Loading
Protesters gather under the Hamilton banner at Fowlds Park
John MercerSeptember 12, 1981
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Auckland, New Zealand
Black and white photograph of a crowd of anti-Springbok tour protesters assembling in Fowlds Park. Protesters are holding banners commemorating the anniversary of anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko's death. Banners read "Hamilton", "Biko commemoration" and "Remember Steve Biko". One banner features a portrait of Biko.
Show lessRead more
Details
- Title: Protesters gather under the Hamilton banner at Fowlds Park
- Creator: John Mercer
- Creator Lifespan: b. 1949
- Creator Nationality: New Zealander
- Creator Birth Place: New Plymouth, New Zealand
- Date Created: September 12, 1981
- Location: Mount Albert (Auckland, N.Z.)
- Physical Dimensions: 35 mm frame
- Subject Keywords: New Zealand Police--History, Protest movements--New Zealand--Auckland, Anti-apartheid activists, Rugby football - Political aspects, Mount Albert (Auckland, N.Z.)
- Type: Negative
- Rights: All rights reserved
- External Link: Auckland Museum: Collections Online
- Support: Polyester
- Wikipedia: Auckland Museum on Wikipedia
- Process: Gelatin silver
- Notes: Notes provided by John Mercer June-July 2021: Hamilton banners and people. Biko banners. Faces, faces. Waiting, waiting. Anticipation. Thirty plus years on I am having trouble remembering how I got to Auckland from Hamilton and how I got to Fowlds Park – probably on a bus the day earlier, overnighting with friends/contacts and getting a ride to the Park (no idea of how to get there on my own). I travelled to Auckland to protest the Tour, the 3rd Test and apartheid. I arrived without a plan – just intent and attitude – and no knowledge of the organisers' plans for the day. This may have been to my benefit in knowing where to be to get great iconic photos or whether serendipity placed me at key events anyway. There was a lot going on all over the place regardless. I adopted documentary mode – anything and everything is photographable, shoot first and tell stories later. Now, much much later, viewing my photographs retrospectively I am still able to recognise people in the crowds that I didn't discern while I was engaged in photographing the events, people and action on the day Like all such events organisers and protest leaders spoke to a crowd anticipatory protesters about why we were there, the history and political contexts that had led to this day of protest action and about the history that was about to be made this day. Along with drier matters such as how to comport ourselves, the importance of behaving well (and honourably) in the face of provocation from rugby fans, police containment and broad housekeeping stuff – medical teams, observers, etc, etc. And, of course in retrospect, at a deeper level group leaders and marshals, the squads (Biko, Green, Patu) had been training and preparing for their particular roles and actions (locations, times, etc) so as to create the most opportunities for a breakthrough of the police cordons.
Get the app
Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more
