The Polynesian Panthers were a liberation activist group that fought for Polynesian and Māori empowerment in New Zealand. Inspired by the Black Power movement in the United States, along with Māori protests within the country, inner city youth in Auckland were emboldened to stand against capitalism and to fight for visibility. Auckland’s urban areas were filled with Pacific Islander immigrants, and their Kiwi-born children, who were subjected to police brutality, faced harsh discrimination, disenfranchisement and were constantly called racial slurs—"Black bastards” and “dumb coconuts” were often yelled at young Tongan and Samoan boys. Poverty was rampant, and the lack of opportunities and access to quality education was taking a toll on the new generation of Kiwi-born Pacific Islanders. The undocumented in the community lived in fear of dawn raids where police raided mostly Polynesian homes in the early morning, targeting those who may have overstayed their visas. Founded in 1971 by Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Vaughan Sanft, Eddie Williams and Will 'Ilolahia, the Polynesian Panthers members were made up of university students, high schoolers and former gang members. They stood against the exploitative nature of capitalism and believed that overthrowing its system was one of the most fundamental paths toward liberation.
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