Photos: Ōpononi's Ventnor memorial honours 499 Chinese goldminers lost at sea

Members of a Chinese dance troupe place incense sticks at the Ventnor memorial. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A memorial to 499 Chinese gold miners whose remains were lost at sea when the SS Ventnor sank off Hokianga Harbour in 1902 — and the west coast Māori who recovered the bones and buried them alongside their own people — was dedicated in Ōpononi on Saturday. More than 200 members of New Zealand's Chinese community, from as far away as Dunedin, attended the ceremony along with iwi, government ministers and MPs.

Former Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones addresses the crowd in Manea Footprints of Kupe Centre at Ōpononi. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Research by Liu Sheung Wong of Rawene (centre) brought to the Ventnor story to the attention of New Zealand's Chinese community. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Race relations commissioner Meng Foon, who led the memorial project for the NZ Chinese Association, speaks at Manea Footprints of Kupe Centre. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Linus Chin, president of the Otago-Southland branch of the NZ Chinese Association, becomes emotional as he presents iwi with a gift of pounamu. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Labour MP Naisi Chen addresses the crowd in Chinese as Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis looks on. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Former Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones shares a hongi with race relations commissioner Meng Foon. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones present the NZ Chinese Association with a carved pouwhenua. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters addresses members of the NZ Chinese Association after presenting a carved pouwhenua as a gift. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Gordon Wu speaks of discovering his great-grandfather was one of the men whose remains were lost with the Ventnor. Photo / Peter de Graaf

NZ Chinese Association president Richard Leung gifts former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters a photo of the memorial. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The Auckland-based E-PACS dance troupe performs a type of lion dance reserved for emperors and major occasions. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A white lion pays respect to the Ventnor memorial during a dance performed by the Auckland-based E-PACS dance troupe. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The lion bows to Hokianga's most revered kaumātua, John Klaricich, during a lion dance. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The dancers' costume is burnt after the lion dance. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The dancers' costume goes up in flames after the lion dance. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A member of the Auckland-based E-PACS cultural group waves a banner. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Ventnor descendant Gordon Wu lays a wreath at the memorial. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Race relations commissioner Meng Foon carries incense sticks to the memorial. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Members of the E-PACS cultural group place incense sticks at the Ventnor memorial. Photo / Peter de Graaf