Lost Years - A people's struggle for justice

From Voices 31 March 2014

The acclaimed documentary Lost Years by Canadian film-maker Kenda Gee covers historical discrimination targeted against Chinese worldwide. When Kenda Gee followed the heart-breaking stories of his own Chinese family’s immigration to Canada around a century ago, it became a journey that took him across America, Australia and eventually to New Zealand, where powerful stories from our own Chinese communities emerged. Community Leader Esther and David Fung, along with several other prominent Chinese New Zealanders were among those to bring our own dark history to light in this film.

As one of around 25,000 Poll-tax descendants living in New Zealand it was a documentary that reflected stories from Lynda Chanwai-Earle’s own family history too, one reason she was keen to follow Kenda’s footsteps to learn more.

Tony Thackery (Chair Poll-tax Trust), David Fung (community leader) and friend

Generations of poll-tax descendants Kirsten Wong and her mother

Celebrating the film launch in New Zealand Kirsten Wong and Steven Young (president of NZ Chinese Association, Wellington)

George Sue, Esther Fung and Kirsten Wong

Steven Young launches the film in Wellington

Capacity audience

Generations of poll-tax descendants attend the launch of lost years in Wellington

Lynda Chanwai-Earle's great-grandfather, Dong Chan Wai's poll tax certificate. Archival Photograph by Sean Shadbolt.

The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.