Polynesian Panthers

The Polynesian Panther Party (PPP) was a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against indigenous Māori and Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand.

Besides peaceful protests, they helped provide education, legal aid, and other social resources, such as ESOL classes and youth community programs.

[5] The movement galvanised widespread support during the Dawn Raids of the 1970s,[6] and greatly helped contribute to the modern pan-Polynesian ethnic identity in New Zealand called Pasifika.

[6] The Polynesian Panthers operated to bring awareness and combat exploitative social relations of Pasifika people, including redlining, racial profiling, disproportionate incarceration,[7] and segregation in sport.

[8] The Polynesian Panther Movement was founded in inner-city Auckland on 16 June 1971 by six young Pacific Islanders: Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Vaughan Sanft, Eddie Williams and Will 'Ilolahia.

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.

[9] Through their dedication to Polynesian legal aid, the Panthers were advocating for those forcibly evicted in poor communities by private security firms[2][3] and those who became unemployed, lost their visas due to their tenant conflicts or were under threat of deportation under new policy.

The Panthers frequently spoke with Polynesians who did not have other visitors[3] organized sporting events and debate teams for inmates, and often offered a halfway-house accommodation for those released from prison.

[4] 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.

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.

[18][19] 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 Springbok Tour.

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.

[8] Miriama Rauhihi Ness was interviewed by Te Ao - Māori News in June 2020 where she spoke in support of Black Lives Matter protests.