Herbs are a multi-cultural New Zealand reggae group, which since its inception in 1979 has featured Samoans, Tongans, Cook Islanders and Maori members. Through 30-plus years, eight albums and almost 30 members, Pacific reggae band Herbs have remained vital in presenting political messages using their cultural origin backed by their developed pacific reggae sound. Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s, made universally famous by Bob Marley.
Herbs has always been political having known links to the Polynesian Panthers, a revolutionary movement founded by New Zealand born Polynesians on 16 June 1971. The Polynesian Panthers purpose was to overthrow the capitalist system.
Herbs, were a multicultural, socio political band who wrote protest songs denouncing the Government’s treatment of Maori and Pacific Islanders.
Herbs increased public awareness in the 1980’s to important issues such as Pacific Island over-stayers, organised religion, French nuclear testing (French Letter) and Japanese drift-net fishing in the Pacific, even South Africa’s apartheid
(Azania), the Spring Bok tour and calling for unity ( One Brotherhood). Police harassment in Auckland of Maori and Pacific youth resulted in (Dragons and Demons) and the fight back song was (Whistling in the Dark).
Herbs did not become wealthy, despite their working and producing with international mega stars. However, they reached a national audience in the tens of thousands with appearances at the Sweetwaters festival on Ngaruawahia farmland from 1981 -83 where they spread their message to New Zealand’s youth.