Aaron Arana Tokona (28 October 1975 – 20 June 2020) was a New Zealand guitarist and singer. Tokona was descended from

Ngāi Te Rangi Ngāi Te Rangi or Ngāiterangi is a Māori people, Māori iwi, based in Tauranga, New Zealand. Its rohe (tribal area) extends to Mayor Island / Tuhua and Waihi Beach, Bowentown in the north, to the Kaimai Range in the west, south of Te Puke and to ...

and

Ngāti Maniapoto Ngāti Maniapoto is an iwi (tribe) based in the Waikato-Waitomo region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the Tainui confederation, the members of which trace their whakapapa (genealogy) back to people who arrived in New Zealand on th ...

. This heritage played a significant role in his upbringing through his grandparents, who were well versed in Māoritanga, and inspired him as a performer after seeing other Māori artists, such as

Billy T James William James Te Wehi Taitoko (17 January 1948 – 7 August 1991) better known by his stage name Billy T. James, was a New Zealand entertainer, comedian, musician and actor. He became a key figure in the development of New Zealand comedy and a ...

and Prince Tui Teka. Tokona grew up in

Naenae Naenae (, occasionally spelled NaeNae) is a suburb of Lower Hutt. It lies on the eastern edge of the floodplain of the Hutt River, four kilometres from the Lower Hutt Central business district. A small tributary of the Hutt, the Waiwhetu Strea ...

, Lower Hutt and attending

Naenae College Naenae College, is a state-run coeducational secondary school located in north-central Lower Hutt, New Zealand. It is situated on a site in the suburb of Avalon. The school was founded in 1953 to serve the Naenae state housing development, alt ...

. It was while attending the school, that he took part in the Smokefree Rockquest that help launch his musical career. He performed as AHoriBuzz and was part of bands Weta, Cairo Knife Fight, Bongmaster and Fly My Pretties, and collaborated with some of New Zealand's most noted musicians. Tokona died on 20 June 2020 after suffering a heart attack at home. He had one daughter.

Death

Tokona's death was announced on 20 June 2020, following a sudden heart attack. The news was met with an outpouring of condolences from former bandmates, figures in the music industry and other New Zealand personalities. Partner of Prime Minister

Jacinda Ardern Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...

, Clarke Gayford, described Tokona as a "wild, crazy, fruity, explosion of a frontman with a bottomless pit of talent", while former music industry executive Morgan Donoghue described him as "the sweetest guy and the most masterful guitarist." New Zealand band

Unknown Mortal Orchestra Unknown Mortal Orchestra (UMO) is a New Zealand psychedelic rock band formed in Auckland, primarily composed of singer, guitarist, and songwriter Ruban Nielson, and bassist Jake Portrait. The band is currently based in Portland, Oregon, United ...

said that Tokona had an "unforgettable energy", while Stuff music editor Vicki Anderson described him as a "big-hearted, beautiful man with a flair for the flamboyant."

References

External links

* 1975 births 2020 deaths 21st-century New Zealand male singers Place of death missing New Zealand male guitarists Ngāi Te Rangi people Ngāti Maniapoto people The Superjesus members People from Tauranga {{NewZealand-musician-stub