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”

“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”

Huh, where are my roots? Oh, there they are.

“Don’t forget your roots, my friend,” jangled that awful song by Six60, bringing flashbacks of some drunk chick’s ass crack in my face as she shoulder rode her boo at Homegrown 2011.   Though the concept remains present. How can I forget my roots if I’ve never seen them before? The time has come to return toContinueContinue reading “Huh, where are my roots? Oh, there they are.”

High Fiving the All Seeing Hand: Interview with Jonny Marks

KC Cafe is fucking delicious. So I was stoked when experimental vocalist Jonny Marks of The All Seeing Hand was keen to meet over some mapo tofu 麻婆豆腐, and talk about how he honed his throat singing technique Inner Mongolia. Hey Jonny! What have you been up to lately? (note: this interview took place last month) Hey! We’re currentlyContinueContinue reading “High Fiving the All Seeing Hand: Interview with Jonny Marks”

The Literary Blossom: Interview with Renee Liang

Last month, I managed to catch up with poet, playwright, paediatrician and mother of two Renee Liang while she was in Wellington on locum at Hutt Hospital. Juggling a baby, a chocolate cake and a multi-faceted career, we commenced. Hey Renee! The Chinese name your Yeh Yeh (paternal grandfather) gave you was ‘Literary Blossom,’ as opposedContinueContinue reading “The Literary Blossom: Interview with Renee Liang”

Enter the lounge with Kerry Ann Lee

Kiwese got to hang out with multi-media visual artist, designer and punk enthusiast Kerry Ann Lee at her cozy abode in Mount Victoria, for a rainy afternoon full of LPs, books, ornaments, coffee and fresh cream donuts. Hey KAL! Tell us about the upcoming exhibition you are involved with in Auckland? Its called Unstuck in Time, it’s aContinueContinue reading “Enter the lounge with Kerry Ann Lee”

Banana Split

Kristen Ng aka Kiwese went to the Diverse Bananas, Global Dragons’ Conference in Auckland, to be told she was in fact white on the inside, but her yellow skin gave her great job prospects in the corporate business world. I was born in Wellington. So was my dad. My mum was born and raised in Gisborne.ContinueContinue reading “Banana Split”

China in the Documentary Edge Festival

The Documentary Edge Festival is well upon us here in Wellington, showing a range of documentaries from New Zealand and around the world at the Roxy Cinema in Miramar. Kiwese picks out two docos with links to China that you might be keen to check out over the next week or so! CHIMERAS (2013) FINLAND / 89min. / Chinese with EnglishContinueContinue reading “China in the Documentary Edge Festival”