Trailer: Once a Panther

1m 55s

The transcription recounts the experiences and motivations of the Polynesian Panthers, a group formed to combat racism and oppression against Pacific Islanders. Members describe standing up for their people, refusing to endure discrimination, and preparing for confrontation, including potential arrest and violence. Inspired by the Black Panther movement in the US, they decided to "seize the time" and use force to liberate themselves from pressure. The group faced racial slurs like "bombers" and "coconuts," and police targeted hotels frequented by islanders with random checks. The Prime Minister’s claim of having the best race relations was dismissed as a hoax, as Pacific Islanders were seen as uneducable and language-deficient. The Panthers saw it as time to fight back, adopting a military-style approach, including blowing up a substation. The speaker stresses the need to fully confront aggressors, describing their history and words as central to their identity. The narrative reflects a militant, no-compromise stance against systemic racism, drawing parallels to global anti-racist movements.

Transcription

278 Words, 1528 Characters

English

What was it all about being a Polynesian Panther? Standing up on behalf of our people, don't take any shit and stop dysracism. This is what's going to happen if you continue dawn-rating us in our area. We'll come out to you. I want to check the end of it. I want to get that in our pants again. How about us two in the morning? Nervy as hell. Prepare to get arrested. Prepare to fight. Like the Black Panther movement in the United States, we decided to seize the time. Volunteers have American-Aged Terry Pi. We will use that violence to read ourselves of all pressure. On Ponsan B-road we were called, you know, bombers, coconuts, go home and all that. So I had this big effort and I was there. So I'd been seen anywhere. Police officers have been told to concentrate on hotels frequented by islanders and they are making random checks. The Prime Minister told us that we had the best race relations in the world. It was a hoax. There's these people from the Pacific Islands. We can't. We can't educate them. They don't know the language. Let's keep their air-end and they stop. It was time to fight back. This was time to look like a military wing operation. We blew up a substation. If it's a part-night, you have to front it all the way, no matter what, all the way. You're getting fireworks, things happening in the back streets of Britain when we're getting in New Zealand. Now, Ponsan, when it attacks, it totally wipes out its aggressor, completely holding, absolutely. This is our history. These are our words. [Music]

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

The Polynesian Panthers were formed to stand up for their people and resist racism.
They were inspired by the Black Panther movement in the United States and decided to take action.
Members faced racial slurs and discrimination, including from police who targeted Pacific Islanders.
The group engaged in militant actions, such as blowing up a substation, as part of their fight back.
The speaker emphasizes the need to confront oppression fully and without compromise.

Summary:

The group faced racial slurs like "bombers" and "coconuts," and police targeted hotels frequented by islanders with random checks. The Prime Minister’s claim of having the best race relations was dismissed as a hoax, as Pacific Islanders were seen as uneducable and language-deficient. The Panthers saw it as time to fight back, adopting a military-style approach, including blowing up a substation.

The speaker stresses the need to fully confront aggressors, describing their history and words as central to their identity. The narrative reflects a militant, no-compromise stance against systemic racism, drawing parallels to global anti-racist movements.

FAQs

What was the goal of the Polynesian Panthers?›

The goal was to stand up for Pacific Islanders, stop racism, and fight against discrimination and oppression.

What inspired the formation of the Polynesian Panthers?›

The Black Panther movement in the United States inspired them to seize the time and take action.

What kind of racism did Pacific Islanders face in New Zealand?›

They were called names like 'bombers' and 'coconuts', told to go home, and faced police targeting in hotels frequented by islanders.

How did the Polynesian Panthers respond to oppression?›

They were prepared to get arrested, fight, and even used violence, including blowing up a substation, as part of their military-style operations.

What did the Prime Minister claim about race relations?›

The Prime Minister claimed New Zealand had the best race relations in the world, but the Panthers saw this as a hoax.

What was the attitude of some people toward educating Pacific Islanders?›

Some said they couldn't educate Pacific Islanders because they didn't know the language, which the Panthers opposed.

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