Response by Pauline Smith MNZM - Sāmoan, Tuvaluan, Scottish, Irish  | Author, My New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid | Educationalist | Honorary Polynesian Panther

I’m not going to lie; I googled each artist as I read A Niu Dawn. The only one I had met was Siliga Setoga, so it felt rude to respond to the work of other artists without “meeting” them first.

This book is a powerful collection of visual and personal responses to the dawn raids, created by leading and emerging Pasifika artists. It was released alongside an exhibition of the same name at Studio One Toi Tū.

The opening image, a state house, brings immediate familiarity and significance. Artist Christian Alaimoana-Turner describes state houses as identical in structure but unique in identity, homes where Pasifika people sheltered, endured, and where the raids took place. For me, this image felt like a warm hug, bringing back vivid memories of solid wooden doors with bakelite handles and a coal range where we were warmed and fed.

The book itself, with its hardcover and shape, is reminiscent of a Little Golden Book from childhood. It carries educational weight and contains a glossary and footnotes, acknowledging the wisdom of long-time contributors to the dawn raid history like Dr. Melani Anae and Damon Salesa. Importantly, its 2024 release is timely, capturing a period of reflection following the 2021 government apology and ongoing conversations around Pasifika residency.

One of the book's strengths is its ability to convey history and emotion through diverse artistic mediums. The availability of written material both storytelling and educational has increased in recent years, and so it’s refreshing to see a book of artistic responses to see and feel things through a different lens. Art can be a solitary and lonely pursuit; a compilation of works crosses isolation barriers as a place for artists to gather, interpret and share.

'Reflections of the Vā' by Latafale Allyssa Verner-Pula sets the historical context, explaining the Vā and how colonisation fractured these sacred relationships, paving the way for the dawn raids. Her words create powerful imagery—a ‘hefty stain on the Vā’—and highlight the marginalisation of Pasifika people. Her closing words pass the baton to the next generation, calling them to uphold this history.

The varied artistic responses initially challenged me. I instinctively approached them academically, trying to summarize each piece. But once I settled into the book's rhythm, recurring themes of disruption, resilience, and identity became evident. Dr. Sione Faletau’s blend of music composition and visual kupesi-patterns layers emotion with cultural storytelling. I felt deprived of experiencing the full effect in person. 

Elisabeth Kumaran’s visual works depict childhood memories, offering a window into Pasifika family life. Even if one’s experiences differ, the simple joy of parents bringing home late-night treats from factory jobs resonates deeply.

Siliga David Setoga’s reflections on sleeping mats as intimate spaces for talanoa and activism made me reconsider everyday objects as carriers of cultural significance. Meanwhile, Gary Silipa’s work raised pressing questions about Pasifika representation in the justice system, forcing me to ask: How far have we really come since the dawn raids?

Linda Va’aelua’s contribution on the ‘ie tōga and ifoga' deeply resonated. As someone who sat on stage during the government apology alongside fellow Panthers, I felt the ifoga moment viscerally—a ‘suck your breath in moment’ acknowledgment of past wrongs, as Va’aelua describes a ‘perfect punctuation mark’ signalling both closure and the beginning of a new sentence.

When I first learned about the Dawn Raids as a college lecturer, I was outraged that I had reached my forties without knowing this crucial part of Aotearoa’s history. As a first-generation Pasifika New Zealander, I relate to this book in deeply personal ways while also learning and strengthening my connection to a culture I was not raised in. Now, as a mother and grandmother, I see my children and grandchildren seeking that same connection, navigating their Pasifika identity within a Western system.

A Niu Dawn is not only a creative response to history. It’s also an invaluable educational resource, opening conversations across sectors about history, colonisation, racism, politics, āiga, and resilience. It honours past struggles while empowering future generations. As an honorary Panther and creator of material about the dawn raids, I feel a sense of pride that emerging and established Pasifika artists continue to engage with this history.

Tigilau Ness, OG Polynesian Panther, in ‘The Niu Dawn - lessons of the Dawn Raids | Ep 3 - Pacific Activism in a new Era’, encourages young people to share their stories to 'write about them, sing about them, and draw about them.' A Niu Dawn embodies this spirit. It validates all Pasifika perspectives, giving permission to honour and express our experiences and histories authentically. And I do love that.