An official Dawn Raids apology was given in 2021. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Dozens of untold Dawn Raids stories are being shared across New Zealand.
The Ministry of Pacific Peoples (MPP) has spent the past two months hosting Vaka of Stories, a government-funded event to capture the first official historical account of the Dawn Raids.
The event has taken place across NZ including Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and the last stop is in Dunedin at Pacific Trust Otago on September 23, where a drop-in centre would be set up for individuals to share stories.
The Dawn Raids in the 1970s had overwhelmingly targeted Pacific people, who accounted for 86 percent of related prosecutions despite making up only a third of overstayers. US and UK citizens were only 5 percent of prosecutions, but about another third of total overstayers.
The raids were first introduced in 1973 by Prime Minister Norman Kirk's Labour government. An official Dawn Raids apology was given in 2021 under Jacinda Ardern. However, it was found earlier this year subsequent raids were still happening two years on from the apology.
MPP secretary Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone said it was important to document history and provide "a safe environment for generational healing".
"It's a deeply traumatic memory for a lot of our aiga (family)," Clifford-Lidstone said.
Each story-teller giving an account of an experience had been accompanied by a researcher and a clinician for wellbeing support through the process.
"This is really important for the healing process for our families for those stories to be shared."
She said many of the Polynesian Panthers who were a core part of the Dawn Raids history had passed their 60's.
"Sharing their stories is really important for future generations," she said.
So far 96 people have attended the nationwide pop-up events and at least 26 people had shared their stories.
MPP would be working alongside the Ministry of Culture and Heritage who were yet to decide on how best to document these stories.
People can also share their Dawn Raids experience online here
Want to know more about the Dawn Raids?
Listen to the Award-winning Untold Pacific History about the Dawn Raids produced for RNZ by Tikilounge Productions
