Poon Fah Association of New Zealand (Established in 1916)

Entering the New Zealand Poon Fah Association of Zealand in Wellington, a group of lighthearted and cheerful faces welcomed me. I immersed myself in the vibe of the traditional clan association. I felt like one of them because Poon Yue is my hometown.

While chatting, I looked around the interior. The lion heads hanging on the wall attracted me. Overseas clan association functions to unify fellow villagers to support their mutual welfare through regular gatherings. Enjoying good food and playing games are core activities to sustain members’ active involvement. Chinese traditional lion dance and dragon dance are the main programmes on the festive days, and mahjong is one of the most popular daily indoor entertainment.

I gave up the traditional formal sitting style of a group photo and posed the members amongst the stacks of chairs in front of the lion heads casually and playfully to express the interpersonal relationship of the century-long Association.

The 1916 Poon Fah Founding Member Directory is a very precious historical document stitched bound and written with a Chinese brush on xuan paper. I photographed it on a contemporary automatic mahjong table with a pair of male and female Big Head Buddhas[1] in the top corners to lead the Association. Wishfully it echoes the casual and playful vibe of the group photo.

[1] Big Head Buddha

Legend has it that the lion is a spiritual beast of Buddhism but has not yet reached the realm of Dharma enlightenment. Thus Rulai Buddha assigned the Big Head Buddha to guide the lion in the human world. The Big Head Buddha in the Southern Lion Dance in Southern China plays a similar role to guide the lion; in recent years, he or she also plays a metaphoric role of a joker to create a joyful hype for the performance. 

King Tong HO

2020

新西兰（一九一六年注册）番花会馆

踏进威灵顿新西兰番花会馆，便迎来一群愉悦的面孔，祖籍番禺的我，随即完全融入传统宗亲会的氛围，倍感亲切。闲谈间，环顾室内摆设，墙上的数个舞狮头吸引了我。宗亲会透过聚会，凝聚同乡人的关系及互相照顾，以聚餐及游戏活动维系会员。在中国传统的喜庆日子，舞狮及舞龙是主要节目;而在平常的日子，打麻将是最受欢迎的室内娱乐之一。

我放弃传统宗亲会集体照的 ‘排排坐’ 严肃形式，改用随意、嬉戏的方式来表达那超过一百年历史的宗亲人际关系。

番花会馆一九一六年创会芳名录是一件十分珍贵的历史文献，它以传统方式、用中国毛笔书写在线装宣纸上。我把它放在麻雀枱上拍摄并在画面的左、右上角加入男、女大头佛  [1]以引领宗亲会，用意是呼应集体照那随意丶嬉戏的气氛。

[1] 大头佛

相传狮子是佛门灵兽，但尚未达悟佛法的境界，于是佛祖下令大头佛照顾狮子下山。大头佛、又称引狮郎，中国南方的 ‘舞南狮’ 、常有“大头佛”走在舞狮队伍的最前面，负责向狮子引路。近代，大头佛亦有一戏谑喻意，以带出欢乐氧氛。

何经棠

2020

新西蘭（一九一六年註册）番花會館

踏進威靈頓新西蘭番花會館，便迎來一群愉悅的面孔，祖籍番禺的我，隨即完全融入傳統宗親會的氛圍，倍感親切。閒談間，環顧室內擺設，牆上的數個舞獅頭吸引了我。宗親會透過聚會，凝聚同鄉人的關係及互相照顧，以聚餐及遊戲活動維繫會員。在中國傳統的喜慶日子，舞獅及舞龍是主要節目;而在平常的日子，打麻將是最受歡迎的室內娛樂之一。

我放棄傳統宗親會集體照的 ‘排排坐’ 嚴肅形式，改用隨意、嬉戲的方式來表達那超過一百年歷史的宗親人際關係。 

番花會館一九一六年創會芳名錄是一件十分珍貴的歷史文獻，它以傳統方式、用中國毛筆書寫在線裝宣紙上。我把它放在麻雀枱上拍攝並在畫面的左、右上角加入男、女大頭佛[1]以引領宗親會，用意是呼應集體照那隨意丶嬉戲的氣氛

[1] 大頭佛

相傳獅子是佛門靈獸，但尚未達悟佛法的境界，于是佛祖下令大頭佛照顧獅子下山。大頭佛、又稱引獅郎，中國南方的 ‘舞南獅’ 、常有「大頭佛」走在舞獅隊伍的最前面，負責向獅子引路。近代，大頭佛亦有一戲謔喻意，以帶出歡樂氧氛。

何經棠

2020