Story: Gangs
Why gangs?
Motorcycle and white supremacist gangs
Māori gangs and Pacific youth gangs
Gangs and crime
Gangs and society
Girl gangs
Warning: this video contains explicit language
Tarnz grew up in Maraenui, one of Napier's poorest suburbs. She had a tough childhood in a family with gang connections and spent several years in a family home. After her mother and youngest brother were killed in a road accident, she became increasingly involved in property crime and gangs. She had multiple convictions and spent time in prison. In this extract from the 2005 documentary Gang girl – Tarnz story, she talks with brutal honesty about forming and running her own teenage girl gang – SUS (Straight Up Sisters). In 2005 she was living in Wellington with a new partner and was trying to turn her life around.
YouTube: FrontoftheBox
Reference: Gang Girl - Tarnz Story
Video by Front of Box Productions
Killer Beez in court
Gang brawl
Greg Newbold and Rāwiri Taonui, 'Gangs - Māori gangs and Pacific youth gangs', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/47125/girl-gangs (accessed 21 January 2022)
Story by Greg Newbold and Rāwiri Taonui, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 2 Oct 2018, updated 1 Apr 2020 with assistance from Jarrod Gilbert