Dance show to repay Taiwan typhoon generosity

Matilda Lee rehearses with Taiwanese dancers. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Back in her southern Taiwan hometown, dance teacher Matilda Lee's students can no longer attend lessons.

Most of their homes were destroyed by Typhoon Morakot, which hit the island in early August, bringing powerful winds and torrential rain that left at least 640 people dead and 92 missing, according to the most recent figures from the National Fire Agency.

But Miss Lee said overseas donations, including $220,000 from Kiwis, in addition to $100,000 pledged by the Government, would give victims hope to rebuild their lives.

"Help from the Taiwanese Government has been very slow, and we are hopeful that overseas money is good and will give a lot of people hope," she said in Mandarin.

Miss Lee is here with 12 other cultural performers on a "goodwill mission" to thank New Zealanders for their generosity with a show in Manukau tonight which will feature a mix of traditional Taiwanese music, jazz and modern sounds, performed by dancers in ethnic costumes ranging from aboriginal and oriental to Hakka.

"We are very touched and grateful for the donation, and our biggest hope is just for things to be normal again," Miss Lee said.

Andy Tseng, Taiwan's New Zealand-based press counsellor, said most of the homeless had been moved into military barracks and Government facilities, but the donationsfrom New Zealand would be used by the Taiwan Red Cross, which intends building up to 1600 houses within two years for the homeless.

"The Government has started reconstruction after the disaster, and we are very grateful and deeply touched by the generosity of New Zealanders," Mr Tseng said.

Taiwanese Hwa Hsia Society president Alan Wu said the money from New Zealanders would be handed to the Taiwanese officials after the performance.

Taiwan's Government had come under severe public criticism for the way it tackled the typhoon, the worst storm to hit the island in half a century, resulting in the resignation of Premier Liu Chao-shuian this month.

Since Taipei lost its United Nations seat to Beijing in 1971, and the United States established diplomatic relations with China in 1979, Taipei is left with just 23 diplomatic allies, mostly poor nations in Central America, Africa and the Pacific.

New Zealand ceased diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1972.

PERFORMANCE
WHAT: Danceworks - Taiwanese performance to thank Kiwis for their help with typhoon victims.
WHEN: Tonight at 7 at the Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre, Manukau. Tickets $10.