User:Fly.Social/Polynesian Panthers

Introduction
Original: "The Polynesian Panther Party was a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand (Aotearoa), officially founded by a group of young Polynesian men on 16 June 1971. The group 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."

Edited: The Polynesian Panther Party is a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against indigenous Māori and Pacific Islanders in Auckland (Aotearoa), New Zealand. Officially founded by a group of young Polynesian men on 16 June 1971, the Panthers worked to aid in community betterment through activism and protest, education, legal aid, and other social resources. The group was explicitly influenced by the American Black Panther Party, particularly Huey Newton’s policy of Black unity through his global call-to-action. The Polynesian Panthers operated to combat exploitative social relations oppressing Pasfikas, including redlining, racial profiling, disproportionate incarceration and segregation in sport. The PPP demobilized after their affiliation with protests against the 1981 Springbok Tour.

The name has since been adopted by an activist group continuing to fight for human rights in New Zealand. The Polynesian Panther Party was a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand (Aotearoa), officially founded by a group of young Polynesian men on 16 June 1971.

The group was explicitly influenced by the American Black Panther Party, particularly Huey Newton’s policy of Black unity through his global call to action. They located the causes of Māori and Pacific Islanders oppression within the exploitative social relations of capitalism.


 * says oppression but what does that mean for them; include redlining, racial profiling, detained for no ID regardless of visa/citizenship, straight up racism influenced by the stereotype they were all criminals - much like in the US.
 * in Foundation, touch on what they related with in Black Power and why it was not allowed to continue.
 * no mention of social resources or how the panthers aimed to improve these
 * "the causes of [...] oppression" just change this.

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.


 * Untrue, they didn't necessarily base their strategy on overthrowing capitalism as much as equitable resources for the Polynesian community. They were uniting from inside the community to help bring awareness to the conditions being forced their way
 * cut down on capitalist development by developing their own communities and advocating for civil rights
 * they were smart about their push back, the intro makes it sound funky??? there is no citation here either, the author determined that on their own without back up information.
 * dawn raids began under kirk in 1973, take out Muldoon because he is irrelevant for the intro.*

Foundation
Original: The Polynesian Panther Movement was founded in inner city Auckland on 16 June 1971 by 6 young Pacific Islander men: Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Vaughan Sanft, Eddie Williams and Will 'Ilolahia. 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.

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. (Move.)

Edited:

The Polynesian Panther Movement was founded in inner city Auckland on 16 June 1971 by 6 young Pacific Islander men: Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Vaughan Sanft, Eddie Williams and Will 'Ilolahia. They extended their branch to men and women in the community interested in advocating for Pasifika rights. The Panthers' lead function was to raise consciousness and ensure community wellbeing in response to racial discrimination, prejudice and social inequality faced by indigenous Māori citizens and Pacific Islanders. Because of the working-class background of its members the movement heavily concerned itself with issues relating to unequal pay and unsatisfactory working conditions. Amidst racial tension and backlash, the Party sought to protect the Polynesian community from aggressive policies and policing.

Soon after establishing headquarters in Ponsonby, their impacts extended to create a fusion of ex-gang members, University students, revolutionaries & radicals with most aged in their 20's.[] At the time, many Pacific Island youth were supporters of Māori political initiatives such as the Bastion Point occupation and Waitangi Day protests, gaining skills in political lobbying and processes which they used to raise the profile of Pacific people in New Zealand.

Within a few years the movement had expanded nationally with chapters in South Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, as well as several chapters in prisons.


 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasifika
 * Raise consciousness
 * “Polynesian Panthers records the Pacific rights and social activist movement in New Zealand, told by those who were there. Forming in 1971, the Polynesian Panther Party sought to raise consciousness and took action in response to the racism and discrimination Pacific peoples faced in New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s.”
 * https://huia.co.nz/huia-bookshop/bookshop/polynesian-panthers-pacific-protest-and-affirmative-action-in-aotearoa-nz-1971-1981/
 * https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/26127/prison-visitors-bus-service-1972
 * Kathy Dunstall, 'Prisoner support and advocacy - Supporting prisoners and their families', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/zoomify/26127/prison-visitors-bus-service-1972 (accessed 31 October 2020)

Community Outreach
NEW:

The Polynesian Panthers began to organize activities, workshops and group initiatives in place of lacking social resources available to Polynesians at the time. Among these were homework centres and tutoring for Pacific children, running programs educating Māori and Pacific Islanders on their rights as New Zealand citizens, free meal programs and food banks for roughly 600 families.

Through their dedication to Polynesian legal aid, the Panthers were advocating for those forcibly evicted in poor communities by private security firms and those who became unemployed, lost their visas due to their tenant conflicts or were under threat of deportation under new policy. Because of the working-class background of its members the movement heavily concerned itself with issues relating to unequal pay and unsatisfactory working and living conditions. The Panthers also provided many in the community with ‘people’s loans’ in times of need. With the help of David Lange, who served as their legal advisor from 1971 to 1976 and now former Prime Minister, they were able to release their Legal Aid book to ensure that Polynesian migrants and citizens were best equipped to defend themselves against an unjust system.

As part of the efforts to restore prosperity to Pasifika communities, the Polynesian Panthers organized a prison-visit program, mimicking that of the Black Panther Party. This program gave families access to bus transport and recognized the need for socialization for those behind bars. The Panthers frequently spoke with Polynesians who did not have other visitors, organized sporting events and debate teams for inmates, and often offered a halfway-house accommodation for those released from prison.

"The movement's rules were simple and strict: no possession of narcotics or being under the influence of alcohol during movement time; no possession of weapons or harmful devices; no using the name of the movement in public for self-glory; equality of the sexes."

"At that stage there weren't too many organisations in our [Pacific Island] community that weren't aligned to the church," says 'Ilolahia. "We were probably the first youth organisation that did a lot of social things, and consequently also had a lot of female members.

"Because in our society then girls had to stay at home and get permission to go out, they came from a different sector of our community. In hindsight there were a lot of things happening among the women we weren't aware of."

'Ilolahia concedes that while they were for gender equity, "looking back we were pretty sexist, it was the Island way that men would take the lead.""

To stop youth from choosing gangs***** Keeping this aside from activism can influence how the panthers are seen as good samaritans looking to ensure betterment in their communities since groups involved in activism and protests may spark prejudicial attitudes/ interpretations of eliciting violence and riots.
 * 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
 * protesting the eviction of tenants in poor communities by private security firms. Legal aid book provided by Dave Lange
 * "David Lange served as the Panthers legal advisor from 1971 until 1976, and created a legal aid booklet on their behalf."
 * Prison outreach, family visitation and transport, socialization with poly inmates
 * Legal aid, legal aid document, civil rights education
 * Homework centres, study & tutor session

"It was a society that denied there was any racial prejudice at the time, but we experienced names like 'niggers.' We thought it didn't match with a racially prejudice-free country." (Tom Newnham, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/polynesias-radical-spirit/274LVV37JL76YNSBRM5SUXAL6Y/, CARE)

Activism
Throughout the late 1960’s, New Zealand's economy had declined due to their reliance on international developments, including wool prices, the market for dairy products, and oil. led the govt. to seek help elsewhere, encouraging many Pacific Islanders to migrate and fill the labour shortage for low-experience jobs. Prime Minister Kirk assembled a police task force in 1973 to deal with overstayers in Auckland, which lead to a number of Dawn Raids and the racial profiling of Pacific Islanders. In 1974, Robert Muldoon, leader of the opposition, promised to make immigration cuts and to "get tough" on law and order issues. Once in power, Muldoon adopted Kirk's police raids against Pacific Islanders, and those who fit the description, regardless of citizenship. While Pasifikas made up only ⅓ of overstayers, they accounted for 86% of all prosecutions in the matter.

Dawn Raids
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. The government's dawn raids ended less than three weeks after the Panthers began their counter raids.

"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'."

New*

--New Zealand's economy had declined in the late 1960's due to their reliance on international developments, including wool prices, dairy products, and oil. Many Pacific Islanders were encouraged to migrate in-land and fill the labour shortage for low-experience jobs. Norman Kirk assembled a police task force in 1973 to deal with overstayers in Auckland, which lead to a number of "Dawn Raids" and the racial profiling of Pacific Islanders. The Polynesian Panthers greatly increased in profile by continued protesting and advocacy for Polynesian rights during Rob Muldoon's immigration scare campaign in 1975, and the intensified promotion of police raids under his administration.

"A study carried out in 1985–86 was revealing: it showed that whereas Pacific Island people comprised only a third of overstayers, they made up 86% of all prosecutions for overstaying."(Beaglehole, 2015) In protest, Polynesian Panther members would organise "counter raids" on the homes of several prominent cabinet members, including Bill Birch and Frank Gill, who were in favour of the policy, by surrounding them with light and chanting with megaphones. The government's dawn raids ended less than three weeks after the Panthers began their protest. During this time, the PPP continued to provide legal aid to detainees.

PIG Patrol
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. 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 routinely approach bars frequented by Pacific Islanders, and were accused of provoking fights. In response, the PIG Patrol monitored police convoys and phoned in their locations.

New*

In response to the New Zealand police task-force and the Muldoon government's continuation of aggressive policies against Pasifikas, the Panthers initiated their own detail known as the Police Investigation Group Patrol, or PIG Patrol, to monitor and protect the community. Policies of the police at the time included profiling Pacific Islanders and insisting they provide their passport; unless they had proper identification on their person, Islanders could be immediately detained.

"the Panthers would listen into police frequencies, preemptively follow the police vans, and run into the targeted bars to warn the clientele of an impending official visit and to distribute the legal aid leaflets." shilliam

Miriama Rauhihi-Ness hired as a full-time community worker- workshops for men on gender equality, organized strike for women and pay conditions

Rugby
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. 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 organised by 'Ilolahia, his departure from New Zealand effectively resulted in the end of the organisation.

New*

Despite the formations of anti-racist groups, much of the Rugby Union seemed to turn a blind-eye to the racial discrimination within the league. As one of the most renowned activist events in rugby, the Panthers played a large role in protesting racial selection in the sport by joining rallies against the 1981 Sprinkbok Tour.

Being the last major activism undertaken by the Panthers, this was also the most physically involved protest with police counter-charge.

Honorary Whites, Amid controversial tours, the Gleneagles Agreement of 1977 gave international support against apartheid in sport.

Dawn Raids


 * “During the late 1960s and early 1970s, New Zealand's economy had declined due to several international developments: a decline in international wool prices in 1966, Britain joining the European Economic Community in 1973 which deprived NZ of a major market for dairy products, and the 1973 oil crisis.”
 * “Prime Minister Kirk created a special police task force in Auckland in 1973 which was tasked with dealing with overstayers.”
 * “In July 1974, the opposition National Party leader Muldoon promised to reduce immigration and to "get tough" on law and order issues if his party was elected as government. He criticized the Labour government's immigration policies for contributing to the economic recession and a housing shortage. During the 1975 general elections, the National Party also played a controversial electoral advertisement that was later criticized for stoking negative racial sentiments about Polynesian migrants. Once in power, Muldoon's government accelerated the Kirk government's police raids against Pacific overstayers.”
 * “providing legal aid to detainees and staging retaliatory "dawn raids" on several National cabinet ministers including Bill Birch and Frank Gill, the Minister of Immigration.”
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_profiling
 * https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4349451/
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining

PIG Patrol & Counter-Raids


 * Ann Beaglehole, 'Immigration regulation - Controlling Pacific Island immigration', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/immigration-regulation/page-6 (accessed 31 October 2020)
 * A study carried out in 1985–86 was revealing: it showed that whereas Pacific Island people comprised only a third of overstayers, they made up 86% of all prosecutions for overstaying. Citizens from the United States and the United Kingdom who also made up almost a third of those overstaying, represented only 5% of prosecutions.

Rugby 1981


 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_South_Africa_rugby_union_tour_of_New_Zealand_and_the_United_States
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleneagles_Agreement
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_and_apartheid
 * “Racially selected New Zealand sports teams toured South Africa until the 1970 All Blacks rugby tour allowed Māori to go under the status of 'honorary whites'.”
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_whites
 * HART (Halt all racist tours) 1969

Later Years
In 2016, activists still operating under the name of The Polynesian Black Panther Party attended the (Unites States) Black Panther Party's 50th Anniversary Reunion in Oakland, California. This event was held to honour the ideologies brought forth by the Party as well as commemorate those who are still organizing for the cause. In an interview with Eddie Conway, current Polynesian Panthers were interviewed about the importance of the BPP in influencing their activism and to bring light to their current work for Pacific Islands Safety & Violence prevention Program: anti-violence against women and girls.

"So the Polynesians who were in New Zealand and Australia, that was organizing around their conditions being an oppressed people, and an exploited people, looked at the example of the Black Panther Party and decided that they would use the philosophy, the ideology, the 10-point platform and program and to follow their struggle in terms of self-determination and human rights." (Eddie Conway, https://therealnews.com/econway1201polynesianpanthers)

Ama Ness Te Ao - Māori News in support with BLM

= See Also =

Added:
 * Israel Black Panthers
 * Ngā Tamatoa
 * protest movement
 * samoan nationality
 * Progressive Youth Movement and Tim Shadbolt
 * Dalit Panthers (India)
 * Australia Black Panthers
 * Gray Panthers
 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_M%C4%81ori_land_march