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NEWSLETTER 2010/11 CWS
OFFICE HOLDERS AND COMMITTEE
Mr Richard (Dick) Griffiths
Patron
Mr Adam Lowe Vice-Patron
Mr Alfred On OAM Vice-Patron
Mr Austin Chin
President
Mr Daryl Chin Vice President
Ms Jan MacPherson General Secretary
Mr Roland Chin
Treasurer
Mr Daniel Chow Chinese Secretary
Committee Members
Andrew Chin Dennis Low
Desmond Yuen Jade Sham Joel Tinley Michael Lui
Natasha Yuen Nathan Tam Randall Chin Richard Quan Roger Lowe Tiffany Chin Tina Griffiths
Tanya Fong Lim Warren Wong
Temple Officer
Dennis Low
Temple Caretaker Paul Ho
Public Officer
Jan Macpherson
Community Support Worker
Mrs Susan Lay
Auditor Mr John Hetherington
March 2011
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
As I write this message, my thoughts go to the people of New Zealand and Japan who have both recently suffered extremely tragic events. These events have shown how our lives can suddenly change in "a moment", however what I have also seen is the support that we as Australians have been able to provide to our international neighbours as they enter "their hour of need". What I have found most distressing is the many people who have been lost and whose bodies may never be found. Especially according to our Chinese customs and beliefs, this is one of the most terrible things to ever happen to any family. As with the tragic events here in Australia, please donate generously and support any fund raising appeals you can. This Sunday, Chung Wah Society will be celebrating the Ching Ming Festival which is one of the 24 segments of the Chinese Calendar. 'Ching' means clear and 'Ming' means bright. On Ching Ming, the whole family will visit their ancestors or relatives' graves. Joss sticks and paper offerings like paper money and paper clothes are burnt which then rise to heaven so that our ancestors and relatives can receive the goods and even money this way. If you have not attended this Festival in the past please consider attending the Chinese Chapel at 8.00am, Sunday 3rd April. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dennis Low, our dedicated Temple Officer for all his invaluable work towards the Temple. My congratulations to Dennis as I understand he is retiring from the NT Public Service after 32 years of service, I am sure the "Fishing Gods" will look after him. Whilst on Congratulations, the Chung Wah Society would like to congratulate Uncle Adam Lowe on receiving the Chief Minister's Medal at the Harmony Day reception at Parliament house on Monday 21st March. Uncle Adam received the award for outstanding service to our multicultural community. Uncle Adam said he was totally unaware of the award until it was announced at the reception which came as a total surprise. It is wonderful that all his hard work and dedication has been acknowledged by the NT Government. By the way, Uncle Adam is still looking for more volunteers to help out with manning the Museum, so he will be glad to hear from anyone who can help. More on the NT Government as they have followed up on matching our "Road to Bendigo" fund raising dollar for dollar of $7000 plus GST. The support from the Hon Paul Henderson MLA, Minister for Multicultural Affairs will be greatly appreciated in facilitating the Lion Dance Troupe and the Jade Dragon Dancers in attending the Bendigo event. The event will attended by Lion Dance Teams from all over Australia and our team will be performing with some of the best. The team has been putting many hours of training under the guidance of Nathan Tam and Warren Wong who have given up many hours of their spare time. Also many thanks to Rochelle Chin, Tash Yuen and Chantelle Salandanan on getting the Jade Dragons ready for their dance performance in Bendigo. I am sure that they will be great ambassadors for the Territory and do us all proud. Austin Chin
FROM THE BOARDROOM
Temple Affairs – Dennis has been collecting donations for Ching Ming Festival which is being held on Sunday 3/4/11. It was confirmed that Paul Ho is now the caretaker of the Temple. Austin on behalf of Management Committee conveyed thanks to Dennis for his commitment and dedication to Temple Affairs. Signage at Chinese Cemetery in Stuart Park - An email was received by the Management Committee on adequate signage. An approach will be made to the Darwin City Council to pursue improved signage at this site. The Executive Committee will follow up on what procedure is necessary to rectify this matter. Building – As a result of Cyclone Carlos there was a leak in the roof between the old and new section of the hall. Andrew is organising a plasterer to reseal the ceiling where the damage was caused. Approval has been granted to engage professional cleaners for the Caretaker’s cottage due to the current state of the cottage. The contractor is waiting for parts before being able to complete maintenance on the air conditioners in the Hall. A working bee has been scheduled for next week in preparation for engaging the sign writer to renumber the car park bays. Museum – This group is currently considering quotes on improving signage in order to attract visitors. Volunteers are being sought to go on a roster 10 am to 2 pm to ensure that the Museum is open daily. Please contact Richard or Adam on [email protected]. Youth – Tiffany has investigated the First Aid Course concept but at this stage has found nothing suitable that would be generally informative and without certification. The cost of the course is outside the budget at this stage. Tiffany is planning other activities for this group so please watch this space for further announcements on what will be organised for Youth. Seniors – Next gathering will be on Friday 1/4/11. There will be a session on “Working with Alzheimers” scheduled when the Seniors next meet. Senior Members are encouraged to join in the fun and activities each fortnight. Lion Dance – The Troupe has continued to be extremely busy with regular training sessions as well as performing at various functions. An example of the Troupe’s participation can be read in this newsletter. Darwin City Council Community Event 19/3/2011 - This event was held to commemorate the fact that “Darwin” was given its name 100 years ago. The Lion Dance Troupe was engaged by the Darwin City Council to assist with the celebrations. Harmony Day Soiree 26/3/2011 - The Lion Dance Troupe has been engaged for the mini parade at the waterfront. Membership – We are always looking for members as we want this Society to grow. The intention of having more members means that there will be input to improving activities for members. Please email your ideas to [email protected] for consideration. Newsletter – This Committee is always seeking articles for the monthly newsletter so please email your article to [email protected]. We would love to share your news with the Chung Wah Society community. Carparking – Not all the survey forms have been received at the publication of this newsletter. Lessees are urged to complete and return the forms to [email protected] so that Tax Invoices can be issued by 30/4/11 for the next financial year. It is planned to have all future contact with lessees by email so it is important that all lessees’ details are current. CWS Computer – Please browse the website www.chungwahnt.asn.au to obtain the latest information on Chung Wah Society activities. ANZAC Day Ceremony in Darwin - The Management Committee will nominate a representative to attend this ceremony on Monday 25/4/11. Royal Darwin Show Sartee Stall - Richard and Michael are the co-ordinators of this Stall and planning has already commenced. The Royal Darwin Show is on 21 – 23 July 2011 so the Hall Hire diary has already been noted for the planned working bees for Sartee Preparation etc. We look forward to having many volunteers to assist with all the preparations and the Show Stall in July 2011. Royal Darwin Show Sponsorship - The Management Committee has pledged sponsorship in the amount of $200 towards the Arts & Crafts Section of the Show.
CHING MING FESTIVAL Sunday 3 April, Meeting at the Chinese Chapel, at 8.00 am , then going to Stuart Park cemetery. If you would like to make a donation for Ching Ming, envelopes are supplied at the Temple.
Please write your name on the front of the envelope. The actual date of Ching Ming is 5 April.
CONGRATULATIONS
ON YOUR RETIREMENT
Dennis Low
Congratulations on your
retirement from the Government.
To have survived 32 years on the
drilling and pump testing rigs, you
deserve a rest!
CHUNG WAH SOCIETY DRAGON & LION DANCE TROUPE
CHINESE NEW YEAR 2011 The Year of the Rabbit got off to a colourful and spectacular start with the eye-dotting of the new performance Dragon with the honour of the eye-dotting given to Mr Philip Chen. Once the dragon was awoken, it was greeted and welcomed to the family by 8 lions and a long string of firecrackers. The sound and colour of this occasion marked the beginning of Chinese New Year and a very busy period ahead for the Chung Wah Society Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe. First stop, Alice Springs. The troupe was in the Red Centre for 3 days and conducted around 90 blessings during their stay. It was a hectic schedule and a tiring trip but the troupe did have a lot of fun. It must be the buffet breakfast at the hotel that gives them the energy and strength! Once Alice Springs was over, the troupe then focussed on the Darwin blessings and performances for Chinese New Year. In total, approximately 450 shops, houses, offices and performances were done over a 2 week period. Some of the main performances include: Chief Minister’s Chinese New Year Reception; Vietnamese New Year celebrations; Skycity Chinese New Year dinner; Blessing of Darwin City Council Chambers; and of course Chung Wah Society’s Chinese New Year Banquet. The Darwin street blessings were carried out over 2 weekends in February. The first weekend saw 3 teams venture out to the Darwin CBD and surrounding suburbs. The following weekend saw a jam packed schedule that kicked off with a team at Casuarina Shopping Square on a Friday night. The next day saw 3 teams hop on buses and travel around the Northern Suburbs. Finally, on the Sunday, a team headed out to Palmerston and Coolalinga to perform blessings at various shopping centres. In between the 2 busy weekends the core troupe also had an extensive list of performances during the weekdays. Over the 2 week period, there was only 2 nights off where everyone could get some rest and catch up on important things….like homework! Just when the troupe thought it was all over, they were told that some performances were rescheduled into a 3rd week due to Cyclone Carlos paying a visit to Darwin. The core troupe did extremely well and displayed the blood, sweat, and tears that the co-ordinators had asked of them. Well done team! A very big thank you goes out to everyone that was involved with the lion dance troupe during the busy Chinese New Year period, you know who you are. Without your ongoing support, not only during Chinese New Year, but also throughout the year, the troupe wouldn’t be as great as they are now. To the core group, thank you for everything during this busy period, you guys and girls did a fantastic job, keep up the good work, and remember….BRING THE NOISE!!! The core troupe already has some performances lined up over the next few weeks. Some of these include the Harmony Day Soiree at the Waterfront on 26th March 2011, and the International Food Fair held by the Buddhist Society of the NT which will be on 10th April 2011. If you would like to come and watch the troupe perform, or would like information about the above events or lion dance training, please send an email to: [email protected]
BENDIGO TRIP 2011
The countdown is on until the Chung Wah Society Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe travel down to Bendigo, Victoria, to participate in the Easter Celebrations. Every year, lion dance teams from around Melbourne travel to Bendigo to perform and showcase their skills. This year, in addition to the Melbourne teams, teams from Cairns, Canberra, and of course Darwin, will be in Bendigo to take part in the colourful and exciting festivities down there. The troupe is currently training hard in preparation for the trip and the excitement is building. To the Bendigo troupe, train hard and let’s show them what we got! The NT and Chung Wah Society will be well represented down in Bendigo with a number of families making the journey to support the troupe and also to enjoy the spectacle of the big event. Before the troupe departs, an information session will be held on Sunday, 17th April 2011 starting at midday at Chung Wah Hall. This session is open to the parents of troupe members travelling to Bendigo and also the families that will also be down there. If you are interested in attending this information session, please contact Nathan on 0411 478 639 or Warren on 0410 508 688 to confirm your attendance.
Photographs courtesy of Elizabeth Law
HARMONY DAY DRAGON BOAT REGATTA
SUNDAY 20 MARCH 2011, CULLEN BAY MARINA After many years of absence, the Chung Wah Society made a long awaited return to the dragon boat scene in Darwin at the Harmony Day Dragon Boat Regatta held on Sunday 20 March 2011 at Cullen Bay Marina. This time, the Society was represented by members of the CWS Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe, with a team called the “Komodo Dragons” making it’s dragon boat racing debut. Eleven members of the Troupe, aged mostly between 12 and 18 years (with a few exceptions!), participated in 3 heats racing against established corporate teams like the Power and Water Corporation’s “Power Blades”, Conoco Phillips and Aureon. The Komodo Dragons paddled extremely well placing 2nd, 1st and 2nd respectively in their 3 heats. Not a bad result considering most of our team had only been in a dragon boat once or twice before the day. In the first race, the team was overpowered by the much bigger and burlier Power Blades. According to eye witnesses, one of our esteemed lion dance troupe grand masters (who shall only be referred to as “D.C.”) took a turn on the dark side and joined the opposition for this heat. Unfortunately, he got caught up in the excitement of the moment and paddled forwards instead of backwards, thus helping his team to victory. Suffice to say, he was not welcomed back to the CWS team tent after the race! In the second race, the Komodo Dragons had a thrilling nose to nose win over Conoco Phillips. The race was so close that no-one knew the outcome until it was announced on the loudspeaker after the boats came in. In the third and final heat of the day, the Komodo Dragons were pipped half way through by the Wahi Warriors. Far from being discouraged, however, it showed that, with a bit more work and training, the team has a great deal of potential to make it’s mark in this ancient Chinese sport. Overall, it was a better than expected result for the debut of this young team and signalled to the dragon boating community that lion and dragon dancing aren’t the only things our troupe members can do well. Participation in this event was made possible by the Troupe taking a brief time out from their very hectic training schedule for the Bendigo Easter Festival which is just a few short weeks away. The team would like to thank Michelle Hanton, President of Dragon Boat Northern Territory for her encouragement and support and for organising an extremely well run and enjoyable event for all. We hope that this will be the first of many more regattas to come for the Komodo Dragons. Any members who are interested in joining the team for the Dragons Abreast Dragonboat Festival Regatta to be held at Cullen Bay Marina on Sunday 5 June 2011, please contact Kathleen Chong-Fong via e-mail ([email protected]) or on 0405 505 226. Photographs courtesy of Elizabeth Law
LIZZY JUMPS TO IT
Congratulations to young Chung Wah member Elizabeth (Lizzy) Duguid for becoming the youngest ever Territory player to be selected for the Australian Women’s Hockey Squad, the Hockeyroos. The daughter of long time CWS members and supporters Tanya Fong Lim and John Duguid, Lizzy will debut for the Hockeyroos against world champs Argentina in Canberra and Sydney in April. It’s another feather in the cap of the 18 year old achiever who was the NT Hockey Association’s under 18 women’s player of the year in 2010. She’s also a strong academic, recording the NT’s highest Year 12 score in 2009. Well done Lizzy and hearty congratulations!
Thank you to Paul Ho,
who is now the new
Temple Caretaker.
Hugh and Gladys Burlinson are now the proud grandparents
of their 5th grandchild, Keira Lacy, born 06/02/2011, 3.43kg and 50cms.
She is the first child for Graeme and Jaime Burlinson,
who both work as dentists in Singapore.
On February 13 2011, friends and relations gathered at the Loong Fong Restaurant to celebrate Norma and Nigel Gum’s 75th and 80th birthdays. Norma and Nigel came to Darwin from Sydney specifically for the Chung Wah Chinese New Year Banquet the night before but their daughter Marianne decided to take the opportunity to arrange a “surprise” party with some of their old Darwin friends and relatives to celebrate their respective birthdays. A bigger surprise was their youngest son, Dean, flew up with the birthday cake and joined the celebrations. It was a wonderful gathering with all the guests enjoying a wonderful meal and great “chinwag” about old times. The Gums departed Darwin for Singapore the next day. Photo by Roberta Lowe.
MEMBERS’ SERVICE DIRECTORY
If you have a service or skill that may be useful to other members of Chung Wah, please email your details to [email protected]
Chung Wah Society is providing this directory to you as a convenience, and does not endorse any services offered by these operators.
Contact us at:
Name Company Contact Details Service
Marie Chin Reiki M 0401 349 649 B 8941 9917
Ki /Chi energy healing
Kym Handberg ETS AUSTRALIA B 8948 0970 E [email protected] W www.etsaustralia.org
Migration and education consultancy services
Frank Schembri United Realty NT M 0425 254 641 B 8981 2666 E [email protected]
Real estate
CHUNG WAH SOCIETY SENIORS GROUP
in conjunction with Alzheimer's Australia NT and COTA would like to invite you to attend our joint morning tea at the Chung Wah Hall,
25 Woods Street, Darwin
9.30 am, Friday 1st April, 2011
This event will give people the opportunity to socialise over morning tea and access information about our organisations.
There is also the option to stay for lunch at $5 a head.
Please confirm your attendance by contacting
Melanie Chin 8985 6898 AH or Austin Chin 0413 998 082
