Herbs launches film fundraiser for Ihumātao occupation

Tuesday, 20 August 2019

A film about legendary reggae band Herbs is being used to raise money for peaceful protesters at Ihumātao.

​The film, Herbs: Songs of Freedom, premiered August 15 and unpacks the 40-year history of Herbs – arguably New Zealand's best-known reggae band.

On Monday, a TradeMe auction was set up for a private screening of the film at 'your local cinema' with all proceeds going to SOUL, the group dedicated to stopping Fletcher Building going ahead with its proposed development at the south Auckland site.

It's no coincidence the film is being used to raise money for the movement, organisers of the fundraiser say.

**READ MORE:

* My visit to Ihumātao as an urban Māori millennial

* 'Our ancestors' wildest dreams': Why you should take your whanau to Ihumātao

* Ihumātao is a watershed moment for this generation, it cannot be ignored**

Herbs formed in the heat of the 1970s Dawn Raids and the Bastion Point occupation, which ultimately resulted in the land being returned to Māori.

'The band sang about and stood up for some of the most important issues in Aotearoa's history and it made sense to us to use the film and its messages to help put light on another important movement happening in to our nation's history,' a spokesperson for the film said.

'Herbs is more than just a band, it was a movement and has been for over 40 years.' 

Herbs: Songs of Freedom brings together some of the band's key members for interviews, jams and memories culminating in a birthday reunion concert.

By Tuesday afternoon, the auction had attracted more than 60 watchers.