Listen Now: 
March 09, 2026
#national: A Voice of Freedom: Remembering Dilworth Karaka and the Legacy of Herbs
Matthew Tukaki
Posted On March 9, 2026
Aotearoa’s music community is mourning the passing of Dilworth Karaka — the founding voice behind the legendary band Herbs and one of the most influential figures in the development of Pacific reggae.
Karaka, who died in March 2026 aged 75, spent more than four decades helping shape a uniquely Aotearoa sound – blending reggae rhythms with Māori and Pasifika storytelling and political consciousness.
Born in 1950, Karaka co-founded Herbs in Auckland in 1979 alongside Toni Fonoti, Spencer Fusimalohi and Fred Faleauto. Over the following decades, the band became known for music that carried powerful social messages, giving voice to communities whose stories were often overlooked.
The Story Behind the Music
Karaka’s life and musical journey were explored in depth in a kōrero published by E-Tangata, written by Radio Waatea broadcaster Dale Husband.
👉 Read the full interview here:
https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/dilworth-karaka-singing-songs-of-freedom/
In that conversation, Karaka reflected on growing up in central Auckland before his family moved to Glen Innes — a community that helped shape both his identity and his music. His whakapapa linked him to the Waikato and the Kīngitanga movement, history that he said was passed down to him from an early age.
Those influences would later find their way into the music of Herbs – a band that was never just about entertainment.
Music With a Message
From the beginning, Herbs stood at the intersection of music and activism. Their songs reflected the social and political struggles of Māori and Pacific peoples during the 1970s and 1980s.
Their landmark 1981 release What’s Be Happen? addressed issues such as apartheid, the Dawn Raids and the Bastion Point occupation, placing the band firmly within the wider Māori protest movement of the time.
For Karaka, music became a vehicle for speaking truth to power – and for connecting communities.
Herbs would go on to release a series of influential songs throughout the 1980s, including the anti-nuclear anthem French Letter. Their collaborations with artists such as Dave Dobbyn, Tim Finn and Annie Crummer helped cement their place in New Zealand music history.
A Legacy That Lives On
Beyond the charts, Herbs helped lay the foundation for an entire generation of Aotearoa musicians. The band’s fusion of reggae with Pacific identity paved the way for artists who followed – from roots reggae groups to contemporary Kiwi music acts.
Karaka remained the steady presence within Herbs across decades of lineup changes, continuing to perform and share the band’s kaupapa well into later life.
Today, as tributes flow across the country, many are reflecting not just on the loss of a musician – but on the passing of a cultural leader whose work helped shape the soundtrack of modern Aotearoa.
Dilworth Karaka didn’t just sing songs.
He helped sing a generation into awareness, identity and freedom.
RELATED NEWS
