What happened during the 1977-1978 Bastion Point Protest?
Work on the proposed subdivision on the Ngati Whatua land at Bastion point was due to begin on January 6th 1977. In response to this members of Ngati Whatua and the Orakei Maori Committee Action Group occupied the land at Bastion Point; on the 4th of January 1977 two days before construction was due to begin, in an act of peaceful protest towards the development. Not many people would've have imagined that the protest would last the 506 days which it eventually did. The protesters received support from a number of groups all around the country such as Nga Tamatoa a Maori activist, CARE (Citizens Association for Racial Equality), HART (Halt All Racist Tours), trade unions and a number of Church groups. Several politicians, in opposition parties, supported the protest, as did members of the Maori Battalion and local residents who were opposed to the subdivision. In the beginning the protest continued to gain huge amounts of support. Public speeches and public speeches allowed people in mainstream society to learn more of the Maori grievances, and to understand why the people of Ngati Whatua were protesting. An official petition initiated by the protesters, against the development gained 20,000 signatures, an illustration of the amount of support which the protest received from the wider community.
As the occupation continued the protesters began to build a small makeshift community on the land, in April 1977 an old unused warehouse was dismantled and transported to the occupation site and became known as the Arohanui Marae. The Marae became the central building of the occupation,and was surrounded by makeshift houses, tents and caravans. During the course of the occupation there were a number of fundraising events held, to raise money for the protesters, and to bring more attention towards the plight of the protesters, these events attracted a number of top New Zealand performers and helped to increase the public knowledge of the occupation. Life at the occupation site was not easy by any means, it was extremely hard work, which shows the amount passion which the protesters showed in order to stay for such a long period of time. The facilities were basic and living conditions worsened as winter came about. Many of the protestors were experiencing financial hardship were a negative consequence for many who committed to the protest in the long term. Nine months into the protest tragedy struck the occupation as a tent fire tragically took the life of Joanne Hawke, a young girl whose family was involved in the occupation. In a recent New Zealand Herald interview a family relation of Joanne's stated that the death of Joanne spurred on the protestors at a crucial time, when morale was dropping, she said "The fire took Joanne's life; it could have taken our resolve, our cause. It in fact increased our resolve for the take. Either we walked, and Muldoon won, or we stayed and Joanne won."
Since the beginning of the protest the Muldoon government had been trying to get the protestors to vacate the land at Bastion Point. Government officials went into negotiation talks with Ngati Whatua elders to try and end the protest. In February 1978, just over a year after the protest had begun, the National government came up with an offer that would see some of the land returned to the Iwi, however this deal would also leave them with a debt of $200,000, which was needed to pay some of the development costs for the land. Many of the elders wanted the protestors to leave the site so that they could negotiate the offer without the threat of protest, and within legal boundaries. The deal presented by the government, had the effect of splitting the people. The elders decided to ask Joe Hawke and the other protestors to leave the site, Hawke blatantly refused. At the time the government believed that the deal was very generous, and had difficulty hiding its disdain when Hawke refused to leave Bastion Point. In April 1978 the government filed an injunction against the protestors, and had an eviction notice served, saying that they must leave the property immediately. In a response to the constant refusal to vacate the land, on the 25th of May 1978, 506 days since the protest had first begun, 600 police and army officers were sent by the government to forcibly remove the protestors from the site, however Bastion Point was a peaceful protest. Police told supporters they were free to leave if they wanted to avoid being arrested and detained. Those who stayed were encouraged to be arrested peacefully. When the police and army moved in, 222 people were arrested, and the Marae and shacks that had been their homes for 506 days were destroyed. All that remained was a lone tree, which was planted in the memorial garden which was planted for Joanne Hawke.
As the occupation continued the protesters began to build a small makeshift community on the land, in April 1977 an old unused warehouse was dismantled and transported to the occupation site and became known as the Arohanui Marae. The Marae became the central building of the occupation,and was surrounded by makeshift houses, tents and caravans. During the course of the occupation there were a number of fundraising events held, to raise money for the protesters, and to bring more attention towards the plight of the protesters, these events attracted a number of top New Zealand performers and helped to increase the public knowledge of the occupation. Life at the occupation site was not easy by any means, it was extremely hard work, which shows the amount passion which the protesters showed in order to stay for such a long period of time. The facilities were basic and living conditions worsened as winter came about. Many of the protestors were experiencing financial hardship were a negative consequence for many who committed to the protest in the long term. Nine months into the protest tragedy struck the occupation as a tent fire tragically took the life of Joanne Hawke, a young girl whose family was involved in the occupation. In a recent New Zealand Herald interview a family relation of Joanne's stated that the death of Joanne spurred on the protestors at a crucial time, when morale was dropping, she said "The fire took Joanne's life; it could have taken our resolve, our cause. It in fact increased our resolve for the take. Either we walked, and Muldoon won, or we stayed and Joanne won."
Since the beginning of the protest the Muldoon government had been trying to get the protestors to vacate the land at Bastion Point. Government officials went into negotiation talks with Ngati Whatua elders to try and end the protest. In February 1978, just over a year after the protest had begun, the National government came up with an offer that would see some of the land returned to the Iwi, however this deal would also leave them with a debt of $200,000, which was needed to pay some of the development costs for the land. Many of the elders wanted the protestors to leave the site so that they could negotiate the offer without the threat of protest, and within legal boundaries. The deal presented by the government, had the effect of splitting the people. The elders decided to ask Joe Hawke and the other protestors to leave the site, Hawke blatantly refused. At the time the government believed that the deal was very generous, and had difficulty hiding its disdain when Hawke refused to leave Bastion Point. In April 1978 the government filed an injunction against the protestors, and had an eviction notice served, saying that they must leave the property immediately. In a response to the constant refusal to vacate the land, on the 25th of May 1978, 506 days since the protest had first begun, 600 police and army officers were sent by the government to forcibly remove the protestors from the site, however Bastion Point was a peaceful protest. Police told supporters they were free to leave if they wanted to avoid being arrested and detained. Those who stayed were encouraged to be arrested peacefully. When the police and army moved in, 222 people were arrested, and the Marae and shacks that had been their homes for 506 days were destroyed. All that remained was a lone tree, which was planted in the memorial garden which was planted for Joanne Hawke.
Key Historical Ideas:
When Joe Hawke began the occupation of Bastion Point, he was following on from a long line of previous attempts at obtaining a fair and just hearing in regards to the confiscation of Ngati Whatua land. Hawke, and others within Ngati Whatua decided to stage a protest in order to stop the construction on the land at Bastion Point, an to try and gain a fair hearing into the rightful ownership of the land. The protestors received support from all areas of New Zealand society, and this, along with leaflets, petitions and fundraising events, led to the protest gaining large amounts of media exposure. The protestors established a makeshift village at Bastion Point, and this was what enabled them to sustain the protest for such a long period of time, despite this life was not easy, and many protestors struggled both physically and financially to survive the length of the protest. The Muldoon government tried a number of different tactics to remove the protestors from the land and end the protest. Firstly they tried to negotiate with the elders of Ngati Whatua, and eventually offered them a deal which would see them return 11.6 hectares of land, but at a cost of $200,000 to Ngati Whatua. The elders asked Joe Hawke to leave Bastion Point, so that they could proceed with the deal legally. After Hawke refused to do do, the government issued an eviction notice to the protestors. After continually refusing to leave the government sent in 600 police and army officers to remove the protestors forcibly. The protestors were removed from the site, 222 were arrested, and their makeshift village was destroyed.
When Joe Hawke began the occupation of Bastion Point, he was following on from a long line of previous attempts at obtaining a fair and just hearing in regards to the confiscation of Ngati Whatua land. Hawke, and others within Ngati Whatua decided to stage a protest in order to stop the construction on the land at Bastion Point, an to try and gain a fair hearing into the rightful ownership of the land. The protestors received support from all areas of New Zealand society, and this, along with leaflets, petitions and fundraising events, led to the protest gaining large amounts of media exposure. The protestors established a makeshift village at Bastion Point, and this was what enabled them to sustain the protest for such a long period of time, despite this life was not easy, and many protestors struggled both physically and financially to survive the length of the protest. The Muldoon government tried a number of different tactics to remove the protestors from the land and end the protest. Firstly they tried to negotiate with the elders of Ngati Whatua, and eventually offered them a deal which would see them return 11.6 hectares of land, but at a cost of $200,000 to Ngati Whatua. The elders asked Joe Hawke to leave Bastion Point, so that they could proceed with the deal legally. After Hawke refused to do do, the government issued an eviction notice to the protestors. After continually refusing to leave the government sent in 600 police and army officers to remove the protestors forcibly. The protestors were removed from the site, 222 were arrested, and their makeshift village was destroyed.