The Dawn Raids began in 1972. On Thursday 20 October 1976, Auckland Police launched ‘Operation Pot Black’, an intensive campaign of raids and random street checks. Racially profiling and targeting Pacific Islanders. Although Polynesians made up 50% of those who Overstayed, 80% of the deportations were people of Pacific descent.
The Dawn Raids of Pacific Islanders 1972-1982.
A-APLGY | KAUPAPA
Vulnerability is the outworking of trust. Recognising and accepting that one was wrong is a sign of vulnerability and a great starting point upon which real foundations could be built. A-APLGY is not about a single event but about the building of a movement to help recognise and break false foundations built during a time when the world was blind.
from overstayer to f.o.b.
The impact of the early 1970’s resulted in so much more than just the Dawn Raids. Derogatory terms like overstayer and F.O.B. (fresh off boat) were often directed at Pacific Islanders many decades later . This would only further highlight the perception of the New Zealand public towards its Polynesian community.
be a “good sport”
Generations later, the Polynesian community faces a new obstacle, but one that is more mental than physical. To be seen not only for our prowess on the sports field, but also in the classroom and industry is a challenge. But the world has shifted and the deficit model of “just enough” is no longer - enough.
The Logo - 192,18,30
The logo
The A-APLGY logo is loosely based on the “No Entry” street sign. We felt this was symbolic of the sentiment projected on the Pacific Island community during the 1970’s. But we also wanted to reflect the lack of clarity during that period in this logo (hence the “loosely”) to match those employers who advised their Polynesian staff to ignore their expiring immigration status whereby prioritizing their businesses over the welfare of their migrant workers.