Oscar Kightley: Dawn Raids | Q+A 2022

[@simonmathew384]

I just saw Dawn Raids at 11am on a Thursday at the Opera House in Wellington. There might have been 200 almost entirely Pasifika high schoolers in uniform. These kids hollered and cheered and laughed and groaned. They brought so much to my experience of the play. This is a genuinely great play about a disturbing time in our very recent history told with sensitivity, emotion, and humour. The production and acting was superb. I cried more than once. Also, any house band that can play Rose Royce’s Cash Wash and then Olivia Newton John with equal commitment and authenticity will make me want to applaud before the play even begins.

[@gerardinerobbie6161]

Love this interview - these stories do matter. Thanks Oscar and Jack.

[@user-ki4bv6pc1e]

Really terrible how the authorities raided houses looking for over stayers at the most inconsiderate hours in the morning and night. Much better to do it between the hours of 8 to 5. That way people can avoid the inconvenience of being deported altogether.

[@kentaylor2416]

Wondering how the islands treat overstayers. I wouldn't mind spending winters in the tropics.

[@FAMEROB]

48 years ago just saying

[@julianheta984]

25 years since the play was last performed

[@anakinuzamakihatake5366]

So what?

[@simonmathew384]

Effectively it never happened. I might add that these now 60-year-olds, and their children, and their children's children just need to get over it. Also, it would be good if these people were more like me and not so... different.

[@purefoldnz3070]

Wait... I thought Jack Lame was fictional.

[@John.Leitch]

Why are we talking about Dawn Raids seriously!!! all this achieves is stirring up more hatred and discrimination between races. Yes it happened and yes it was a dark place in history but we can't keep dwelling on the negative things that have happened in our society and we should instead focus on the opportunities we have in front of us. Don't look for someone else to blame or something perceived to be in your way to succeed just stand up on your two feet and take action.

[@labrne5659]

Because it's found to be still happening ... and the same community that's affected. So don't play the victim. If it didn't happen to you (and quite frankly if you are white) i don't know what your problem is. The colonial mindset of NZ Government in the Pacific has been horrendous. If you don't know, you don't.

[@Leofaumeo]

​@@labrne5659🙄cry us a river, victim mentality

[@Leofaumeo]

You & Oscar are the actual victim mentality mindset.. holding Pacific islanders back​@@labrne5659

[@raybreeze2841]

They were over stayers come here for period of work should have left and would not have been a problem a lot of them were unskilled labour'

[@labrne5659]

That's not true. The largest group of overstayers during the 70s and 80s came from Europe. PIs were targeted because the attitudes were "they" were stealing "their" jobs - the type of jobs you pointed out "The unskilled": the unskilled jobs kiwis didn't want to get their hands dirty. The economic problems and the social issues that was linked to the high unemployment rate then became a "Pacific problem". Regardless of your citizenship- you were picked on. Even Maori were too. So maybe you could shout out to all the Europeans who made up a large amount of the overstayers stats - to pack up?? Yea of course you wouldn't lol

[@Leofaumeo]

NZers were lazy & did not want certain jobs