In this talk, Melani Anae, Associate Professor in Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland discusses aspects of her recent book, The Platform: the radical legacy of the Polynesian Panthers. In the book she writes, ‘Fifty years ago the Polynesian Panther Party began to shine a light on racism and oppressive systems, and we made small changes. But these small changes were and are so much greater than the sum of their parts; they are writ large by the liberating education some of us are still involved in and the snowballing effect it has.’
The book is both deeply personal and highly political and recalls the radical activism of Auckland’s Polynesian Panthers. In solidarity with the US Black Panther Party, the Polynesian Panthers were founded in response to the racist treatment of Pacific Islanders in the era of the Dawn Raids. Central to the group’s philosophy was a three-point ‘platform’ of peaceful resistance, Pacific empowerment and educating New Zealand about persistent and systemic racism.
These monthly Public History Talks are a collaboration between the National Library of New Zealand and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Recorded live at the National Library of New Zealand, 6 August 2021.
Download a transcript of this talk:
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/files/pdfs/melani-anae-transcript.pdf
An Open Conversation on a Secret History
Prison Labour and the Making of New Zealand’: Jared Davidson
Adoption: From severance and secrecy to connection and openness
Downfall: The destruction of Charles Mackay
Te Motunui Epa – making history from the underground
‘An overview of New Zealand’s radical right tradition’: Matthew Cunningham
Archives in Place: Deep Histories in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Katherine Mansfield’s Europe: Station to Station: Redmer Yska and Cherie Jacobson in conversation
Musicians, Myths and Manifestos
Solidarity and the Right to Strike
Making Space: A history of New Zealand women in architecture
New Zealand’s Foreign Service: A History
A Biography of Lake Tūtira
Women Will Rise! Recalling the Working Women’s Charter
Mahuru Māori: Māni Dunlop and Jamie Tahana
Shifting perspectives about colonial conflict: The Wairau Affray and the Battle of Boulcott’s Farm
With the Boys Overseas: radio listening during World War II and New Zealand’s first broadcast war correspondents
Learning in and from primary schools: Teaching Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories at Years 1 to 6
‘There was no honour in it’: Two aspects of New Zealand’s military history
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
History Obscura
Historycal: Words that Shaped the World
The Rest Is History
Everything Everywhere Daily