New Zealand Chinese Association alarmed over Ventnor claims

22 November 2014

New Zealand Chinese Association alarmed over SS Ventnor claims

Claims of sending historic artifacts from the shipwrecked SS Ventnor to a museum in China have alarmed local Chinese and descendants of those lost in the 1902 disaster.

The artifacts are part of the shipwreck that was recently filmed by a group claiming to have “discovered” the wreck which lies in waters just outside the Hokianga Heads. The story around the wreck is one of the most spiritually significant pieces of Chinese New Zealand history. It is also a poignant example of shared Chinese and Maori cultural values

Before its sinking, the ship was carrying the remains of 499 Chinese, mostly miners, being returned home to China. Although some of the remains floated ashore it is presumed that the rest are still on or around the shipwreck.

“We consider the shipwreck to be the grave of our ancestors,” says NZCA immediate Past President Virginia Chong.

“It’s absolutely essential that the remains and wreck be respected and untouched, and if anything is going to happen to the wreck or remains, it’s essential that the Chinese descendants and local iwi, Te Roroa and Te Rarawa, who have acted as kaitiaki of the remains, are consulted”

Traditional Chinese beliefs hold that a body must be returned home for the spirit to be at peace. According to Virginia Chong, the community considered repatriation, but as so much time had passed it was difficult to accurately identify remains. Logistical difficulties were also a factor.

Concern over looting and fears that operators were removing items from the wreck without regard for the descendants, prompted the Chinese community and supporters to have the wreck placed under legal protection. The wreck and surrounds have now been gazetted as an archaeological site and therefore covered by the Protected Objects Act 1975.

The community believes that items shown in the recently released footage of the wreck are covered by the same act, and cannot be taken out of New Zealand without due process.

“The real value of the wreck and any artifacts is in the spiritual and historical significance for Chinese New Zealanders,” says Wong Liu Shueng, spokesperson for the Chinese Historical Ventnor Project, which sits under the New Zealand Chinese Association national body.

“To lose them overseas would be a significant heritage loss to all New Zealanders, but particularly to our community.”

“We have so few artifacts to remind us of that early history. These are precious because they remind us of the ancestors we have lost and what they sacrificed for their journey here. We have a responsibility to respect them in their death and to educate all New Zealanders about this less known history that happened on our shores.

“This respect echoes the care taken by Te Roroa and Te Rarawa, who have cared for the remains of our ancestors for over 100 years,” she says

Since 2007, when the Chinese community discovered that Maori had been caring for their ancestral remains, Chinese and local iwi have been in dialogue. The discovery prompted the community to make pilgrimages to the Hokianga in 2009 and 2013 to thank iwi and make traditional offerings to the dead.

The second event, involving over 100 Chinese descendants, took several years to organise and led to a deep relationship and affinity between Maori and Chinese groups.

The group of descendants say they have not been included in discussions led by John Albert or his “Ventnor Project Group”.

ENDS

© Scoop Media