Camp - Start Slideshow

In September 2007 we headed off for a taiko camp! We were lucky to have Toshiako Kono from Kotaro Taiko group who taught us some fantastic new songs to play with our beautiful new katsugioke, eisa, and chappa. We stayed at Tui Ridge Camp in Rotorua which was a beautiful setting and far away from anyone, so we could be as noisy as we wanted! Apart from lots of drumming and some sore muscles, we also had some 'extra activities' including the flying fox, late night walks for wildlife spotting, and some rather early morning drumming wakeup calls (hmmmm). Then at the end of the weekend we had a long, well-earned soak in the hot pools. Kono-san stayed in NZ for a week and taught us heaps! We really enjoyed learning the festival, lively style of the Kotaro / Manten groups. Some Wai Taiko people also took him out sightseeing around the region and in return he taught them how to make udon (yum!). We are still working hard on practicing all the songs he learnt us, so look out for some of our new 'festival style' songs in 2008!