Re: Hakka women?

[sllee <sllee@asiawind.com>]

On Tue, 6 Jan 1998, Carolynne S. Hew wrote:

> Your Hakka home page is excellent - thank you for your work... it was
> really helped me with mine.  Please allow me to introduce myself:  I am an
> independent filmmaker based in Toronto, my father is Hakka and from Ipoh,
> Malaysia.  I will be going to Malaysia Jan.24 for 1 month to research and
> shoot a non-traditional, personal documentary about my  Hew family legacy,
> my Aunts, Hakka women.  


Carolynne,

I am forwarding your letter to the maillist and forum (see Cc addresses)
see if others can help you also. Please do join by writing to those
addresses.

>I have a few questions I have not yet been able to
> gather information about -- and  I wondered if you might be able to offer
> me some suggestions :
> 
> - can you recommend any sources of information particularly about Hakka
> women, esp. in China or  Malaysia?

There are a few books on Hakka and many mention women in particular. If
you can read Chinese, please see the references on my website.

> 
> - do you know anything about Hakka women construction gangs in HK? I have
> heard about them, but cannot confirm if there are any women currently still
> working in construction(in all female teams) that I might film while in HK
> this Feb. 98. Anything at all would be most helpful.
> 
Hakka construction women in Hong Kong are disappearing. You might still
find some in the New Territories, or try the New Airport in Lantau island.
They should be easily recognized by their unique costume (the round hat
with black apron).

> - Do you know anyone/anywhere that might have old movie/video footage of
> Hakka people - women or men - from days gone by? I will try the archives in
> Malaysia when I am there, of course.
> 

Han Suyin's book Good Earth, (Or was it Pearl Buck's?) was made into a
movie.  It has some scenes of Hakka people. You might want to get a copy. 
John Wayne had a movie(could be the same one) that shows some Hakka women.
I forgot the name of it.  I don't have the book or the movie. someone else
on the net may be able to help you more. But I am not sure whether these
movies truly portrait Hakka people as it should be. Many movies about
China in the 1950s were distorted from the original book. 

Good luck!

SL Lee