Polynesian Panthers

The Polynesian Panther Party was a revolutionary movement founded by New Zealand born Polynesians on 16 June 1971.[1] The party was explicitly influenced by the American Black Panther Party, particularly Huey Newton’s policy of black unity. They located the causes of Māori and Pacific Island oppression within the exploitative social relations of capitalism. Consequently, the Polynesian Panthers promoted a strategy of liberation based on the complete overthrow of the capitalist system and the social relations necessary for its development. The group greatly increased in profile during Rob Muldoon's immigration scare campaign in 1975, and the subsequent dawn raids under his administration.

Foundation

The Polynesian Panther Movement was founded in inner city Auckland on 16 June 1971 by six young Pacific Islander men: Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Vaughan Sanft, Eddie Williams and Will 'Ilolahia.[1] At the time many Pacific Island youth were supporters of Māori political initiatives such as the Bastion Point occupation and Waitangi Day protests, and gained skills in political lobbying and processes which they used to raise the profile of Pacific people in New Zealand. Because of the working-class background of its members the movement concerned itself with issues relating to unequal pay and unsatisfactory working conditions. David Lange served as the Panthers legal advisor from 1971 until 1976, and created a legal aid booklet on their behalf.[2]

Headquarters were established in Ponsonby and the Polynesian Panthers began to organise activities, among them were homework centres for Pacific children, visiting Pacific Islander prisoners as well as providing transport for their families to visit, running programs educating Pacific Islanders on their rights as New Zealand citizens and protesting the eviction of tenants in poor communities by private security firms. Within a few years the movement had expanded nationally with chapters in South Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, as well as several chapters in prisons.[3]

Activism
Main article: Police raid § New Zealand

The Polynesian Panthers protested the controversial "dawn raids", which were introduced in 1973. The raids involved police storming the homes of people who had overstayed temporary working visas, typically at dawn. Though the majority of people overstaying such visas were from the UK, Australia and South Africa, the dawn raids disproportionately targeted over-stayers of Pacific Islander heritage. In protest, Polynesian Panther members would organise "raids" on the homes of prominent politicians in favour of the policy, surrounding them and chanting with megaphones.[2][4][5] The government's dawn raids ended less than three weeks after the Panthers began their counter raids.[3]

"If you were brown, you were stopped by the police. If you were brown and had no ID, you went straight to the cell" ... I [told a police officer] 'Look, I was born in New Zealand, I don't usually carry my passport around in my back pocket because I'm not traveling anywhere'."

Reverend Wayne Toleafoa, former Information Minister for the Panthers[6]

In 1975, the Panthers also started a task-force known as the Police Investigation Group Patrol, or PIG Patrol, which was a response to aggressive policies of the New Zealand police force towards Pacific Islanders.[4] Policies of the police at the time included frequently approaching Pacific Islanders and asking to see their passport. Anyone who did not have their passport on their person could be taken to prison and held until their passport was provided. Convoys of police vehicles would frequently approach bars frequently by Pacific Islanders, and were accused of provoking fights. In response, the PIG Patrol monitored police convoys and phoned in their locations.[7]

The last major activism undertaken by the Panthers was protesting the 1981 Sprinkbok Tour. Panther member Tigilau Ness was imprisoned for his role in the protests.[2] Founding panther member Will 'Ilolahia was also arrested for helping organise the protests, and was facing 10 years in prison if convicted. Following a two year trial, he was found not guilty, a verdict that was partially attributed to Desmond Tutu flying from South Africa specifically to act as a character witness for the Panthers. After describing the Panthers as liberators and defenders of human rights, and attributing their actions as playing a role in the end of apartheid, a jury took 1 hour and 10 minutes to find 'Ilolahia not guilty. As he was leaving the courthouse, 'Ilolahia states that police threatened him with violence, resulting in him returning to Tonga for his safety. As most of the Panther's duties at the time were oganised by 'Ilolahia, his departure from New Zealand effectively resulted in the end of the organisation.[3]

Later years

In 2006 Panther members released a book to mark the 35th anniversary of the Polynesian Panther movement.[1][8]

On 12 September 2009 the Polynesian Panthers held a special evening in Auckland to honour American Black Panther revolutionary artist Emory Douglas during his International Artist in Residency at Auckland University's Elam School of Fine Arts.

In 2010 a documentary film made by Nevak 'Ilolahia (niece of Will 'Ilolahia), was released telling the story of the Polynesian Panthers. It was shown on Māori Television's New Zealand documentary slot.[9]

See also

References
  1. Bunting, Finbarr (June 13, 2010). "Polynesian Panthers make movie". Stuff. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019.
  2. Masters, Catherine (July 15, 2006). "Brown Power". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019.
  3. Polynesian Panthers: A Documentary (DVD). Tūmanako Productions. 2010.
  4. Boraman, T (2012). "A middle-class diversion from working-class struggle? The New Zealand new left from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s". Labour History: A Journal of Labour and Social History. 103: 203–226.
  5. Teaiwa, K. M. (2007). "South Asia down under: Popular kinship in Oceania". Cultural Dynamics. 19 (2–3): 213.
  6. Vaka'uta, Koro (June 18, 2016). "How the Polynesian Panthers gave rise to Pasifika activism". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019.
  7. Anae, Melani (2006). Polynesian Panthers: the crucible years 1971-74. Birkenhead, New Zealand: Reed Publishing. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-7900-1001-4.
  8. "Polynesian Panthers mark 35 years". Television New Zealand. June 17, 2006. Archived from the original on April 19, 2018.
  9. "NZ: Polynesian Panthers documentary exposes Dawn Raids era". Pacific Media Centre. September 1, 2010. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019.

Further reading
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