The Polynesian Panthers
The Polynesian Panthers were a group that were founded on the 16th June 1971 by New Zealand born Polynesians. They were heavily influenced and inspired by the American black civil rights group called the "The Black Panthers" and adopted many of their ideas. The founders included Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Vaughan Sanft, Eddie Williams and Will 'Ilolahia. Members of the group were mostly young adults around the age of 20. with many being ex-gang members. The group also ranged of students, ex-prison convicts and included Maori members. The Panthers mostly operated from their headquarters out in Ponsonby, Central Auckland, and soon spread out down the country as far as Dunedin.The Panthers aimed to help their Polynesian community with issues that they faced such as poor housing conditions, poverty, food packages, prison visits, homework centers, and legal aid. They were also a key group in the protest against the Dawn Raids. After the raids the Panthers worked alongside many other groups like Nga Tamatoa and fight against discrimination and injustice. Some of the protests that they took part in included the Springbok Tour and Bastion Point protest.
Will 'IlolahiaWill 'Ilolahia is a New Zealand born Tongan who was one of the founding members of the Polynesian Panthers and one of the key figures in protest against the dawn raids. He along with many of the other Panthers saw the injustice acts that were made towards their people from the government and wider New Zealand public. He was around the age of 20 when he and a group of friends came together to form the Polynesian Panthers. He aimed to make a difference for Polynesians living in New Zealand and fight discrimination and the police from conducting these dawn raids. Along with many of the other Panthers he protested with the Maori in the Bastion Point protest and Springbok Tour. Today he still helps Pacific communities in New Zealand and tries to make a difference to issues that they face.
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We were just a bunch of young people…our average age was 20” - Will Ilola'hia “We were just exuberant voices yelling in the dark” – Tigi Ness |
The Government
The National Government were one of the key groups that were involved the dawn raids. One of the cartoons that they used for their campaign into government was seen as racist towards Polynesian immigrants. Under the leadership of Robert Muldoon, they wanted to crack down on potential over-stayers that were living in New Zealand after the social economic crisis of the early 70's. There was a growing concern among the New Zealand public of the large number of immigrants from other countries that were living in New Zealand. Muldoon promised to slow down this pace and said that those who's visas had now expired would be found and deported back home. With the help of the police, the government set up random police checks which soon lead to the dawn raids. The specifically targeted Pacific Island people. Muldoon and National remained in government up until 1984.
The Police
The New Zealand police force were one of the key groups involved in opposition against over-stayers. They were involved in conducting random police checks on Polynesians as Polynesians were seen as the main targets for living illegally in New Zealand. Police had started this work since 1974 where they would pick random people on the streets, bars, workplaces etc and demanded that those people show them the rights for them to live in the country. This made them heavily unpopular amongst the Polynesian and also Maori community as Maori were accidentally targets as well. The police according to many of the Polynesian Panthers made arrests on Polynesians for petty things and tried to find little excuses to arrest them. Many Polynesians were deported as a result of the polices' dawn raids against them.
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