AUSTIN TSENG | Tian Tan is one of those Kiwi legends that, like those crunchy bits in a serve of hot chips, pop up here and there but always leave a memorable impression. An actor, Tan has appeared in such productions as The New Legends of Monkey on Netflix, and the hit web series Baby Mama’s Club. Many will also know him as Main Man Tian Tan from his videos on Facebook and Youtube, where he posts comedy sketches and life advice…
Asian New Zealand Art & Culture
By Austin Tseng
On the Ancestor’s Trail
AUSTIN TSENG | An account of the New Zealand Chinese Association’s (NZCA) SS Ventnor Tour, 7-9 April 2018. In the early 20th century, the lives of Chinese migrants in New Zealand were often fraught with difficulty. Not only did they have to deal with the struggles of making a living in a new land, but also significant…
New Zealand Chinese Performing Arts: A Passing of the Torch
AUSTIN TSENG | The year thus far has been quite a treat for connoisseurs of stage productions. This output has been notable for the coverage of a much-neglected history. The releases of opera The Bone Feeder, play The Mooncake and the Kumara and “large-scale documentary theatre” piece OTHER [chinese] have given us a compelling trifecta of interpretations of the Chinese experience in Aotearoa…