Polynesian Panthers (dvd)

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In the 1950s, New Zealand needed workers and Pacific Islanders arrived in their thousands. But as the colour of the population changed in inner-city Auckland, so did people's attitudes. "You had to get used to people calling you a 'coconut' or yelling 'bunga' and 'nigger' at you as you walked down the street." Polynesian Panther, Will 'Ilolahia By the late 60s, revolution was in the air. Pacific Islanders and Maori were attending university in larger numbers. Jimi Hendrix hit the scene, people started growing affros and knowledge of the Black Panther movement in the States reached the streets of Ponsonby. "Initially it was the literature of the Black Panther Party in America that we got attracted to - the work they were doing in America, and when we read the books deeper we found out that the problems they were complaining about were the exact problems that were seeing in New Zealand, so we decided to do something constructive and formed the Polynesian Panther Party." Polynesian Panther, Will 'Ilolahia Will was one of the founding members of the Polynesian Panthers - one of a dozen branches of the Black Panthers, set up to fight for minority rights around the world. With an average age of just twenty, the Polynesian Panthers transformed themselves from a group of ex street-gang members and students to a fully fledged political movement. They lobbied government, fought for human rights and helped their community with everything from housing, food packages and education to prison visits and legal aid. They were at the forefront of many of New Zealand's most significant protest actions of the time, including Bastion Point and the Springbok tour. Will 'Ilolahia's niece, Nevak 'Ilolahia is a journalist and television producer of Maori and Tongan descent. Born in Auckland in the early seventies, she represents an urban generation of 'hula hakas', born at a time when Maori and Polynesians were forging their relatedness in Aotearoa. Nevak has grown up embarrassed about the fact that although it is part of her own family history, she never knew the story of the Polynesian Panthers. In this documentary Nevak sets out to learn about the movement, their activities and achievements. She meets several members of the Polynesian Panthers, scours archival material and travels to California, birthplace of the Black Panther Party- to gain a deeper understanding about the universality of the movement. Along the way she also develops a deeper understanding of her own family: "Part of me really feels for my uncle. Much like Tigi (Ness) and a number of the other members, they made some huge sacrifices, not just in terms of wealth but in terms of relationships, the way that they were viewed by other members of their family, other people within the community. The privileges that I enjoy today and that my son enjoys today are a direct result of the stand that people like my Uncle took and I just feel that there are so many people that don't even know what the Polynesian Panthers are, that this makes this even more important." Nevak hopes that documenting the legacy of the Polynesian Panthers will inspire following generations to continue to strive to uplift the position of Maori and Pacific Islanders in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

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