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. 

..when people start asking 'oh, why do you look Chinese," people start throwing out questions about identity, then you become aware that there is a part of you that’s a little bit different.

– Ronna Lee, speaking to Newsline Samoa about her Chinese heritage, December 2018

Key Cast & Crew

Tuki Laumea

Camera Operator, Director, Editor

Lisa Taouma

Producer

Wilhelm Voigt

Sound Recordist

Matt Aickin

Sound Mix

Elizabeth Koroivulaono

Camera Operator

Penina Momoisea

Camera Operator