Taiwan Hakka Museum has been devoted to collecting and displaying exhibits, presenting Hakka culture, and developing Hakka academic research since it opened in 2012. By the end of 2018, the museum held a collection of over 13,000 objects. To showcase a remarkable collection of Hakka cultural relics and to express gratitude to the donors from all walks of life, a ceremony of appreciation kicked off on May 19 at the museum in Miaoli, where certificates were awarded to 26 donors in recognition of their contributions to Hakka cultural preservation.

Director of Hakka Culture Development Center Ho Chin-liang (何金樑) stated that in addition to the ceremony, which was held to publicly convey gratitude to those who donated precious Hakka antiques, an exhibition of historical objects is taking place from May 17 through August 30. By observing these Hakka artifacts, visitors can witness the diversity of Hakka culture and Hakka collective memories. Ho expressed his hope that, through the exhibition, Hakka heritage and values will become more cherished by the general public.

A variety of exhibits have been placed on display, including videos, photographs, daily utensils and vessels, and historical documents. Most of those objects are donations from the Hakkas in Taiwan — handmade silk dresses of the 1960s from Miaoli’s silk farmers; sewing machines used as dowries during the 1930s; super 8 mm film cameras of the 1970s; and manuscripts from the late Hakka composer Tu Min-heng (涂敏恆). Other items are from overseas Hakka organizations and enterprises; for instance, vintage copies of the Chinese Daily News (中華日報) from Mauritius.

Established in 1932 and shuttered in 2017, the Chinese Daily News has recorded the history of Hakka migrants in Mauritius for more than 80 years. The founder’s daughter Ho Ming-ming (侯明明) even came to Taiwan from thousands of miles away to attend the May 19 ceremony in Miaoli, during which Ho was moved to tears because copies of the newspaper reminded her of her father.