Government (Prime Minister Richard Seddon) and no ethnicity appears to have been legislated against to the extent of the Chinese.

As well as researching through Auckland Libraries non-fiction shelves for material on the Chinese experience in New Zealand and watching documentaries, I also read some fiction based on the Chinese experience in Aotearoa.

Chinatown Girl (Eva Wong Ng) is part of the My Story series of children's fiction. Each is written in diary form and has a voice that the readers can relate to. Silvey Chan is a 12 year Auckland girl. New Zealand is at war but more important to Silvey is the news that her school is closing and she will have to adjust to a new school, new teachers and new children. Then the American soldiers descent on Auckland, including the Chinese-Americans and there is much more for Silvey to think about.

As the Earth turns Silver (Alison Wong) is the story of families, forbidden love and the clash of different cultures and loyalties. It is predominantly set in Wellington from the turn of the century to the 1920's but also travels to China, Dunedin and briefly to the war on the Western Front. Beautifully written to evoke emotion, with language on the one hand simple, but on the other filled with complex meaning. Fictional and real-life personalities blend in this worthy winner of the Janet Frame Fiction award.

Reading makes you think. Reading brings you to new understandings, awareness and appreciation. That's one of the reasons I love reading.