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Hakka Migration to Caribbean
Before I joined the Forum, I had replied directly to "Carlos" with the
information I had. The information I provided is from my family tree
document. All this was produced in 1993, and is the result of about 20
years of documentation and questioning the Hakka elders of Jamaica. I
wish I had access to the Forum back then. Here is a selection from my
Family Tree [Chuk Poo]:
1.0 The Hakka People
To know where you are going, you have to know where you came from.
"Hakka" is not the name of a racial or ethnic group. "Hakka" means
"guest people", and was the name given to our people by the indigenous
people of the regions they chose to settle, and especially by the Punti
in the south-ern province, Kwangtung, because we were refugees from the
north. Their origin are the provinces of Shansi, Honan and Shantung, in
the loess plains of the Yellow River in north China (see maps M-1 &
M-2). There has been sev-eral migra-tion events caused by either by
famine due to floods or drought, wars or invasion by the Tartars or
Mongols. The largest migration took place after A.D. 1276 when the
Mongols under Ghengis Khan invaded and conquered China.
Ghengis Khan made it a point of killing every man, woman and child in a
village if so much as a single arrow was shot at them, or resis-tance
was encountered when he demanded their surrender. When this news
reached the villages in advance of his attack, rather than face
annihilation or subservience, the Hakka chose to pack and move south.
However by this time much of middle China was already settled, so they
had to either move further south (to Kwangtung) and to settle in the
hills or less fertile lands.
In Kwangtung, a lot of animosity arose between the Hakka and the native
Punti people; they fought over land, inter-marriage, and the differences
in their dialects. Both Hakka and Punti are Han people, but while the
Punti/Cantonese dialect evolves and changes, the Hakka dialect has
remained pure.
Because of their frequent migration, the Hakka as a group developed
several traits. They are characterized as being clannish [chee gaa
ning], thrifty, loyal to each other, good farmers, bad neighbours, and
ready to fight. Because of their willingness to migrate, and their
ability to survive even under harsh condi-tions, they were paid by the
chinese govern-ment to settle the Szechuan region in 1680-1720.
The last major migration was after the Taiping rebellion in 1850. The
leader of this rebellion was a Hakka named Hung Hsiuchuan. The
manchurian appointed another Hakka, Chen Guo Fan, to put him down; and
after squashing the rebellion, the manchus tried to wipe out the Hung
family by killing everyone named Hung. Many changed their names and
moved further south.
On account of these migrations the Hakka are found in all regions of
the world. They have been the pioneers of the Chinese migra-tion world
wide. They moved into south-east Asia: Vietnam, Malaysia, the
Philippines; into Africa: South Africa, Uganda; into India: Bombay; and
any where money could be earned. They were amongst the first to help
build the Panama railway in 1850, to work the cane fields of the
Caribbean. From the Carib-bean they have migrated to Holland, England,
Canada, and the USA.
The CHENS are from the state of Lu in Shan-tung. Confucius'
birth-place Qufu is also in the state of Lu. Map M-3 shows the origin
of the rest of our roots [Chin, Chong, Hung, Sew, & Lue].
3.0 Migration of our immediate forefathers.
In this section I will address two things:
o why they migrated, and
o the chronology of their movement.
3.1 Why they migrated
The Chinese migration to the west began in 1845. To understand what
prompted this we need to look at the events of the world dur-ing that
period. I have attempted to summarize the major events pertinent to our
interest in the following list:
1834 Abolition of slavery in the Caribbean.
1842 Hong Kong became British.
1848 Gold discovered in California.
1850-1866 The Taiping rebellion; an upris-ing started by a Hakka student
after several unsuc-cessful attempts at the final govern-ment exams. He
believed that he was appointed by God to overthrow the establishment and
bring about social reform. He adopted several christian beliefs, and
was successful in attracting many Hakka fol-lowers. He was finally
defeated in 1866 be Tseng Kuo-fan (a Chen). This prompted the next
major migra-tion of the Hakka people.
1850-1856 The start of the building of the Panama rail road. Many
labourers recruited from south-ern China.
1856-1860 The second Opium war, with the resulting loss of sovereignty
to the Russian, French, British, and Americans.
1875-1885 The loss of Ili, Burma, Viet-nam, Korea, and the war with
Japan.
1895-1905 The Boxer rebellion; an upris-ing against the foreigners that
were occupying China. Turned against the missionaries and those who
embraced christian-ity (remember who were in the Taiping rebel-lion?).
1911 10 October; the fall of the Manchu Dynasty (the last Emperor), &
the Republic of China established by Dr. Sun Yat Sen.
1931 Japanese occupation of Manchu-ria.
1927-1949 Civil war, ended with victory by the Communists.
1939-1945 World War II
If we look at this series of events, we note that with the wars,
occupation, and rebellions, the 1850's were tough economic times. Plus
there was a backlash against the Hakka both in the 1850's & 1890's.
These were strong incen-tives for migrating. But fortunately there were
several opportunities:
o there was a vast British Empire.
o they had access to Hong Kong that was now under British rule.
o they became British subjects.
o with the abolition of slavery, there was a demand for cheap labour in
the west: for the California gold rush, the Canadian railway, the Panama
railway, and the plan-tations in the Caribbean.
o the Hakka had an enviable reputation as hard workers, and a history of
a migra-tory people.
3.2 Chronology
The first Chinese immigrants to Jamaica came from Panama in 1854 where
they were con-tracted to work on the railway. They were exhausted and
alarmed by the high rate of death due to overwork, the humidity, and
malaria. They petitioned the British to return them to China, but
instead they were taken to the closest British colony - Jamaica. Many
of the original 472 Chinese workers died.
In 1864-1870 the second wave of chinese immigrants came from Trinidad &
British Guiana. Two hundred of them came as inden-tured labourers for a
contract period of 3 years. They remained in Jamaica to open shops
after the end of their contracts.
In 1885 things were booming in Jamaica, and there was a great demand
for labourers. So between 1885 and 1905 there was a large influx of
chinese immigrants because there was no law restricting the entry of
chinese immi-grants.
It was in this wave of immigrants that Chen Ah Young (Dad's father)
left Tien Sim Wei and went to Jamaica in 1900. Ah Young was his school
name; his married name was Chow Tong.
4.0 Our family and descendants on the Chen's side
Our great-grandfather (Bing Seung) was a farmer/businessman in Tien
Sim Wei. He owned and operated factories that processed peanuts, and
produced sugar, and peanut oil. He had two wives, and with them had two
daughters and four sons. He took a second wife, Pang, after his first
wife, Chuck, had the first two daughters. One of these daughters is
Hubert's grandmother; I have no information on the other daughter. She
event-ual-ly has sons after our great-grand-mother Pang had our
grand-father. All four sons went to Jamaica, and the daugh-ters married
and remained in China. The youngest son, Chow Neuk, returned to China
after two years in Jamaica. The three brothers that remained, started
the three lines of fam-ilies that we know of: Chen Ah Young (Chow Tung):
our family; Chow Yeun: Tat's side; Chow Sing: Aunt Maggie's side. Both
Chow Yuen and Chow Sing died in Jamaica. Great-grandmother Pang's
children were Ah Young and Chow Sing (Aunt Maggie's father).
Chen Ah Young was the eldest son, born in Tien Sim Wei (Canton, as
declare in his travel documents) on December 1, 1878 and was the first
to migrate to Jamaica. (There is a con-flicting document, mom's
application for citizen of the United Kingdom, that shows his birth date
as 2nd. March, 1886.)
Although his travel documents states that he migrated to Jamaica in
1900, oral history has it that he married before he left China. With his
first wife, nee Lieuw, there were two children: Uncle George Edward Chen
(Hen Quaig), and Aunt Sin Goo; their families are discussed later. In
1913 when Sin Goo was three years old, he itched to go to Jamaica, but
his wife, Lieuw, refused to leave China. So he took a second wife, Sew,
and made his first trip to Jamaica with her.
Chen Ah Young's second wife was Minnie* [on the travel documents for
their return to China] (nee Sew, as told to me by aunt Florence)
[29/08/1895]. This is our grand-mother. They had five children: Samuel
Chen (dad), Annie Yin Goo, Aunt Florence, Moi shook, and Cheung Yen Goo
(Vivian's mother). [* On dad's birth certificate she is listed as Mary
Chinn].
The descendants of the above families are elaborated below.
4.1 From the first wife (Lieuw):
Uncle George and Sin Goo were born in China. When Uncle George
migrated to Jamaica is unknown; Sin Goo married and migrated to
Suriname.
Uncle George lived in Jamaica until about 1944 when he returned to
China. Uncle George and Ah-neung had adopted a daugh-ter called Eena.
She was about Ray's age, and both she and Ray were to be taken back to
China with them at that time; but because of the war in China, Mom did
not allow Ray to accompany them. Eena was returned to her natural
mother at the objection of Ah-neung. It was the com-mon prac-tice of
over-seas chi-nese to sent their children back to China at an early age
for educa-tion; many even sent the children they had with the local
negro and indian women back to China. Uncle George also adopted a son,
Choi Go, who is still living in China.
Aunt Sin Goo lived in Canton, married a Chin, and had four children:
Chan Yue-E (Neght Kno) married to Yang Sin Go
Oi Ping (daughter) married to Yao Gong Sheng (Jason Rao)
De Yi [25/03/61](I sponsored De Yi to study in USA; now is resident
in New Jersey) married to Hou Wen Jing, and have a daughter Diane
(Si-yi) [9/08/93], and a son, Calvin (Si-heng) [26/09/96]
Chan Cheungan married to Yeun Kiu (moved to Blackpool, England, from
Surinam)
Shuk Yee [11/10/69]
Miao Chang [Monica 7/11/70]
Lee Ling [24/05/75]
Miao Ling [31/07/74]
Mai Yee [17/12/87]
Chan Wai Chi xxx living in Surinam with Aunt Sin Goo
Xin Ming
Jian Cheun
Gin Hoi
Tien Yu
Mann Liang
Mou Ying
Chan Yeut Wah (Irene) married to her second cousin Harry Lieuw. She
died on April 5, 1998. (moved from Surinam to Holland) (Harry's
grandmother is our/her grand-aunt, Ah Jeow i.e. dad's eldest aunt)
Robert [1/01/65] at home
Herbert [2/11/65] mining engineer in Ecuador
Carmen [27/09/66] Korean language
Albert [3/04/70] logistics
Mariska [2/01/72] studying medicine
Maureen [2/10/73] clothing manufac-turing
Aunt Sin Goo died in Surinam on May 29, 1995.
4.2 From the second wife (Mary Chinn/Minnie Sew)
Mary/Minnie, our Ah-po, was born in Can-ton district on 29 Aug. 1895
(on the travel docu-ments). She was 17 years younger than Ah-Young,
and 18 years old when she migrated with him to Jamaica in 1913. Of
their five children, the first three were born in Jamaica in the town of
Albany, district of Islington, parish of St. Mary, Jamaica. The last
two were born in China on their return there in 1920 with the whole
family. They returned to China via New York, Montreal, and Vancouver.
In 1932 Dad married Mom and remained in China while he taught at the
Primary school level. He and Mom returned to Jamaica (March 12, 1934)
with his father, Ah-Young. Three years later, Ah-Young returned to
China for good.
[Ah-po's name is also unclear. On dad's birth certificate she is Mary
Chinn; while on Ah-goo's travel document she is Minnie Sew. She died in
China at age 46 from tuberculosis]
The descendants of this branch are:
Samuel Chen [10/02/1915] married to Violet Chin [8/12/1913] {Chang Chun
Lan}
Wellington Paul [3/06/35], engineer, murdered on 23 December 1997 while
living in the Los Angeles area. Body found on his property in a shallow
grave on [4/01/97]
Washington Aloysius [8/12/37], dancer/hotelier in Germany
Raymond Anthony [15/08/39], photographer in Toronto/Jamaica, married
Linnette Lyn (Aug. '62)
Roderick Alan [22/11/63] married to Yvonne Lamer (Dec. 1989/ divourced
1993)
Stephanie Gail [24/06/68]
Roger Ignatius [1/02/41], engineer in Toronto, married Barbara Cecily
Kong (May '65)
Sean Michael [11/02/66)]
Kevin Neil [31/03/67]
Ryan Partick [10/03/72]
Lillian Margaret [28/12/49], art therapist in Vancouver, divorced from
Matthew Speier
Sebastian Chen [1/09/84]
Annie [xx/xx/xx] married Wong xxx xxx
Gun Kiew in HK married Kno Pui Gin
Keuk Sin in Surinam and owns a res-taurant, married to Lee .....
Si Lun (son)
Haa Hang (daughter)
Keuk Woon
Keuk Yeau
Neuk Yeau
2nd. child (D)
Gam Yeun grew up in Surinam and now living in Holland
(is raising his wife's brother's daugh-ter..she has a son for Keuk
Sin's son)
Gam Chinn in HK, had 2 wives
1st wife, Lim Shui Len:
Yoew Pak, daughter
1 son
2nd wife, Say Pak
Florence Chen Sau Lin [xx/03/1919] married Edward Hung Ping Yan
Joyce (D)
Catherine (Suet Ping) married to Robert Li, living in Hong Kong
Victor (Los Angeles)
Winston (San Francisco area)
Wilson (HK)
Rose (Suet Ching) married to Cornelis Ho:living in Honk Kong
Clifton (HK)
Sharon (HK)
Serena (Boston)
Winnie (Sue Funn) married to Michael Sew, living in New York
Calvin
Andrew (Jee Wai) married to Christina Maria XXX, living in New York
Michelle
Kathlene
Derek
Grace married to Douglas Cranna living in Scotland
Jeneve married to Albert Chow living in Hong Kong
Clement (Jea Git)
Brian (Jea Fung)
Janice married to John Longhurst living in Wisconsin
Roy (Jee Ginn) married to Susan Lam in New York
Matthew Brian
Ryan
Raymond (Jee Kong) married to Jiew Ginn Haa living in HK
Eric
Moi Shook (D - 1993) married to Moo Hon Fong
1st. M (D)
2nd. F (D)
Hun Keung in Hong Kong
xxx
Hun Foo married to XXX xx in Hong Kong
boy
girl
Shui Funn in Hong Kong
(In HK Moi Shook was living with his first cousin's wife, and they have
two daughters. Moi Shook died in 1993)
Cheung Neng married to Chin Kim Tong
Man Tat (D)
Roseline (Lee Haa) married to Anthony Assang:
Adrianne (San Francisco)
Lela (HK)
Rose (Los Angeles)
Angela (HK)
Vivian (Lee Chimn) married to Cecil Yap: living in Toronto
Roger
Lori
Frefee married to Andrew Lai: (Hong Kong)
Yee Quan
Chung Ting
Tung married to Teresa Chang: (Toronto)
Sarah Se-hwa
Minley married to Howard Kwan: (Toronto)
Julian
Valerie
Mary living in Toronto
[Yan Tat
How Tat] from the second wife
4.3 Speculations on the movements of Chen Ah-Young
From the conversations I have had with other older family members, it
seems that the following was the movement of Ah-gung, Chen Ah-Young:
o In around 1905 he married to Lieuw, and had George and Sin Goo in
China.
o In 1913 he wanted to go to Jamaica, but his wife Lieuw did not wish
to go with him. So he married Minnie Sew and went to Jamaica.
o Dad, Annie, and Aunt Florence were born in Jamaica.
o He returned to China in 1920, taking all three children and his wife
with him.
o Dad married mom in China, and, accompanying his dad, returned to
Jamaica on March 12, 1934.
o Uncle George probably came to Jamaica at that time also.
o Three years later, 1937, he returned to China for good.
************************************************************************************************
I intend to write about the migration of the Hakkas to both Trinidad and
Guyana in the future. Hope this answer some questions. Some of the
information is very personal to my family, but I believe the information
is relevant to understand the hardship our ancestors faced and the
decisions they had to make.
Roger