We are fortunate to have an opportunity to hear author Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith read a passage from her young adult novel Dawn Raid, with a follow up discussion on the impact of the Dawn Raids on people in the South. This is a great opportunity for us to learn about a period of New Zealand history that impacted greatly on Pacific people, with ramifications that continue into the present day.

This event is part of a series of seminars, lectures and readings organised by the UC Pacific Development Team as part of the official launch of The Dawn Raid - Education to Liberate exhibition (http://bit.ly/2lONLer) which will be in installed in Matariki. 

A word from Pauline Smith:

My interest was sparked about the dawn raids when I began lecturing a Pacific Studies paper at the College of Education. Given that this was a significant event in New Zealand history, it surprised me how few of the students had any knowledge of it. It also became clear the perception was, this didn’t really affect people in the South, and, it was an event that was confined to Auckland and Wellington; which is not true. First -hand interviews with Pacific people who migrated to the South in the 1960s-1970s confirmed that they were indeed targets of police and immigration attention based on unfair Government policies.

It was a surprise for me to learn that my own father had been ‘tracked’ to Invercargill, with police arriving at our front door to ask for his paperwork, which thankfully was in order.

The exhibition seeks to inform and educate about how the dawn raids affected the lives and well-being of a range of people. It considers the targeted Pacific Island people, the role of the Polynesian Panthers to address this injustice and the perspectives of police officers, who at times could also be considered victims of the practice."

Please join us!

NB: This event will take place in Te Puna Ako, Level 4 of the Central Library.