A petition asking for the Dawn Raids to be taught in New Zealand schools was accepted last week, in an emotional gathering on the steps of Parliament.
The Dawn Raids will be debated in the House soon before the Government's apology. Photo: RNZ / Daniela Maoate-Cox
The petition, written by young Pasifika community leaders Benji Timu and Josiah Tualamali'i, was penned shortly before the Government announced a formal apology for the infamous immigration crackdown.
It received 7366 signatures, following an open letter written to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that went viral on social media.
Due to Wellington's alert level two restrictions, the apology has been postponed to a date allowing Ardern and other politicians to attend.
Ardern has not ruled out the teaching of the raids.
Timu recently had the opportunity to tour schools and communities across the North Island with the Polynesian Panthers.
He was never taught about the Dawn Raids during high school, thinking that "they were just an entertainment company".
A 2006 quote from then-Prime Minister Helen Clark, regarding the dawn raids. Photo: RNZ / Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
He said this generation are more inquisitive of their heritage.
"Now you have a new generation of Pacific people that understand this part of the history that we are only finding out about as adults."
"A week ago, I only found out two of my family members went through this traumatic event of being raided in the dawn."
Dawn Raids petition handed to Parliament
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer received the petition on behalf of the House, saying it meant a lot to her as the kuia of four Samoan mokopuna.
"As a descendant of Taranaki, as a descendant of Parihaka - I feel for our whānau who were ripped out of their homes, out of kaupapa where they should have been safe, safe here on our whenua as our manuhiri connected to us as whakapapa," she said.
"Our tangata moana - we both have whakapapa that have been displaced merely because of who we were."
Ngarewa-Packer announced Parliament will hold a special debate on the Dawn Raids - something also called for in the petition.
A date for this has also been moved to when the capital's Covid scares subside.
"Let's be honest we know that overstayers, that's really what the issue was? The overstayers weren't our Pasifika, our tangata moana whanau. We know what it's like to survive racism."
The Dawn Raids resulted in the deportation and prosecution of many Pacific Islanders, even those who remotely looked Pasifika, despite many overstayers at the time being British or American.
National Party MP Matt Doocey was also at Parliament, not too certain that the curriculum currently serves Pasifika.
He said the Dawn Raids were a stain on the country's race relations.
"The Dawn Raids were discriminatory, and I want to acknowledge the value that Pacific people bring to New Zealand," he said.
MPs, supporters and the co-authors of the petition gather for photos. Photo: RNZ / Sean Aickin
"I think it is right as my Parliamentary colleagues have said, not only for the petition for the apology but for the education in schools."
"We need to learn about all our history. The good and the not so good."
National's leader and Pacific Peoples spokesperson Judith Collins has said the raids were "absolutely targeted at Pasifika people" and were "racist".
Tualamali'i said unified welcome across the political spectrum of a Dawn Raids apology represents a turning of the page.
"The centre has moved. This is not okay anymore and for all the parties of Parliament to have come and put their foot down has special importance," he said.
A new date for the Dawn Raids apology will be advised in due course.