4 March 2009

NEW BOOK - The Dragon and the Taniwha: Maori and Chinese in New Zealand (Manying Ip)

The Dragon and the Taniwha: Maori and Chinese in New Zealand
Ed. Manying Ip

Auckland University Press

ISBN: 9781869404369

Analyzing for the first time the relationship between the tangata whenua and the country’s earliest non-European immigrant group, this study investigates how two different marginalized groups in New Zealand society—the Maori and the Chinese—have interacted over the last 150 years. Various aspects are explored, such as how Maori newspapers have portrayed Chinese publications and vice versa, the changing demography of Chinese and Maori populations, Maori-Chinese marriages, and the ancient migration of both groups. The ethnically diverse contributors—from Maori to Chinese to European scholars—tackle numerous questions from many angles as well, such as Do the Maori resent Chinese immigrants? Do Chinese New Zealanders understand the role of the tangata whenua? and Have Maori and Chinese formed alliances based on common values and history? The result is an engaging portrait of the past and present relationships between two important peoples. Since race relations in New Zealand have usually been examined in terms of Maori and Pakeha, this unique exploration of Maori–Chinese relations portrays a much richer and more complex social fabric.
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About the Editor:
Manying Ip came to New Zealand in 1974 from Hong Kong where her family lived for five generations. Her interest in Maori-Chinese interactions started from the mid 1980s when she conducted extensive qualitative interviews among the pioneering Chinese families, which grew ever stronger with the immigration and ethnic identity debates of the recent decade.
She is Associate Professor in Asian Studies at The University of Auckland and the author of several critically acclaimed books on Chinese in New Zealand. These include: Aliens At My Table: Asians as New Zealanders See Them (2005), Unfolding Identity, Evolving Identity: The Chinese in New Zealand (2003) as well as numerous journal articles and book chapters on issues pertaining to recent Asian immigrants. She is a respected advocate for Chinese communities living in New Zealand.