Nam Sing Packing Expedition Historic Recreation

Nam Sing Project

Nam Sing Project

The Nam Sing Packing Expedition Historic Recreation staged in Barkerville Historic Town and Park on September 8, 2019 celebrated the legacy of Chinese pioneer Nam Sing. A wagon train, historic reenactors and a large troop of riders in costume took part in the event, staged as a tribute to the resilience of Cariboo communities impacted by back-to-back record-setting fire seasons as well as to raise awareness of B.C.’s rich multicultural identity.

Nam Sing came to B.C. from China in 1858. He worked as a miner near Yale before heading for the Cariboo to run a pack train between Quesnel and Barkerville. His multicultural crews delivered produce and other goods to the miners, merchants, gamblers and dreamers in Barkerville, capital of the Cariboo Gold Rush. The event recreated of one of Nam Sing’s deliveries of produce and other goods to Barkerville in 1869 and commemorated the rebuilding of Theatre Royal and the rest of the town following the disastrous fire of the previous year.

The event was staged by NPTGS, Barkerville Historic Town & Park, Winter Quarter Productions and the Ministry of Arts, Tourism and Culture (Multiculturalism Branch) with sponsorship from Safeway Quesnel. The project partners gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia.

Winter Quarter Productions has produced a video of the event, “Nam Sing – A Man for Gold Mountain” which is available for viewing on Vimeo.