Teochew film sparks conversations around culture, language and identity

Derek Lieu

Derek: "...Teochew is not just a language, it’s also heritage..."

As a Cambodian-Chinese-Kiwi kid, growing up speaking Teochew never made much sense to me.

My parents will be the first to tell you how much I complained about it. The way it was only used at home, with family and never had a use outside of that.

Over the years it started popping up in ways and places I didn’t expect.

Conversing with hawker stall owners in Singapore, haggling at markets in Thailand, or ordering at restaurants in the suburbs of Paris.

Experiencing these little pockets of Teochew diaspora, it slowly dawned on me that Teochew is not just a language, it’s also heritage. Heritage that has survived waves of immigration all around the world and somehow turned itself into a sense of belonging.

Nothing represents this better than the first phrase you say when you meet a fellow Teochew person, “kaki nang” which directly translates to “our people”.

The story of 'Dear You' is not one I thought I’d relate to, but seeing, and more importantly hearing - these moments of camaraderie and community play out on the big screen felt strangely familiar.

It helped me understand why those chance encounters with Teochew people have always felt so special, and to watch the story of our people played out in cinemas around the world, in the language I once questioned - speaking Teochew does in fact, start to make sense.

 Magdeline Huang

Magdeline: "All the choices our ancestors made in the past shape the lives we have today."

 Watching Dear You made me think of the great lengths my grandparents went through when they set sail for Malaya (now Malaysia) from China back in the early 1900s.

With just pure will and determination, they braved the unknown to carve out a better future for themselves, their families, and their descendants. There was no promise that life would truly be better across the sea, or that they would even survive the journey, but there was hope.

The early Chinese settlers in Malaya worked hard to ensure their culture and legacy was passed down through the generations. They established Chinese schools, clan associations, cultural organisations, and kept the traditions alive.

Fast-forward to today, the Malaysian Chinese community is vibrant and has evolved to have its own local flavour, drawing inspiration from the many races it lives alongside. Preserving our Chinese culture is still relevant today, and there are many initiatives that support this.

I think it is so important to know your roots. All the choices our ancestors made in the past shape the lives we have today. Countless lives, sacrifices, and decisions had to align for us to be here today. It reminds me that very little about our lives is simply the result of chance. It makes me wonder: what legacy am I creating through the choices I make today?

Richard Li

Richard: "Seeing Teochew traditions, delicacies, and values portrayed on screen, I drew many parallels to my own family's story..."

Watching Dear You（给阿嬷的情书）in Teochew – and understanding every word – felt like something I hadn't thought to be grateful for until now.

The passing down of heritage and language across generations, far from the motherland, was the theme that resonated with me most.

Although I was born and raised in New Zealand, Teochew was the only language ever spoken in my household.

As a kid, I sometimes resented being "forced" to learn it. But that insistence gave me something I only fully appreciated years later: the ability to communicate with my late grandparents and extended family back in Chaoshan – and, through them, truly connect with my roots.

Seeing Teochew traditions, delicacies, and values portrayed on screen, I drew many parallels to my own family's story: why my parents left their hometown, and what sat behind their search for a better living. So much of it lives in a language I nearly took for granted.

Background context: I am a second-generation Chinese-New Zealander. Both my parents immigrated to New Zealand from the Chaoshan region in Guangdong (Canton), China, where Teochew is the primary spoken language.

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