Understanding the Dawn Raids Through Stories

During class in Room 13 and Room 9 (we finished the day before lockdown started!) we have been reading a book called Dawn Raid and it shows what life looked like for Pacific Islanders through a 13 year old's eyes.

Dawn Raid is a book about a girl named Sofia Savea and she shares what life is like during times of political unrest during the 1970s. Through diary entries, we are introduced to Sofia who is growing up biracial. As she turns 13 she starts to consider the shifting world around her. Protests against dawn raids, as police hunt for Pacific Islanders who have overstayed their visas, and activism to encourage Māori land and language reclamation start to frame her perspectives around equality. Sofia’s developing awareness bridges her transition to becoming a teenager as she takes on a job to be able to buy her own things but also contributes to her family’s financial well-being. We witness the terror of being dawn raided and gain an insight into the courageous and tireless work of the Polynesian Panthers.

I found this book really fascinating and it highlights the struggle of Pacific people during that time and the way the book is written, it makes you feel like you are in the 1970s, experiencing these events with her. I highly recommend that you read it, as it may change the way you see NZ history.