Connecting current events to the past - The dawn raids
On 1 August 2021 the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Jacinda Ardern, apologised to New Zealand’s Pacific communities for the Government’s implementation of the immigration laws of the 1970s that led to the events of the Dawn Raids. In her apology, the Prime Minister stated that the past actions of the Crown were wrong and acknowledged the distress and hurt that they have caused generations of Pacific New Zealanders.
About this resource
The story of the dawn raids is part of a wider narrative about the settlement and experiences of Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand and the exercise and effects of power.
Connecting current events to the past: The dawn raids
The Dawn Raids story is part of a wider narrative about the settlement and experiences of Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand and the exercise and effects of power. Kaiako and ākonga can use this story as an entry point for learning about:
- the migration experiences and settlement stories of Pacific people
- how immigration policy has been used to exclude some peoples and restrict conditions for entry and citizenship
- the social action, led by the Polynesian Panthers and other groups, to contest power and address injustices
- our collective and diverse identities as New Zealanders.
The resource provides:
- a summary of an event and how it relates to Aotearoa New Zealand's histories
- suggested inquiry questions and activities to support teaching and learning about our past
- curated resources for further information.
Related Curriculum Topics
- Years 1-3: Whakapapa me te whanaungatanga | Culture and identity: Origins and connections
- Years 4-6: Tino rangatiratanga me te kāwanatanga | Government and organisation: Governing and equity
- Years 4-6: Whakapapa me te whanaungatanga | Culture and identity: Origins, voyaging and adaptation
- Years 7-8: Whakapapa me te whanaungatanga | Culture and identity: Finding a place in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Years 9-10: Whakapapa me te whanaungatanga | Culture and identity: Peopling the colony: inclusion and exclusion
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- The dawn raids apology (.pdf).
