New Zealand reggae is the

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

variation of the

musical genre A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. It is to be distinguished from '' musical form'' and musical style, although in practice these terms are som ...

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

. It is a large and well established part of

New Zealand music The music of New Zealand has been influenced by a number of traditions, including Māori music, the music introduced by European settlers during the nineteenth century, and a variety of styles imported during the twentieth century, including ...

, and includes some of the country's most successful and highly acclaimed bands.

History

Reggae bands in New Zealand the 1970s and 1980s included

Herbs In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...

, Dread, Beat and Blood,

Unity Pacific Tigilau Ness (born c. 1954) is a Niuean New Zealand activist and reggae artist, and performs as Unity Pacific. Ness is a political activist and first generation Pacific Island New Zealander. Lifetime achievement award In May 2009, Ness was presen ...

and the

Twelve Tribes of Israel The Twelve Tribes of Israel ( he, שִׁבְטֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל, translit=Šīḇṭēy Yīsrāʾēl, lit=Tribes of Israel) are, according to Hebrew scriptures, the descendants of the biblical patriarch Jacob, also known as Israel, thro ...

. The 1979

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements ...

concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide var ...

Western Springs Stadium Western Springs Stadium is a stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. Built within a natural amphitheatre, it is primarily used for rugby union matches during the winter and for speedway during the summer. It is also occasionally used for large conce ...

is credited with having a huge influence of the growth of reggae in the country and inspiring many prominent reggae artists. The growth of the

Rastafarian Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control ...

religion, particularly among

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

, was also a factor in the growth of the genre, and the high rates of use of

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various t ...

among New Zealanders is likely to have had an influence. Reggae topped the charts in New Zealand in the early 1980s when

Toots and the Maytals The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. ...

, the first artist to use the term "reggae" in song, went platinum with their song "Beautiful Woman". The reggae scene is centred around the

Waikato Waikato () is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsul ...

Whanganui Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whang ...

and the capital

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by ...

, with capital music having a more dub and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

influenced sound. Most New Zealand reggae bands incorporate different stylistic influences, and the result is a unique combination of sounds. The scene is not without its detractors and is referred to derisively as "BBQ reggae". The inference is that the music functions only as a boring, unchallenging backdrop for having a BBQ in the backyard. Sometimes this criticism is levelled at New Zealand reggae in particular, in contrast to other strains of reggae music. The most successful of recent acts is Fat Freddy's Drop, who incorporate jazz, soul and dub influences and reflect the Wellington sound. They have won numerous awards and sold over 90,000 copies of their debut album. One of the most important groups of the last decade was

Trinity Roots TrinityRoots (1998–2005, 2011–present) are a band based in Wellington, New Zealand. Although they are commonly associated with New Zealand reggae they also embody a stripped back, jazz and soul-influenced rhythmic sound, which often ...

(1998–2005), who also melded sparse jazz melodies with their reggae to great effect.

The Black Seeds The Black Seeds are a reggae inspired musical group from Wellington, New Zealand.Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013)The Black Seeds, rooted in reggae, '' Jamaica Observer'', 27 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013 Their rocksteady song " ...

are another group who have significant commercial success in recent times. Their albums ''On The Sun'' and ''Into the Dojo'' both sold double platinum and the group has toured extensively throughout Europe. Their latest album, '' Solid Ground'', reached #15 on the US Reggae Charts. Other major groups include

Katchafire Katchafire are an all Māori New Zealand roots reggae band from Hamilton, New Zealand. History Katchafire formed in Hamilton in 1997, originally as a Bob Marley tribute band.Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013)Katchafire keeping NZ reggae scene ...

, Cornerstone Roots, 1814, Kora,

House of Shem House of Shem is a roots reggae band from New Zealand. They have had songs featured on the Conscious Roots compilations. In May 2008, their debut album, ''Keep Rising'' was released throughout New Zealand. It was released again in April 2009 th ...

and

Tahuna Breaks Tahuna Breaks was a band from New Zealand that formed in Auckland in January 2005. The band was named after Tahuna Street where they had their first jam. Their musical style incorporated elements of reggae, soul and electro funk music. Orig ...

. Major dub/electronic groups and solo artists include Pitch Black, Deep Fried Dub,

Shapeshifter In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...

International Observer International Observer is a British-New Zealand musical duo formed by Tom Bailey (musician), Tom Bailey, musician and ex-lead singer of the British band the Thompson Twins, which rose to fame during the 1980s. Its debut album, ''Seen (album), Seen ...

and

Salmonella Dub Salmonella Dub is a dub/ drum n bass/ reggae/ roots band from New Zealand. The band was formed in 1992 by Andrew Penman, Dave Deakins, and Mark Tyler. The band has toured extensively throughout New Zealand, Australia, and Europe, including the U ...

Festivals

The scene is live-performance based, and large reggae festivals occur annually. The most important are the Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival in Raglan, the Kaikoura Roots Festival, and East Coast Vibes, a roots reggae festival held in January at the soundshell on Gisborne's Midway Beach. A strong collection of "soundsystems" exist, groups putting on parties and events with DJs and MCs. One Love and Raggamuffin are popular annual reggae concerts celebrating Bob Marley's birthday (February 6), a date that coincides with New Zealand public holiday

Waitangi Day Waitangi Day ( mi, Te Rā o Waitangi), the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing – on 6 February 1840 – of the Treaty of Waitangi, which is regarded as the founding document of the nation. The first Wai ...

References

External links

NiceUp - promotes reggae and bass music and culture in Aotearoa and also focuses on connecting the community world-wideMotherland collective, home to the Soundsplash festival and Cornerstone RootsKatchafire official siteFat Freddy's Drop official siteHouse Of Shems official siteTomorrow People official siteRas Judah's official siteTrinity Roots official siteCoromandel Gold official siteSouth Gate Reggae Aotearoa NZTahuna Breaks official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Zealand Reggae Reggae by country New Zealand styles of music