Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
The Dawn Raids were the Government’s promise to ‘get tough’ on law and order and immigration in the 1970s. Raids took place in the early hours of the morning or late at night when police would enter homes to convict and deport so-called ‘over-stayers’.
Police also stopped people in the street to ask for evidence of their right to be in the country, but the majority of people targeted in this way were Pacific people, despite Pacific people making up only one third of those overstaying their visas. The majority of over-stayers – British, Australians and South Africans – were not subjected to the same treatment.
As part of remembering Dawn Raids, a talanoa (workshop) was held at Pātaka to reflect on the time 50 years ago and share testimonies of Māori and Pacific stories of the trauma, injustices, and impact on their families and lives. Here, Liana Leiataua shares her memories of the Dawn Raids as a young child.
As part of remembering Dawn Raids, a talanoa (workshop) was held at Pātaka to reflect on the time 50 years ago and share testimonies of Māori and Pacific stories of the trauma, injustices, and impact on their families and lives. Here, Steve Kenny talks about his father's job in the Police and how that affected their lives.
As part of remembering Dawn Raids, a talanoa (workshop) was held at Pātaka to reflect on the time 50 years ago and share testimonies of Māori and Pacific stories of the trauma, injustices, and impact on their families and lives. Here, Magele Maria Uluilelata shares some of her reflections and a poem she wrote when she was 15 years old.
This talk reflects on a dark time in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history, what has happened in the 50 years since the Dawn Raids, and how this has shaped the design of a new mural, with Oscar Kightley MNZM, Tigilau Ness, Nina Nawalowalo ONZM, Mere Montgomery, and Liana Leiataua.
In late 1974, Louise Lonsdale-Cooper photographed the Police Task Force by their paddy wagons near the Gluepot Hotel, on Ponsonby Road, Auckland. They were searching for overstayers and targeting people from local Pacific communities.
This beret and badge were worn by the Reverend Alec Toleafoa when he spoke at the official New Zealand Government apology for the Dawn Raids, held on Sunday 1 August 2021 at the Auckland Town Hall.
The badge commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Polynesian Panther Party (PPP) and was worn by the Reverend Alec Toleafoa when he spoke at the official New Zealand Government apology for the Dawn Raids, held on Sunday 1 August 2021 at the Auckland Town Hall.
The term overstayer refers to people who illegally remained in New Zealand after the period of their permitted stay had expired. This t-shirt was acquired from the ‘Respect - Hip Hop Aotearoa’ exhibition tour.
This government notice was displayed in Post Offices around the country to encourage alleged Pacific Island overstayers to register between 10 April and 30 June 1976, without facing prosecution under the Immigration Amendment Act (1974).
Manatū Taonga Ministry of Culture and Heritage has created a digital hub to support the telling of Pacific people’s historical stories focusing on the history of the Dawn Raids of the 1970s,
Explore the resources on Manatū Taonga’s website.
This timeline covers key events and context relevant to the Dawn Raids, highlighting key legislative changes and social responses, and their impact on Pacific communities – including immigration settings, dawn raid reports, protests, community meetings and police and government activities.
View the timeline on Manatū Taonga’s website.
