Saturday 11 February 2017 NZCFS Hamilton Branch Annual Chinese New Year Concert at Clarence Street Theatre, Hamilton at 6:30 pm. Our second Chinese Sister City Chengdu had very kindly offered to send a performance group to perform at our concert. The performers were all teachers from Chengdu Youth Palace: Ms PENG Xiaoya, Head of the Art Troupe, Chengdu Youth Palace. Ms DOU Yijiao, Director of the Performing Arts Centre, Chengdu Youth Palace Ms LUO Meng, Teacher, Chengdu Youth Palace Ms ZHAO Qingsong, Teacher, Chengdu Youth Palace Mr HU Yilin, Teacher, Chengdu Youth Palace Mr YANG Ke, Vice-President of Dancing School, Chengdu Youth Palace Ms YU Wen, Teacher, Chengdu Youth Palace Ms LI Xibei, Teacher, Chengdu Youth Palace Ms JIANG Qianzhu, Teacher, Chengdu Youth Palace Mr LIU Guangyu, Teacher, Chengdu Youth Palace Special thank you to Waikato Chinese Association for hosting Chengdu guests to lunch at Hamilton Chinese Community Centre. Wednesday 15 March 2017 at 6.30pm: Hamilton Branch Annual General Meeting was held at Lady Goodfellow Chapel at University of Waikato. Jenevere Foreman, Dr Xiaoning Wang, and Gill Lawrence were not standing for office again and were all thanked for their invaluable assistance and help over the past years. The following officers and committee were duly elected. President Miao FAN, Vice-President Annette Wright, Joint Secretary Ian Howat and Helena Wang, Treasurer Diane Lanting, Committee Members Christina Howard-Shi and Hayden Crowther. The AGM was followed by supper. Saturday 8 April 2017 Branch trip to Tauranga: This trip had originally been planned for 11th March but “weather bomb” warnings for that weekend for Tauranga were so bad that we to postpone the trip to 8 April. Although only 8 from Hamilton went by our hired People Mover (8 seater) to Tauranga, we did end up with two full tables for Yum Cha at 88 Devonport Chinese Restaurant. We were joined by Tauranga Branch President John Hodgson and his wife Judy, Duncan and Teri France (former President and Secretary Hibiscus Coast Branch), and former NZCFS National President Margaret Cooper, together with some of our Branch members from Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. We had great weather on this day and after a great lunch we visited Mount Maunganui – large numbers of people on the beach – it was really sunny and warm. We will consider doing a similar trip to Rotorua when weather becomes warmer again. May 19-21 2017 NZCFS Annual Conference and AGM: Hosted this year by Christchurch Branch. Theme: REWI ALLEY – The Spirit Continues. NZCFS Hamilton was represented by President Miao Fan, former Branch Presidents Dr Dov Bing and Jenevere Foreman, Annette Wright, Diane Lanting, Duncan and Teri France and Tingting Wang. Wednesday 24 May 2017 Stan Boyle Memorial Scholarship Award: University of Waikato Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences held its International Languages Annual Prizegiving ceremony at 1.10 pm in Room I.4.09. Stan Boyle Memorial Scholarship Prize for Excellence in Chinese was awarded to third year student Courtney Bauerfeind (currently in Taiwan on an Exchange Programme, and Louise Stevenson. NZCFS Hamilton Branch was represented by members Dr Xiaoning Wang and Ian Howat. Sunday 28 May 1.30 – 3.30pm Chinese Concert: The launch of Hamilton NZCFS Performing Arts Group (哈密尔顿新中友协艺术团) was held at the University of Waikato Lady Goodfellow Chapel. The group performed six items including songs and dances. The choral singing of “Auld Lang Syne” was one of the highlights. Over 150 people attended our first concert, including Paula Southgate, Hamilton City Councillor; John Hodgson, Tauranga branch president and his wife Judy Hodgson; Richard Lawrence and Ko Jungmi, joint presidents of NZ Korea Friendship Society; NZCFS Hamilton members, guests and friends. Dave Bromwich, NZCFS National President sent us a congratulatory letter: “Congratulations to NZCFS Hamilton Branch Cultural Group on your establishment. I applaud this tremendous achievement which is of great benefit to the branch members as well as to the public.” Sunday 25 June 2017 at 12 noon: Our branch Annual Fundraising event this year will be a luncheon at Tropical Chinese Restaurant (滋味轩), 941A Victoria Street, Hamilton. This year we will be raising funds for our 2018 Chinese New Year Concert. Several of our members and guests are vegetarian, and we are offering a vegetarian option. If you are vegetarian, could you please tell us that when you make your booking, and we can arrange catering accordingly. Sunday 2 July 2017 at 1pm: Ma Jiang (Mah Jong) afternoon at Waikato Chinese Community Centre, 47 Lewis Street. We are again joining with Waikato Chinese Association for another Ma Jiang session, (after two successful joint sessions last year). The afternoon is planned both for players with some experience, as well as players who are learning or wish to learn. Pot luck afternoon tea – Chinese tea will be provided. Please contact Annette [email protected] or text on 021 0556607 if you do intend to come for this afternoon – please give some idea of your level of experience so we can set up appropriate tables. We can supply basic learner information material by email on request. Wednesday 26 July 2017 at 7pm at Lady Goodfellow Chapel Presentation by our member Miles Barker on Going Behind the Lines: New Zealand Writer Robyn Hyde in China, 1938 In February 1938 New Zealand writer Robyn Hyde called in to Hong Kong on a journey by sea to Britain to further her writing career. Acting on an impulse, she interrupted her plans and spent five months in China. In war-torn Shanghai she met Rewi Alley and was grateful for the time he spent showing her the city’s appalling social conditions - although their dialogue was to become intense and divergent. She was befriended by New Zealander James Bertram, who was then attached to the Eighth Route Army in north-west China. She became acquainted with other resident foreign friends of China like Agnes Smedley and Edgar Snow, and she interviewed Madam Soong Qingling, Aware of the Japanese invasion pouring into north-east China, Hyde sought and obtained work as an on-the-spot war correspondent. She made her way north from Guangzhou and into the zone of occupation in Anhui province. Apprehended by the Japanese, her treatment varied from civil to brutal. Eventually released, she made her way perilously northwards and back to the British embassy at Qingdao. ‘Robyn Hyde’ was actually her pen name. Born in 1906 and christened Iris Wilkinson, she was to produce ten books of poetry and prose and countless other articles and letters. To support her writing, she worked as a journalist, reporter and a newspaper editor in Wellington, Wanganui and Auckland. Beset by personal difficulties and needing periods of psychiatric help, she nevertheless played a major role in New Zealand’s literary scene in the 1930s, associating with Frank Sargeson, A. R. D. Fairburn, John Mulgan, Jane Mander, and others. Ill, depressed and near destitute when she arrived in London in September 1938, but supported by Bertram and others with New Zealand and literary connections, she managed to write and publish ‘Dragon Rampant’. This book, documenting her experiences in China, has helped to establish her as a significant figure in New Zealand/China pre-World-War II relations. She died in London in August 1939. Today Robin Hyde is considered to be a major figure in New Zealand’s literary history. Sunday 3 December 2017 Annual branch End of year Luncheon: Please note this in your Diary now – details will be sent out to members later. Saturday 24 February 2018 Chinese New Year Concert: Please note in your diary now – details will be sent to members later. Membership Subscriptions for Year 1 January to 31 December 2017: For those who have not yet paid their current subscription, this is a gentle reminder that your current subscription is still due.. If you have not paid your subscription for this year, could you please do so as soon as possible – subscription can be paid in person to Diane or Helena at our luncheon on Sunday 25 June; Subscription rates as follows: Student (Full Time) $10 Single $20 Couple or Family $25 Senior Single $15 Senior Couple $20 Corporate $50 Educational Institute $50 Welcome to new members: JIA Li Marc Wright Sushan & James McDowall .