Chinese Cultural Heritage Prize

This prize arises from a fund established in 1996 by Mrs Elizabeth Garratt to mark the introduction of a major in Chinese.

Wai-te-ata Press is kaitiaki of New Zealand’s only set of metal Chinese movable types, owned by the Dominion Federation of New Zealand Chinese Commercial Growers and used by the Federation between 1952-1972 to produce their monthly journal, Qiaonong 僑農. A group of volunteers meets weekly throughout the year in the Press’s Studio of the Waters of the Dawn to clean, sort, and use the heritage types. This prize is awarded biennially (in odd years) to a student volunteer involved in this process and who produces a publishable creative or scholarly reflection (written, sonic or pictorial, factual or fictional) on some aspect of the heritage value of the type and the journal which, in the opinion of The Printer in consultation with the Chinese Programme, is the best such reflection of the year and worthy of the award. The winner’s contribution will be published on the Wai-te-ata Press website.

The recipient will be asked to write a letter of appreciation, which will be forwarded appropriately.

$1000 (subject to available funds)

No application required. Reflections should be maximum 500 words or equivalent and submitted to wtapress@vuw.ac.nz no later than 1 September. The winner will be announced at the Mid-Autumn Festival held at Wai-te-ata Press.

This prize is awarded biennially (in odd years) to a student volunteer with the Wai-te-ata Press in connection with the cleaning, sorting, and use of the Dominion Federation of Chinese Commercial Grower’s Chinese metal type.