In touch with Chinese culture

Arrowtown and Queenstown children visit the historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement as part of Chinese New Year celebrations on Friday. Photos by James Beech.

Zoe Ries (9), Jessica MacDonald (8) and Amelia Peasey (10), all of Arrowtown, with Emily Spicer (10), of Quail Rise Estate.

J.D. Ries (7), with Zoe (8), Cara (5) and Harry Waggett (6), all of Arrowtown.

Jed Crawford (5) and Matthew Gibbens (9), both of Arrowtown, with Cameron Spicer (7), of Quail Rise Estate, plus Aiden Young (8) and Josh Bonnar (8), both of Arrowtown, Tiwai Saxton (8), of Lower Shotover, and Finley Davies (8), of Arrowtown.

Jorja Davies (6), Erin Bonnar (5) and Lauren Gibbens (6), all of Arrowtown.

Eighteen Arrowtown and Queenstown children took part in a Chinese New Year activity day organised by the Lakes District Museum on Friday.

Children aged 5-10 decorated colourful dragon masks, visited the nearby Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, played traditional Chinese games, tried their hands at brush painting and went gold panning to celebrate the Year of the Horse.

Museum education officer Amy Taylor said the day was a success with older children looking after the younger ones, creating a good atmosphere.

A few children said they had relatives living in China.

They formed groups while visiting the settlement to answer questions about Chinese miners and the hardships they faced at Arrowtown.

''Appreciation of a different culture will help them appreciate their own,'' Miss Taylor said.

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