Robin Hyde, born Iris Guiver Wilkinson, was a New Zealand journalist, poet and novelist who raised her middle finger at the expectations of housewifery in post-WWI society by travelling solo to the frontline in China during the war with Japan in 1938. The resulting work was Dragon Rampant. “I haven’t attempted anything so presumptuous as a book about China– only aContinueContinue reading “Why Robin Hyde is My Homegirl”
Author Archives: Kristen Ng
Lest We Remember, Lest We Forget: Interview with Hiperson 海朋森
On a hot summer’s afternoon, the sound of birdsong and motorbike alarms chorus together in the warm air at Zaoshanghao on Democracy Road. Excitedly chattered about for the past few years and praised by Douban Music as “the true spirit of rock and roll” “amidst this increasingly conformist, fast-food generation,” Chengdu’s poetic post-punk band Hiperson greets youContinueContinue reading “Lest We Remember, Lest We Forget: Interview with Hiperson 海朋森”
Roots Manoeuvre: Chinese New Year in the Motherland
From indentured labourers exported to work on American railroads and Samoan plantations to refugees fleeing the Japanese occupation and beyond; the southern county of Taishan, Guangdong 台山，广东 has experienced an exodus of millions moving abroad since the early 19th century. For Chunjie 春节, Chinese New Year, Kiwese felt it was time to ship on down to Guangzhou and get on a bus to see her Great Uncle KanContinueContinue reading “Roots Manoeuvre: Chinese New Year in the Motherland”
Vinyl Destination: Interview with Cian O’Donnell from Conch Records
In this content-saturated Internet age of free digital downloads and infinite streaming, Cian O’Donnell is among those still repping the power of wax over at his well-loved shop Conch Records, which has been spinning records in the City of Sails for the best part of two decades. Kiwese caught up with the voice so familiar to George FM listeners ahead of his upcoming vinylContinueContinue reading “Vinyl Destination: Interview with Cian O’Donnell from Conch Records”
A Wellingtonian in Xiamen
Did you know Wellington has a sister city in China? Her name is Xiamen 厦门. She is an island city of 3.5 million people on the south Fujian coast, and she is lovely. Kiwese went to Xiamen for a few days and spoke to various people who have made the city their home. Nestled down on the south-east coastContinueContinue reading “A Wellingtonian in Xiamen”
One night at MAO Livehouse Kunming
Kunming. The south-western provincial capital of Yunnan, China’s very own Shangri-La of tourism. Images that spring to mind are probably not whiskey-swigging, tattoo-covered electro-pop divas. Having far exceeded one’s tolerance levels for crap pop music and ‘Xiao Ping Guo,’ Kiwese was excited to check out local bands Strange Days and South Acid MiMi Dance Team at the latest addition to the MAO Livehouse empire. Generally considered as aContinueContinue reading “One night at MAO Livehouse Kunming”
A Myopic Travel Guide to Chongqing
With countless flights of endless stairs to tone those thighs and hot pot so spicy it will empty your bowels; those looking to lose weight might find a trip to Chongqing 重庆 is just the ticket. Kiwese spent a few days in the south west mega city of Chongqing to see what’s up in a municipality population of almost 30 million people. My firstContinueContinue reading “A Myopic Travel Guide to Chongqing”
“Are you not Chinese?”: Reassessing my Chinese identity in China
I pissed all over the floor. Argh, squat toilets. Two Chinese girls who went in afterwards burst out laughing. There has got to be nothing more private and subsequently humiliating than what goes on in the bathroom. This was my first day in Beijing two years ago. Kiwese offers some thoughts about traversing the seas between cultural difference and racial assimilation in China,ContinueContinue reading ““Are you not Chinese?”: Reassessing my Chinese identity in China”
KIWESE 