By Melani Anae. Published by Bridget Williams Books, 2020. (NZD 18). Reviewed by Sandy Leaitua.

I am so pleased to have read this book. It has given me an understanding of a turbulent period in New Zealand’s history surrounding Polynesian immigration.

In The Platform, Melani Anae tells the story of the Polynesian Panthers and the Dawn Raids of the 1970s in an open, honest and personal way, connecting it to her childhood and culture in a narrative that makes the reader want to know more.

As a young palagi (European) woman in 1970 married to a first-generation Samoan immigrant, I was aware of the problems some of my husband’s family experienced in the “dawn raid” period. Although we experienced racist attitudes towards us as a young mixed-culture couple in our town, I was unaware of the extent of racism that those in bigger Polynesian communities experienced.

The Platform opened my eyes; it is incredibly informative. I was impressed to learn of the Polynesian Panther Platform programmes to empower and educate the children of immigrant families and the wider population about systemic racism.

I recommend The Platform to young people of all cultures so they, too, can be inspired now, and in the future, to be inclusive of all people who call Aotearoa home. 

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 289 February 2024: 31