Interview of June & Kirsten Wong: Stories of Chinese NZders

Planning, organisation, recording and audio editing: Susan Zou
Interviewer, Project support: Lisa Yung
Interviewee: June Wong and Kirsten Wong

The “Stories of Chinese New Zealanders” is a series of interviews with descendants of Chinese people living in Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme looks at the history of their hard work, their settlement and development, integration into New Zealand society, and dedication to contribute and actively promote Chinese culture. The programme also introduces first generation Chinese New Zealanders’ experiences in studying, working and living in Aotearoa New Zealand.

June Wong is a second generation Chinese in New Zealand. Her father Chun Yee Hop was from Baishi Village (pronounced Bark Shek in the local dialect), Zengcheng (pronounced Jung Seng) County, Guangdong Province and came to Wellington in 1895. He operated a number of fruit shops and was a long-time Wellington president of the Chinese Masonic Society, Chee Kung Tong. June is the youngest of the 18 children of mother Wan Chu-Lin and the only one to attend university.

She studied dietetics at Otago University and worked at Wellington Hospital. June’s daughter Kirsten grew up in a large extended family that sparked her ongoing interest in her family history. She is involved in the New Zealand Chinese Association S.S. Ventnor project, the ship that was en route to China with 499 Chinese miners’ coffins which sank off the Hokianga Heads in 1902.

We are grateful to the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust and the Wellington City Council for their financial support and Wellington Access Radio for supporting and hosting the programme.

The programme “Stories of Chinese New Zealanders” will be on air from 8 September to 15 December 2019, every Sunday at 9-10pm, on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM. Tune in to listen to the 15 interviewees’ unique stories.

You can also listen to the programme on the internet at http://www.accessradio.org.nz/stories-of-chinese-new-zealanders.html

If you have any comments about this programme, please send your feedback to the email address of the programme: Chinesestoriesnz@gmail.com