00:00
/
00:00
Dawn Raids
Television (Full Length) – 2005
This documentary chronicles a shameful passage in New Zealand race relations: the controversial mid 1970s raids on the homes and workplaces of alleged Pacific Island overstayers. Director Damon Fepulea’i (Watermark, Jono and Ben) examines its origins in Pacific Island immigration during full employment in the 1960s, when a blind eye was turned to visa restrictions. As times got tougher, that policy changed to include random street checks by police, despite official denials. Resistance by activists and media coverage helped end a policy which has had a long term effect on the Pacific Island community.
The dawn raids were shameful, because in essence they set out to pick up anybody who didn’t look like a Pākehā or palangi New Zealander. They swooped on people who were Māori, they swooped on many Pasifika people who had absolutely lawful residence in New Zealand, may even have been born here...– Helen Clark
Key Cast & Crew
See all 15 credits
Produced by
Isola Productions
Source
Isola Productions
Acknowledgements
Made with funding from NZ On Air
If you liked this, you might also like...
Auckland
This collection celebrates Auckland onscreen. Reel...
Polynesian Panthers
Documentary on a Pasifika activist movement
Children of the Migration
Documentary about Pacific Island immigration
Bastion Point - The Untold Story
Another documentary on 1970s social unrest
Tala Pasifika - The Overstayer
Drama about a family caught up in the Dawn Raids
New Streets - South Auckland, Two Cities
Eighties film on the Pacific community in South Auckland
Children of the Revolution
Documentary on children of 1970s/80s activists
Watermark
Damon Fepulea'i also directed this short film
Sons for the Return Home
The first dramatic feature looking at the Samoan...
Deportees of Tonga - Gangsters in Paradise
Documentary about deportees in Tonga
Mean Mums - First Episode
Damon Fepulea'i also directed this
Pasifika 2005
Auckland's Pasifika Festival
Operation 8
Docoumentary on anti-terrorism raids
Samoa
A 1949 NFU documentary on Samoa
Ōtara Market
Oscar Kightley visits Otara Markets
Summer in the Winter
Music video featuring Brotha D, co-founder of Dawn Raid...
American Pie - 4 , Episode Four
Policing immigration the 1970s NZ way
Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web
More infamous NZ police raids
Staunch
More controversial police home invasion
Nationwide: Labour Party Youth Conference
Nationwide features in this documentary
Daughters of the Pacific
Documentary on Pacific Island women in New Zealand
1981 - A Country at War
Another documentary produced by Rachel Jean
Take Home Pay
Kiwi/PI feature comedy about life in Niu Sila
Bunga
Award-winning music video about racism towards Pasifika...
Tagata Tangata 5 - Te Ao HuriHuri / The Changing World (Episode Five)
More on Polynesian workers in New Zealand
Tagata Tangata 6 - Ngāi Tātou / Family (Episode Six)
Includes the Dawn Raids (13 minutes in)
Untold Pacific History - excerpts
More on immigration in the Pacific (episode five)
The Hard Stuff With Nigel Latta - The New New Zealand
Nigel Latta presents this episode on NZ immigration
Red, White and Brass
Comedy drama from Damon Fepulea’i
Compass - The Islanders
A 1960s report on Pacific Island Immigration
Loading Docs 2022 - Testimony
Short documentary about the Dawn Raids