The Dawn Raids: Educate to Liberate

Pātaka's Bottle Creek Gallery is transformed into a Pacific Island family’s lounge from the 1970s. This nostalgic setting forms a backdrop for artworks, memorabilia, photographs and personal accounts of the Dawn Raids.

This was a time when police and immigration officials entered the homes of Pacific Island people in the early hours of the morning, wanting proof of residency, work permits, and passports. The Polynesian Panthers, a political group that emerged during this time, fought against the unfair treatment, injustice, and oppression of Pacific Islanders and encouraged immigrant families across New Zealand to stand up for their human rights.

This powerful and insightful exhibition seeks to inform and educate about this period in New Zealand’s history and honour the courageous role that the Polynesian Panthers played in the fight for social justice.

Image caption: John Miller, 'George Jackson Soledad Brothers solidarity march to the U.S. Consulate on Queen Street 3 March 1972.