A book event hosted by Next Chapter bookshop on Wednesday (June 9) left attendees feeling both moved and saddened. 

The event celebrated the first ever anthology of Asian New Zealand writing, ‘A Clear Dawn: New Asian Voices from Aotearoa New Zealand’.

Editors Paula Morris and Alison Wong visited Wanaka to read from the book, and they were accompanied by Jeffrey Zhao, who played the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument, between readings.

The readings uncovered the way early Asian migrants in New Zealand were treated, from gold miners in Otago to greengrocers in the cities. 

It showed a history that left the audience moved, Next Chapter bookshop owner Jenny Ainge said. 

“It really showed how painful it is to be an outsider, and in particular how the New Zealand Chinese community were made to feel like outsiders for so long,” she said.

“There was a very deep level of emotion involved in all the readings.”

Paula and Alison said they chose to focus on the historical aspect of the anthology during the event, but promised the book featured work from a variety of eras, moods and genres, with poetry, fiction and essays within its covers. 

The landmark collection presents a new wave of creative talent, featuring work from 75 writers, and Caroline Harker, who introduced the event, said she had spent the last weekend “laughing, crying and everything in between” as she made her way through it. 

Jenny thanked Paula, Alison and Jeffrey, as well as the Asian New Zealand Foundation, for making the event possible.

PHOTO: Wanaka App