16 October 2000 Atonement in Arrowtown – young landscape designer remembers Chinese goldminers

Chinese migration to the goldfields of New Zealand almost a century and a half ago has inspired Malaysian-born landscape architecture student Wah Tze Chet to produce a design project commemorating those in that first wave of Asian settlers to New Zealand.

Chet first studied landscape design and horticulture in Singapore and gained his Diploma in Design and Horticulture. He then worked for two years in Malaysia as a supervisor for a landscape construction firm, then went to New Zealand to study Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University which offers a four-year bachelor's degree course. Chet did three years of the course in New Zealand with the other year on scholarship in the United States at California Polytechnic State University. He also worked for a prominent landscape architecture firm in Washington State.

Arrowtown, in Central Otago, New Zealand, close to the major South Island tourist centre of Queenstown, attracted Chet's attention as an example of a town that has had an ongoing Chinese settlement dating from New Zealand's gold rush era of the 1860s.

Initial migration was principally from the province of Guangton (Canton) in China, impelled by over-population and political and economic instability caused by the British invasion. The Otago Chamber of Commerce actively encouraged Chinese goldminers to immigrate to New Zealand and the Otago Provincial Council offered to guarantee their safety.

Despite this guarantee it is now acknowledged that the Chinese miners suffered discrimination, rejection and poor treatment, and lived lonely, isolated lives.

"The peace and tranquillity of Arrowtown today, population 1400, belies a socially turbulent past when it was a gold rush boom town with a population of 7000 and discrimination against the Asian migrants was rife," says Chet.

"Through my landscape design proposal for Arrowtown I would like to reunite all Chinese and all nations to break through the discrimination barriers of the past and look forward to a future world which fully embraces humanity."

Arrowtown has long promoted its charm and picturesque character, building a reputation as a well-preserved historic township. Chet acknowledges that the historic side has been managed in an appropriate manner, however he says that the story of the early discrimination against the Chinese miners has not been carried forward in time.

"Most of the local people I spoke to in the initial stage of my project weren't aware of the history Arrowtown was holding. Some of the stories obviously didn't get handed down through the generations."

Central to Chet's design proposal is a Memorial Boulevard which would link the community and symbolically atone for the past injustices to the Chinese goldminers.

"A Memorial Boulevard would signal to the international community that New Zealand can and does act in the interest of humanity," says Chet.

"My goal in the design project was to identify opportunities for Arrowtown and to suggest ways it could take full advantage of its resources to increase visitor numbers and thereby increase revenue coming into the town.

"I saw a lost opportunity with regard to the hidden story that could be told about the Chinese settlement and what it stands for today."

In addition to the Memorial Boulevard Chet's design proposal for Arrowtown includes an industrial park, bush walk, cultural centre, recreation reserve, memorial reserve, and outdoor sculptures and columns.

Chet's Arrowtown project has attracted wide interest including the attention of the Queenstown Lakes District Council. He also had a "Good Luck" phone call from the Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand before the presentation of his project to his examiners. It is Chet's dream that maybe one day his vision for Arrowtown may become a reality, although he is aware that the cost of the proposal will be a limiting factor.

Chet is one of 39 students in this year's landscape architecture graduating class at Lincoln University. His proposal was presented to his examiners with full Chinese ceremony including music and other appropriate cultural elements.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand