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The noise from the helicopters above was deafening and the sound of soldiers marching along Tamaki Drive intimidating.
But for Patu Clark the peaceful nature of the Bastion Pt occupation, which was forcibly ended 30 years ago yesterday, gave the protesters dignity up against the strong arm of the state.
"The scale of it was meant to belittle us, but it made us feel stronger."
Mrs Clark, the sister of Joe Hawke, who led the land occupation, was among those escorted off the occupation site on May 25, 1978. Her mother also was arrested.
Thirty years on she recalled the range of emotions that day.
"It is sadness mostly, and exhilaration at the same time because we were peaceful. Our spirit was uplifted. The people stuck with the kaupapa, it brings a tear to my eye."
An open-air church service was held yesterday outside the meeting house at the Orakei Marae to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the occupation, the direct action that pitched Maori land rights in the public eye and highlighted historical grievances.
In attendance were many of the original protesters and those who helped to support the occupation.
Also present were Prime Minister Helen Clark, Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and other Labour Party ministers including Shane Jones and Judith Tizard.
There was a strong police presence as well, this time provoking convivial rather than controversial encounters between the officers and Maori with hongi, handshakes and smiles all round.
High-profile protesters included Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt, who told the Herald it was the first time he had been back on the land since the eviction by a 500-strong police contingent: "It is quite moving."
Mr Shadbolt said that at the time you couldn't help but be intimidated by the enormous machinery of the state as the 507-day occupation was brought to an end by about 500 police.
Mr Shadbolt said that of the 222 people arrested that day, about half were Pakeha and some were Pacific Islanders: "It was a very multicultural group."
Not all the Maori were Ngati Whatua o Orakei either; many other iwi were represented.
Ben Dalton was a 21-year-old from the Ngapuhi iwi who came down from Northland to show his solidarity.
Among those arrested, Mr Dalton said it was surreal to see the degree by which the state was represented, even with bulldozers, over what was a legitimate claim.
"We had not seen anything like that in New Zealand society for a very long time."
Hazel Wander, from Ngati Apakura in the Waikato, was frightened to see the phalanx of police marching towards her. Mrs Wander's pre-assigned job should the protesters be forced out was to help look after the children.
On the day, she had caught a taxi from her Mt Roskill home but by the time she arrived the police were not letting people through.
Mrs Wander finally managed to sneak up through a vacant section and jumped over a fence.
"It was freaky. I was really scared when the police came down towards me in formation style."
Truda Chadwick, of Ngati Porou, was among those arrested.
Ms Chadwick said she had taken part in the occupation partly because her father was a lawyer involved in early Maori land claims.
"I was proud to be there and be a New Zealander ... dealing with old wounds and trying to fix things up basically."
Brian Chisholm, who went to a South Island public meeting where Grant Hawke of Ngati Whatua was drumming up support, spent months living on the site.
"I threw everything down and came up ... I was just a Pakeha boy from Invercargill."
Mr Chisholm was impressed with the non-violent attitude of the protest.
"But when the eviction happened the dread was huge ... There were some quite volatile characters, yet not one punch was thrown."
As Mr Chisholm yesterday looked out to Rangitoto from the public domain now returned to Ngati Whatua, he added: "This would otherwise have been rich man's territory."
