Visit from Tigilau Ness

This term, Room 25 and Kauri team have been learning about the 1970's and Dawn Raids.

Today, Kauri team had a chance to get Tigilau Ness to come to Owairaka School. (Tigilau Ness is Che Fu's dad)

Tigilau Ness told us what it was like in the 1970's and how the Polynesian Panthers stood up for the Pasifika people.

I learnt a new thing about Tigilau Ness. He said that he was Dux of 2 of his schools that he went to, (Dux means that he was top student) and when he was in Mt Albert Grammar (MAGs) he got expelled because he wouldn't cut his hair. It was part of his belief that they have a special hair cutting ceremony for the eldest in the family. Tigi was the eldest in his family.

Another thing that I learnt is that he got sent to prison for protesting and standing up for Pasifika people. Tigi said that he was sent for 9 months and it was a terrible experience.

I also learnt that he was mad at the police for dawn raiding Pasifika and Maori  people and he even dawn raided the politicians along with some other angry people. He went to the politicians house at 3 o'clock in the morning and had bright car lights on and surrounded the house. Then he said that he shouted in a megaphone shouting that to the people in the house to get their identification papers out. Then when the people came out the Pasifika jumped into the cars and ran away.

Tigi also sang us a few songs!

Here are some photos of Tigi's visit:

We enjoyed having Tigilau Ness at our school.
Blog ya later!