Tales of Time - Dragons in Paradise

From the late 1800s to the 1930s, thousands of Chinese men moved to Samoa to work. Many faced rife racism, indentured labour and forced repatriation back to China. In these two documentary excerpts, director/editor Tuki Laumea heads to Samoa to talk the descendants of these Chinese workers who managed to stay, despite New Zealand authorities passing laws aimed at stopping the Chinese from marrying Samoans. Interviewees include former Samoan Attorney-General Tuatagaloa Aumua Ming Leung Wai, and Ronna Lee, who spent 20 years researching her Chinese heritage. 

...some families were split. Like the Chinese who married Samoan women and had families...some of them were repatriated back to China.

– Ronna Lee on some Chinese labourers being forced back to China

Key Cast & Crew

Lisa Taouma

Producer

Tuki Laumea

Camera Operator, Director, Editor

Matt Aickin

Sound Mix

Wilhelm Voigt

Sound Recordist

Elizabeth Koroivulaono

Camera Operator

Penina Momoisea

Camera Operator