Polynesian Panthers

Polynesian Panthers
Named after	Black Panther Party
Formation	16 June 1971
Dissolved	1983
Purpose	Social justice activism that highlighted and targeted racial inequalities carried out against Māori and Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand
Headquarters	Auckland, New Zealand
Location	New Zealand;
Membership	500
Founder	Will 'Ilolahia

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. Founded by a group of young Polynesians on 16 June 1971,^[1] the Panthers worked to aid in community betterment through activism and protest. Besides peaceful protests, they helped provide education, legal aid, and other social resources, such as ESOL classes and youth community programs.^[2]^[3]^[4] The group was explicitly influenced by the American Black Panther Party, particularly Huey Newton’s policy of black unity through his global call-to-action, as well as his ideology of intercommunalism.^[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. The PPP effectively ceased when founding member and main organiser, Will 'Ilolahia, fled the country in 1983 after being threatened by police, following his acquittal for helping organise protests of the 1981 Springbok Tour. The name has since been adopted by an activist group continuing to fight for human rights in New Zealand.^[8]

^ Bunting, Finbarr (13 June 2010). "Polynesian Panthers make movie". Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019.
^ Cite error: The named reference brown was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference doco was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Anae, Melani (2015). Polynesian Panthers: Pacific Protest and Affirmative Action in Aotearoa NZ 1971–1981. Huia Publishing.
^ Shilliam, Robbie (November 2012). "The Polynesian Panthers and The Black Power Gang: Surviving Racism and Colonialism in Aotearoa New Zealand". In Slate, Nico; Trotter, Joe (eds.). Black Power beyond Borders: The Global Dimensions of the Black Power Movement (2012 ed.). New York: Palgrave. pp. 107–126. ISBN 978-1137285065.
^ ^a ^b Coutts, Brent (2018). Pacific History. Cengage Learning Australia. pp. 335–347. ISBN 9780170368162.
^ Beaglehole, Ann. "Immigration regulation - Controlling Pacific Island immigration". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[stuff-1] Bunting, Finbarr (13 June 2010). "Polynesian Panthers make movie". Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019.

[brown-2] Cite error: The named reference brown was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[doco-3] Cite error: The named reference doco was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:0-4] Anae, Melani (2015). Polynesian Panthers: Pacific Protest and Affirmative Action in Aotearoa NZ 1971–1981. Huia Publishing.

[5] Shilliam, Robbie (November 2012). "The Polynesian Panthers and The Black Power Gang: Surviving Racism and Colonialism in Aotearoa New Zealand". In Slate, Nico; Trotter, Joe (eds.). Black Power beyond Borders: The Global Dimensions of the Black Power Movement (2012 ed.). New York: Palgrave. pp. 107–126. ISBN 978-1137285065.

[:10-6] Coutts, Brent (2018). Pacific History. Cengage Learning Australia. pp. 335–347. ISBN 9780170368162.

[:1-7] Beaglehole, Ann. "Immigration regulation - Controlling Pacific Island immigration". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

[:5-8] Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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