Dunedin-born Chartered Accountant Malcolm Wong (ONZM) was instrumental in the inception and building of a local treasure - Lan Yuan, Australasia’s only authentic Chinese Garden. In creating a space for locals and visitors to celebrate Aotearoa’s Chinese heritage, Malcolm gained something more - a deeper understanding and appreciation of his own ancestry and he regards Lan Yuan as the foremost footprint of Chinese identity in New Zealand. Malcolm has held many voluntary roles, including as a trustee on the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust. He has also been Chair of the Dunedin Chinese Gardens Trust since 2008 and on the University of Otago Council since 2018.

I feel deeply connected to this whenua with both my grandparents having paid the Poll Tax and I have a responsibility to continue telling the story of the amazing journey of our tupuna for our tamariki and mokopuna. The Chinese were one of the founding peoples of this whenua and we take up the legacy of this mantle with pride.

Yuet Khwan Marshall emigrated to New Zealand from Malaysia in 1981 to study accountancy at the University of Otago and is Treasurer for both the Dunedin Chinese Gardens Trust and Sun Gum Saan Ltd. For Yuet, a deep-seated interest in Aotearoa’s Chinese history began in a very personal way when she discovered a New Zealand friend had the same surname as her own maiden one. The identical Chinese character for their surnames (徐) almost certainly linked their families to the same district in Kwangchow, China. Looking further into her history, she remembered her grandfather’s brother had emigrated to Malaysia in the 1890s in order to mine tin. It’s this personal connection to her whakapapa that has ignited Yuet’s interest in the history of the Chinese, particularly the miners, in the Otago district.

The Chinese goldminers came to New Zealand in the 19th century forming the nucleus of a distinctive minority that has been part of New Zealand society for over 150 years. This history deserves to be told, and I am proud to be involved with the telling of it.

Born in Taiwan and raised in Auckland, Jenny Chen has called Ōtepoti Dunedin home since 2005. With a background in fine arts, museum practice, and archives, she is passionate about preserving and sharing history. As a Senior Archivist at Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Jenny works to ensure the records of Aotearoa’s past remain accessible for future generations. She is also Co-Chair of the New Zealand Chinese Heritage Research Charitable Trust (NZCHRCT) and serves on the Otago & Southland branch committee of the Archives and Records Association of New Zealand (ARANZ). Jenny believes strongly in the power of archives to connect people with their heritage and deepen their understanding of identity and place.

History is more than a record of the past—it shapes who we are today and influences the future. By safeguarding and sharing our stories, we honour those who came before us, strengthen our sense of identity, and ensure that future generations can continue to learn from and connect with their heritage..