A BOOK charting the history of Ballarat\u2019s Tong Way family from 1863 onwards has been nominated for a Victorian Community History Award.<\/p>\n
Following its release in April, Chinese Roots is up for the awards\u2019 Community Diversity category after being submitted by local publishing outlet Shawline Publishing Group.<\/p>\n
The book\u2019s author Yvonne Horsfield is a descendant of the family through her grandfather Reverend John Tong Way, and said the nomination will help attract more interest in her family\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019ll bring a wider recognition to it,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m most gratified because it obviously shows the publisher has confidence in my book.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was basically around my grandfather being a major figurehead for Chinese community. He was the superintendent missioner to the Chinese of Ballarat and district before he retired in 1949.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud to have written the book because my mother had the unique experience of being raised by her Chinese grandparents. I said to her she should\u2019ve written this book, but she made me promise that I would.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having previously written about six other children\u2019s books, Horsfield has followed up her exploration of Chinese culture with Liu Jo Wei: A Chinese Boy on the Goldfields which released in November with illustrations by her son Garth.<\/p>\n
She said she thinks the book has helped shine a brighter light on the region\u2019s Chinese connection.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had many people come up to me and said they found the story very readable,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope more people will continue to read it and learn a bit more about what it was like to be Chinese in Ballarat.\u201d<\/p>\n
The winners will be announced during a presentation at Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday 2 February.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A BOOK charting the history of Ballarat\u2019s Tong Way family from 1863 onwards has been nominated for a Victorian Community History Award. Following its release in April, Chinese Roots is up for the awards\u2019 Community Diversity category after being submitted by local publishing outlet Shawline Publishing Group. The book\u2019s author Yvonne Horsfield is a descendant […]<\/p>\n