Protestors
There were a number of different groups within the protest movement and although with different values, they all had the same goal of stopping the Springbok tour.
The anti-tour movement was lead by numerous groups that had developed, the biggest and most active being HART, or Halt All Racist Tours.
HART was formed in 1969 by Trevor Richards, Tom Newnham, John Minto and others as an anti-apartheid group. In 1973, the had put much pressure on Prime Minister Kirk by promising a campaign of civil disruption if the Springboks were allowed to tour New Zealand. The group merged with the National Anti-Apartheid Council in 1980 creating an alliance called HART:NAAM. Although HART was not the leading body in the 1981 protests, their members played many leading roles along with other groups. |
Other groups that formed included CARE and COST who also helped raise awareness surrounding racism in both New Zealand and South Africa.
The Citizens Association for Racial Equality was formed in 1964 and campaigned against South Africa as long the apartheid regime was still in place. Regarding social problems in New Zealand, CARE attacked policies such as the de facto policy of banks not employing Maori and all compulsory pregnancy for tests for recent immigrants from Samoa. CARE was very vocal in its opposition to the tour and heavily involved in the protests.
The Campaign to Oppose the Springbok Tour was the basis of the anti-tour movement in Wellington. Their overall strategy was to hold mas militant demonstrations, engaging in civil disobedience and causing as much disruption as possible.This policy had the long term aim of trying to build a strong anti-apartheid and anti-racist movement in New Zealand. Roger Tobin, a member of COST said:
The Citizens Association for Racial Equality was formed in 1964 and campaigned against South Africa as long the apartheid regime was still in place. Regarding social problems in New Zealand, CARE attacked policies such as the de facto policy of banks not employing Maori and all compulsory pregnancy for tests for recent immigrants from Samoa. CARE was very vocal in its opposition to the tour and heavily involved in the protests.
The Campaign to Oppose the Springbok Tour was the basis of the anti-tour movement in Wellington. Their overall strategy was to hold mas militant demonstrations, engaging in civil disobedience and causing as much disruption as possible.This policy had the long term aim of trying to build a strong anti-apartheid and anti-racist movement in New Zealand. Roger Tobin, a member of COST said:
The anti-apartheid movement always has to bear in mind that if its genuine in opposing apartheid it must take actions that will ultimately help the people who will eventually overthrow apartheid, and that's the black people of Azania and Namibia. That's the principal thing and I believe COST had a responsibility to use the tour to build a mass movement to support the liberation struggle and oppose apartheid in all its forms. Stopping the tour was only the immediate objective, to show the blacks if you like that we stood on their side.
Groups were opposed the tour because they were against racism. Their long term goal was to bring an end to racial discrimination and stop apartheid. By attempting to stop the Springbok tour, they were taking the first step, showing their support for the coloured people and showing the world that there were large numbers of people in New Zealand who did not want the racist tour.
Women were particularly hostile to the tour, and the sport. One thirty year old mother at the time wrote:
I have for years resented the dominance that rugby has in the homes, schools and society in general. It's time that a few other values took over from rugby. Rugby has too long dominated our country and it is only for rugby that this massive kind of protection and protest would occur.
Women also disliked the way that rugby was a patriotic expression of New Zealand society as it was this attitude that caused the oppression of women. Another woman gave her opinion:
I also disliked the macho aspect of rugby and resent the way it has dominated New Zealand culture... It's typical of the Rugby Union that it as no interest in world justice and rides rough-shod over the interests of other sports and New Zealanders as a whole.
As they felt that the oppression of women was similar to that of oppression of blacks, they could relate and naturally, were against the tour. Women's groups were prominent in the protests for example Women Against the Tour.
The poster on the right is by this group, announcing a march in Christchurch. Often in society, women are presented with a negative stereotype. However, over the events of the tour, women were actively encouraged to take part in political and other activities allowing them to gain confidence. Many women became marshals, leading marches and forming strong opinions.
Another issue surrounding women was the role that they played during the protests. There was a certain level of diffulcty as parents were unsure what to do with children while parents were demonstrating as many women were now marching rather than just staying home. There were threats of physical violence to themselves which could have a large impact on the families and children. Families Against the Tour allowed women to take their children along to marches without a fear of violence.
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Maoris were a significant group of protestors because they were directly affected by the apartheid regime in South Africa and felt solidarity with the blacks in South Africa. A major change within New Zealand's political and social realm was the emergence of militant Maori activists. As Domestic racism was also an issue they saw a number of parallels between the situation for blacks in South Africa and themselves. They believed that the Pakeha had a role to play in helping change structures that alienated Maoris. Maoris were exposed to racial discrimination, marginalisation from their lands and there was a great lack of respect for Maori language and cultural traditions. Successive governments also continually failed to honour the terms in the Treaty of Waitangi. Dix Chapman, a youth worker, felt that HART should extend its activities to give support to domestic anti-racist groups.
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People have to see South Africa as connected with racism in New Zealand. They now have to realise that racism in New Zealand is part of South Africa.
Some Maori protest groups joined the anti-tour movement such as the Patu Squad which stood for "Maori club." In the Maori dictionary, it had five meanings which was "hit, beat, kill, weapon or wall." The squad was led by Maori activists Ripeka Evans, Donna Awatere and Hone Harawira. Maoris offered valuable advice on aspects of organisation and tactic but there was sometimes conflict as other protestors did not always fully support the Maori emphasis on New Zealandracism and desire for manamotuhake (Maori self-determination). One Maori activist group was Nga Tamatoa (Young Warriors) who were actively involved in opposition to the tour. This group was a university based organisation formed in 1971 who had a confrontational approach to issues and became the new voice of Maori because their tactics and aims appealed to many, especially those who were younger. The Maori and Pakeha relations between activists still remain today.
There were divided views within the individual sections of the Christian Church but majority opposed the tour. As the "Christian Church is a microcosm of society that must be involved in social action to survive" many of them also took part in protests.
In 1980, Resolutions were passed at each Anglican Diocesan that opposed the tour. Out of the Anglicans, a group emerged called Anglicans Against Apartheid. This group later became ecumenical and was renamed to Christians Against the Tour. The actions that they took complimented the protests organised by COST. They held prayer vigils, cathedral services, meetings and formed broadsheets. The group played an important role in widening the anti-tour movement in Wellington.
The New Zealand Roman Catholic Church was represented by the bishops who were decisively united against the Springbok tour. They made their position clear to Catholics, the public, the government and the Rugby Union at Bishops' conferences in September 1980 and May 1981. The Catholic Sunday newspaper "Zealandia" and the independent weekly newspaper "The Table" published that the Catholic Education and Development Committee donated $1000 to HART's education program in early 1981. This was resented by many Catholics who did not want the Church being identified with the anti-tour movement. Near the top of the hierarchy of the church, the Archbishop held a strong stand, confirming some Catholics and priests in their opposition to the tour. He asked that that Springboks return "home immediately" but those who disagreed were faced with frustration. "A number publicly stopped the practice of their Catholic faith."
The Methodist Conference passed a large number of resolutions opposing the tour and called for peaceful protest in 1980. Despite Methodists always being strongly committed to social issues, not all were against the tour. As a result, Methodists lost many members.
Presbyterians were joined by Methodists in a Public Questions Committee during the tour. The Committee performed an educative role. Additionally, they organised petitions, meetings and released continuous press statements. The Presbyterian Church suffered much more than Methodists due to the intense leadership system, causing a great division.
At the 1980 Conference, the Baptist Union declared its opposition to the 1981 Springbok tour. It was discovered that most conflict that arose was concentrated in provincial areas as these places were where support for the tour was greatest. Stan Edgar sent a letter to the churches "Following the Springbok Tour." In it, he focused on the issues of race, freedom, protest law and order and politics. Edgar recommended that:
In 1980, Resolutions were passed at each Anglican Diocesan that opposed the tour. Out of the Anglicans, a group emerged called Anglicans Against Apartheid. This group later became ecumenical and was renamed to Christians Against the Tour. The actions that they took complimented the protests organised by COST. They held prayer vigils, cathedral services, meetings and formed broadsheets. The group played an important role in widening the anti-tour movement in Wellington.
The New Zealand Roman Catholic Church was represented by the bishops who were decisively united against the Springbok tour. They made their position clear to Catholics, the public, the government and the Rugby Union at Bishops' conferences in September 1980 and May 1981. The Catholic Sunday newspaper "Zealandia" and the independent weekly newspaper "The Table" published that the Catholic Education and Development Committee donated $1000 to HART's education program in early 1981. This was resented by many Catholics who did not want the Church being identified with the anti-tour movement. Near the top of the hierarchy of the church, the Archbishop held a strong stand, confirming some Catholics and priests in their opposition to the tour. He asked that that Springboks return "home immediately" but those who disagreed were faced with frustration. "A number publicly stopped the practice of their Catholic faith."
The Methodist Conference passed a large number of resolutions opposing the tour and called for peaceful protest in 1980. Despite Methodists always being strongly committed to social issues, not all were against the tour. As a result, Methodists lost many members.
Presbyterians were joined by Methodists in a Public Questions Committee during the tour. The Committee performed an educative role. Additionally, they organised petitions, meetings and released continuous press statements. The Presbyterian Church suffered much more than Methodists due to the intense leadership system, causing a great division.
At the 1980 Conference, the Baptist Union declared its opposition to the 1981 Springbok tour. It was discovered that most conflict that arose was concentrated in provincial areas as these places were where support for the tour was greatest. Stan Edgar sent a letter to the churches "Following the Springbok Tour." In it, he focused on the issues of race, freedom, protest law and order and politics. Edgar recommended that:
...our churches individually and together should look carefully at all great moral issues confronting our nation... Failure to have though many of the implications of racism, freedom and protest left our people unprepared for the decision which was so recently forced upon them.
The National Council of Churches represented eleven member churches. They were criticised the tour and played a significant role in increasing opposition to it. The Council and the Roman Catholic Church attended meetings with the Wellington Trades Council and HART's National Committee. At the 1981 General Meeting, the NCC passed resolutions that opposed the tour and wrote letters and sent telegrams to the government and local newspapers. They used the media to encourage Christian groups, individuals and schools to partake in in organised activities for example by distributing pamphlets and posters. There was a view that the tour would decide whether New Zealand became "more restrictive and racist" or "grasps a new multi-cultures option." There was an emphasis that society would have to work together and become more wholesome.
The Church was divided regardless of denomination. Each suffered through polarisation, loss of members and funds, abuse of ministers and occassionally physical attacks on property or people. Archbishop Williams said in his sermon on the 29th of August 1981:
The Church was divided regardless of denomination. Each suffered through polarisation, loss of members and funds, abuse of ministers and occassionally physical attacks on property or people. Archbishop Williams said in his sermon on the 29th of August 1981:
Our Church will never be the same again. Too many people have suffered,too many have prayed for understanding, too many have looked with new eyes at the Gospel teachings.
Opposing the Springbok tour changed the church, leading them in a new direction to ensure that what they stood for could continue.