Polynesian Panthers Mural

Talofa Lava, Fakalofa lahi atu, Kia orana, Kia ora, Greetings

Thank you to all for your generous donations. The Whakaako Mural crew are looking forward to getting started on the mahi. Your support, and those to come, will realise a powerful addition to Auckland's artscape.

Mauri Ora.

Kia ora and thank you to all who have contributed to our campaign. We appreciate the support and aroha. We are still in fundraising mode so please share our Boosted campaign through your networks.

Image: Tigilau Ness, Emory Douglas and Miriama Rauhihi with children from the Samoan Community Development Center, San Francisco 2016.

Once again, thank you for the support. We are looking forward to getting the mural underway.

Miriama Rauhihi was appointed to the role of Minister of Culture for the Polynesian Panther Movement in May1972. Formed in 1971, the PPM was to become the Polynesian Panther Party in November 1972. Miriama became the full-time Community worker for the PPP in 1973. The photo (by John Miller) was the inspiration for the artwork by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho. It features Miriama during the 3rd Test protests during the 1981 Springbok Tour of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Polynesian Panthers were fully engaged with the anti-tour movement, particularly Patu Squad, and the struggle for the liberation of South Africa from it's white supremacist government.

Ngā mihi mahana to all our contributors helping us to make history. We welcome your support for this Whakaako Kia Whakaora / Educate to Liberate Panthers Mural Project>

Please let you friends and whānau know about our fundraiser with Boosted.

Mauri Ora!

Photo: John Miller 1981 / Artwork: Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho 2020

Fakalofa lahi atu, Talofa, Malo, KIa ora, Kiaorana, warm greetings to you all.

Through enormous generosity shown by the community, friends and whānau, our fundraising campaign has now reached 41% of our goal. Thank you all. Every donation assists us to reach our goal and to help towards the associated costs required to paint the mural. Please let your networks know about our fundraiser - they may also be able to contribute to our project.

Mauri ora whānau.

• Tu'ulenana Iuli (Sefo) Polynesian Panther, Activist, Health Worker

Photo: Chris McBride @ Ihumātao / Mural artwork by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho

Tu'ulenana Iuli is a New Zealand-born Samoan. His parents emigrated from Saomoa to New Zealand and he was born in Auckland. Tu'ulenana joined the panthers in 1975 when he was living at the headquarters in Redmond Street, Ponsonby. He attended PIG (Police Investigation Group) patrols and set about educating people about their rights, attended indigenous land rights campaigns, created employment opportunities through the Ponsonby Labour Co-operative and was active in the 1981 anti-apartheid protests during the South African Springbok rugby tour of Aotearoa. One of many arrested during the four months of protests, he was jailed for four months. He was also active in anti-nuclear campaigns.

Tu'ulenana Iuli has worked in Māori mental Health Services and also for indigenous mental health services in Melbourne. He continues to support land rights, cultural, language and independence issues for indigenous nations in Australia.

After attending the Black Panther Party 50th Anniversary, Oakland Ca in 2016, he arranged with members of the American Indian Movement to travel to Standing Rock Reservation, Oceti Sakowin Camp in North Dakota and worked their to protect Native lands and waters from the DAPL pipeline for two works.

Mni Wičoni / Water is Life – Power To The People

"Love is an expression of power. We can use it to transform our world"

Ericka Huggins

Human rights activist, poet, educator, Black Panther Party leader and former political prisoner.

On developing a description for the Black panther Party, Ericka Huggins says:

"'We know the Party we were in and not the entire thing. we were making history, and it wasn't nice and clean. It wasn't easy. It was complex."

"As an activist, former political prisoner and leader of the Black Panther Party, educator and student, I've devoted my life to the equitable treatment of all human beings – beyond the boundaries of race, age, culture,class, gender, sexual orientation, ability and status associated with citizenship.

"I spent 14 years in the Black panther Party – the highlight being my eight years as Director of the renowned Oakland Community School from 1973-1981. During that time I became the first Black person and the first woman appointed to the Alemeda Co. Board of Education."

The photo was taken in front of the Alameda County Courthouse in 2016 at the end of the Black Panther Party's 50th Anniversary. Panther member Miriama Rauhihi and PPP supporter Betty Sio are at left. Ericka Huggins is at centre back in purple.

Ericka Huggins artwork by Emory Douglas / Photo Chris McBride

Nga mihi mahana for the aroha and manaaki in support of the Whakaako Kia Whakaora Educate To Liberate mural project – we've reached 50% thanks to you all who have given your amazing koha/donations.

A good milestone to reach - can you put the message out there through FB, Instagram, Twitter or any other social media and help us reach our target.

Here's a wee note you can forward with the link:

The 'Whakaako Kia Whakaora / Educate to Liberate' mural project will render a stunning 26m x 5m artwork which visually connects the relationship between the Polynesian Panther Party (Aotearoa) and the Black Panther Party (USA) to inspire and educate to build a better future for all.

Your support will help us to get this significant artwork painted on our site on the corner of Karangahape Rd and Gundry Street in Central Auckland. Be a part of our interconnected histories!

It is perhaps the most iconic sports photograph ever taken.

Captured at the medal ceremony for the men's 200 meters at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, U.S. sprinter Tommie Smith stands defiantly, head bowed, his black-gloved fist thrust into the thin air.

Behind him fellow American John Carlos joins with his own Black Power salute, an act of defiance aimed at highlighting the segregation and racism burning back in their homeland.

It was an act that scandalized the Olympics. Smith and Carlos were sent home in disgrace and banned from the Olympics for life. But they were treated as returning heroes by the black community for sacrificing their personal glory for the cause. History, too, has been kind to them.

Yet few know that the man standing in front of both of them, the Australian sprinter Peter Norman who shocked everyone by powering past Carlos and winning the silver medal, played his own, crucial role in sporting history.

On his left breast he wore a small badge that read: "Olympic Project for Human Rights" -- an organization set up a year previously opposed to racism in sport. But while Smith and Carlos are now feted as human rights pioneers, the badge was enough to effectively end Norman's career. He returned home to Australia a pariah, suffering unofficial sanction and ridicule as the Black Power salute's forgotten man. He never ran in the Olympics again.

Source: The Guardian – search "The third man: The Forgotten Black Power Hero

Also: check out our website: panthers.liberationlibrary.nz

Also read: 'A cry for freedom' The Black Power salute that rocked the world 50 years ago from The Washington Post. (NB it is now 53 years ago.)

AND THANK YOU: We are now at 54% of our target. Please help spread the word to donate/koha to the Panther Mural Project.

Artwork: Emory Douglas / Photo: Wikipedia

Boosted update: We are at 56% of our fundraising campaign with @ 11:00am) 57 hours till our deadline at 8:00pm Tuesday 23 February. Please help us reach our goal!

• Click on the link to make you koha/donation : Be a part of our interconnected histories! We thank you for your manaaki and aroha.

•Polynesian Panther Homework and education centres

Programmes were set up in association with CARE (Citizens Association for Racial Equality) became an import part of the Polynesian Panthers action. The education programmes were set up to help Pacific students with there homework.

“Our aim was to help younger Polynesians to succeed at school by linking them up with other academically “’successful’ young Polynesians who were either in senior school, or at university already.” – Wayne Toleafoa.

The education centres also ran programmes to educate pacific peoples on their rights as New Zealand citizens.

• Formed in 1971, the Polynesian Panther Party sought to raise consciousness and took action in response to the racism and discrimination Pacific peoples faced in New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s. The Panthers organised prison-visit programmes and sporting and debating teams for inmates; provided a halfway-house service for young men released from prison; ran homework centres; and offered ‘people’s loans’, legal aid and food banks that catered for up to 600 families.

Photo: © John Miller • Artwork: © Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho

Nga mihi mahana for the aroha and manaaki in support of the Whakaako Kia Whakaora Educate To Liberate mural project – we've reached 50% thanks to you all who have given your amazing koha/donations.

A good milestone to reach - can you put the message out there to your friends, whānau and networks through FB, Instagram, Twitter or any other social media and help us reach our target. Much aroha to you all

Kia ora koutou, we are at 81%! Thank you to all for your koha. It will get us on the wall.

Tigilau Ness, former Minister of Culture Polynesian Panthers on BFM95 Tuesday @ 8:15am - live

Listen to Tigilau discuss the Auckland Arts Festival, The Polynesian Panthers, connections and the Whakaako Mural project.

Emory Douglas, former Minister of Culture and Revolutionary Artist Black Panther Party on RNZ Saturday 27 February @ 10:00am - live

Emory's interview will discuss the Black Panthers and the connections with the Polynesian Panthers and the Whakaako Mural project.

A massive shout out to all or supporters – we have 20% funding to raise - please tell your friends/whānau and other networks about the fundraiser and the project. We are very thankful for your aroha and manaaki.

Image: Tigilau Ness and Emory Douglas, Motupōhue / Bluff 2018

A visit to Murihuku to talk at the dawn Raids – Educate to Liberate exhibition.

You can see the exhibition as part of the Auckland Arts Festival from 25 February to 25 March 2021 as part of the celebration 50 years of the Polynesian Panthers

Photo: Chris McBride

Fakalofa lahi Atu, Talofa, Malo, Kia ora, Kia orana, Greatings to all our amazing contributors. Your koha will help to create the 'Whakaako Kia Whakaora Educate To Liberate' Mural celebrating the connections between the Black panthers and the Polynesian Panthers – and, our hopes for the future.

We are still a wee bit short so if you can spread the message and the Boosted link to friends, whānau and your networks – please do.

Ngā mihi aroha – The Whakaako Collective

Wow, at 5:00pm NZT, we achieved our target for the Boosted Fundraiser – $22,000!

the last 30 + hours took us from 68% to 100%. We could not have done this without all of you in support. So many gave koha, so many gave time to spread the word. We thank you all for your generosity, your aroha and tautoko of this amazing project.

This was a global effort – koha from the USA, Australia and across Aotearoa.

A song from Tigi Ness and Unity Pacific at Grey Lynn Festival – "Thank You"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Caj9649nyPk&list=RDCaj9649nyPk&start_radio=1

Our aroha to everyone. The work begins on Monday – 1 March 2021!

Ngā mihi mahana – The Whakaako Panther Mural Collective

Image L-R: Tigilau Ness, Chris McBride, Emory Douglas, Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho, Toa Sieke Taihia, Numa McKenzie

FAKAUE LAHI, FA'AFETAI, MALO 'AUPITO, KIA ORA, KIA ORANA, THANK YOU!

To everyone and to the last few who were just about too late. We applaud you, we thank you for the massive support. All up $23,070 = 104%

If you are in Auckland come for a visit after 4 March and before 20 March - check out the progress. We might be able to find you a brush to help with infill painting.

Stay well and safe. Whakaako Kia Whakaora Educate To Liberate Power To The People

Aroha to you all – The Whakaako Panther Mural Collective

It is with aroha that we thank the generosity of our Boosted fundraising campaign donors – with your support, we have begun the work of creating this amazing mural project and we are more than happy with the progress made in two days. There is a link below to the Liberation Library NZ Facebook page with more photos.

Day 1 – Tuesday 9 March, Polynesian Panther Alec Tolefoa spoke about the essence of where we were, Karanga-A-Hape, the Polynesian Panthers, the project and the PPP 50th Anniversary this year. Alec and Polynesian Panther Melani Anae performed a Samoan Waiata Karakia. The artists, other contributors, friends, whānau and members of the Auckland Arts Festival team who have been staunchly supportive of this project and another four associated projects celebrating the 50th year of the Polynesian Panthers, attended this dedication.

Over 2020 and into 2021, we have worked to see this project succeed. We Could not have done this with the support of the many, particularly Creative New Zealand for supporting the project design and development of the panthers.liberationlibrary.nz website in 2020, our generous Boosted fundraiser supporters, Auckland Arts Festival, Samson Corporation, Auckland City Centre Targeted Ratepayers, Resene, Hirepool, Extended Whānau, Open Cafe, Wilson Parking and of course the amazing art created by Emory Douglas, Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho, Numa McKenzie, Toa Sieke Taihia with the support of Tigilau Ness and Chris McBride.

Day 2 Whakaako Kia Whakaora Educate To Liberate Mural

Stepping back to last night, We projected the artwork onto the wall in five sections from around 9:00pm to 1:00am and started back on site around 10:30 to begin infill painting. Once this is done we will refine the images to reflect the original design.

Come and visit. Ngā mihi Mahana

The Whakaako Panthers Mural Collective

https://www.facebook.com/liberationlibrarynz/posts/115485260563310?notif_id=1615366893953779&notif_t=page_share&ref=notif

Kia ora Koutou – we are nearing the end of painting with only a few more days to go. The support from the local community, visiting friends, family and others has been encouraging with people loving this new addition to their public arts space.

We are thankful for our support partners who have made this artwork possible.

Particularly all of our Boosted Donors – this part of the project would not have been possible without your generosity. We are very thankful to all our partners including Auckland Arts Festival, Resene, Hirepool, Auckland City Centre Targeted Ratepayers, Extended WhAnau, Open Cafe, Samson Corporation.

We also acknowledge Creative New Zealand who supported the design of the mural and the development of our website http://panthers.liberationlibrary.nz/

And, of course, we could not have produced this amazing historical mural without our artists: • EMORY DOUGLAS • HURIANA KOPEKE-TE AHO • NUMA MacKENZIE • TOA TAIHIA • TIGILAU NESS • CHRIS McBRIDE

Photo: Artists,whānau, friends and our filmmaker working on the mural. Mauri ora!