March 09, 2026

#national: Herbs Remembered: Dilworth Karaka Reflects on the Passing of Willie Hona

Dale Husband Posted On March 9, 2026

Dale Husband #national: Herbs Remembered: Dilworth Karaka Reflects on the Passing of Willie Hona

Back in May 2024, Radio Waatea’s Dale Husband sat down for a heartfelt kōrero with Dilworth Karaka to reflect on the passing of fellow bandmate and close friend Willie Hona.

For many across Aotearoa, the loss of Willie Hona was deeply felt. As a founding member of the legendary band Herbs, Hona helped shape a sound that would become synonymous with protest, identity and Pacific pride.

Herbs is widely regarded as one of the most iconic groups in New Zealand music history. Emerging in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the band blended reggae rhythms with powerful political and social commentary. Their songs spoke directly to issues affecting Māori and Pacific communities – from land rights and inequality to nuclear disarmament and racial justice.

In his conversation with Husband, Karaka spoke not only about Hona’s musical talent but also about the kind of person he was behind the guitar. For Karaka, the loss was deeply personal. The two men shared decades of music, activism and friendship, travelling the country and the world while performing songs that would become anthems for a generation.

Hona’s guitar playing became one of the defining sounds of Herbs. His style was understated but distinctive – soulful and melodic, giving the band’s music both depth and warmth. For fans, those guitar lines were inseparable from some of the band’s most memorable recordings and live performances.

But beyond the music, Karaka reflected on the role Herbs played in shaping conversations in Aotearoa. At a time when Māori and Pacific voices were often marginalised in mainstream media and music, the band stood unapologetically for their communities. Their music carried stories of struggle, hope and solidarity.

For Karaka, remembering Hona is also about remembering the kaupapa that brought Herbs together in the first place. The band’s songs were never just entertainment – they were expressions of identity and resistance.

More than four decades on from their emergence, Herbs’ influence continues to echo through the New Zealand music landscape. Artists across genres still draw inspiration from the band’s ability to combine powerful messages with unforgettable melodies.

And as Karaka reflected during that May 2024 kōrero with Husband, Willie Hona’s legacy lives on not only in the music he helped create, but also in the enduring impact Herbs has had on generations of listeners across Aotearoa and the Pacific.

For many, the band’s songs remain as relevant today as when they were first written – a reminder that music can be both a voice for the people and a reflection of the times.