Black Power (New Zealand)

Black Power is a prominent gang in New Zealand. Black Power was formed in the late 1960s by Māori youth in Whakatane, in response to the rival Mongrel Mob gang. The gang then emerged in Wellington and Auckland and spread to other major centres and rural towns in New Zealand. Members are predominantly from New Zealand's Māori and Polynesian ethnic groups.

The Black Power has several affiliated youth gangs who wear the blue colours but operate under different names such as Crips in several locations or The Dark SideThat started in Wellington Central.Fact|date=July 2008

Like other gangs in New Zealand, they offer a surrogate family for disenfranchised young men and is known to be increasingly active in organised crime, such as drug dealing. [" [http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10394708 Porn movie plus tinny for $35] " - New Zealand Herald, Saturday 05 August 2006] While the gang has distanced itself from violent acts of some of its members in, for example, a child abuse case, police have in return accused the gang members of using violence as a 'learned behaviour from involvement in the gang'. [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10354879 Gang out to protect its image] " - New Zealand Herald, Saturday 12 November 2005]

Gang Regalia

Supporters of the Mongrel Mob wear their "patch" along with red and white scarves whilst the Black Power wear their "Patch" with blue and black scarves. A patch is standard uniform for a “Half Jacket” or “Cut-off” (leather or denim vest) with colours/patch (gang emblem) on the back, usually covering the back. “Rockers” have the names and place of the gang. The name usually goes on the top rocking downwards and the place on the bottom rocking upwards. There are some exceptions, like on older patches or with some of the Black Power branches who wear their faction name at the bottom like ‘Forever’ or ‘United’. The Black Power salute is the fist facing forward.

See also

* Black Power
* Mongrel Mob

References

External links

* [http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/search.aspx?__VIEWSTATE=%2FwEPDwUKMTAwNTY3MzM4MGRk2VIBUl0c8JJ0OrrEMBcNzXoTvg8%3D&term=%22Black+power%22 Images of Black Power gang from the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa]