3 years ago we had been invited by Grand Chief Lynda Prince to visit the Tahltan people of Dease Lake in Northern British Columbia. A beautiful remote community that hugs the Stikine Canyon in rugged bear country! Their yearly summer music festival, (a vision of Uncle Willie and Auntie Grace Williams), whose inaugural reconciliatory event had brought together tribes who had had a history of infighting was in it’s 18thyear.
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Heading up the mighty Fraser River in B.C. Traveling up to Stikine Valley to be with the Tahltan people for their 20th annual music festival.
Rumble – anyone seen this movie? Looks very interesting – thanks Martin Myers for alerting me to it.
WOW – more amazing news – The album Carry Me On we produced has been named a finalist for the 41st Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards for Religious Album of the Year category in Hawai’i. Read More
We were honoured to be back again to help with recording a gathering of many tribes from all over Turtle Island, this time at Feather Falls hosted by the Concow-Maidu people.
The British Library Sound Archives (formerly the National Sound Archives) contacted us after finding our web site saying “(we) see you are putting out some really great & interesting music”.
They have asked to hold our music saying – “we will catalogue and archive the music as part of the nation’s audio & cultural heritage …..with world class facilities at hand we can provide the safest possible home for your releases, both for preservation and access, for many generations to come.” Read More
Reminded today of a quote from a book ‘The Healing Drum” by Yaya Diallo.
“The star system I see in Western popular music goes very much against the standards of conduct for the village musician with which I was raised. The star does not give time to the community but to himself or herself. The star usually seeks to amaze people, not to care for them; to be admired and praised by the anonymous throngs, not to honour distinct individuals whose lives depend on one another in the community. It is forgotten that the reason for playing is to bring well-being to people. This is different from driving fans into ecstasies of overexcitement. Music should not be a means to building a personal cult. That is idolatry. My village tradition teaches that music is a calling greater than the individual. I can give my life to it if I love it. In serving this music, I can share with other people and contribute to their joy and health.”
This year will be quite a year for the Czech people – 100 years as an independent nation, 50 years since the Prague Spring and 25 years since the Czech Republic was founded. Music played a part in this story with Marta Kunišová’s song ‘A Prayer for Marta’ becoming an anthem of the resistance in 1968. Will be thinking of our friends as they remember these significant times during this year of 2018.
A wonderful sign in Sweden!!!! – Translates “We are sitting here talking crap!” These 2 strangers enjoyed posing for the picture – Tack!
Whilst traveling on a coach between Dar Es Salaam and Dodoma – there were endless TV soaps, which are loved by locals and always bring much laughter. Enjoyed this simple story ..
A coffee shop owner brags about a cat he has taught to do many things. He gathers his friends to show them all the wonderful things the cat can do. Everyone is very impressed until one of the guests throws a rat into the shop and the cat forgets its job and chases the rat. The guest says, “The cat may be able to be taught many things but he will never forget what he has been made for.”
It was great to see the medical dispensary up and running with medicine in the cabinet, a microscope, solar panels on the roof and electricity about to be connected. It now has full-time medical workers and fieldworkers dealing with the day to day running. Next door, the government’s hospital is now a clinic for pregnant women. It was intended for people who are severely ill and need a bed but sadly at the moment it is being used as a dorm for the field students.
When speaking with the medical staff and chairman of the village we realised that the workers don’t live near the dispensary, not the best situation. So we discussed the possibilities of building a home that would be available to those that work at the dispensary. This would be an incredible help for any emergency situations at night which at the moment aren’t covered.
Mnase village was like a desert and Bekah’s eyes were soon streaming as strong winds blew up dust into her eyes. Because the fields were so bare, apart from a few decimated crops, plastic litter could be seen everywhere dotting the village landscape. Before they had access to plastic all their waste would decompose naturally. No refuse collection here!
Seth has encouraged the chairman that each visit we stay in a different part of town in order to continually build friendships. This time we are staying in a house with sofas / couches and amazingly, just connected 3 days before, electricity! Wow what incredible changes in the community. Everyone was pleased to see us and there were lots of warm welcomes.
As we drove to Mnase the river beds were dryer than we have ever seen them before – in fact one man said he had never seen them so dry in his life – we found him digging 10 foot down to extract small amounts of water. The size of the holes were immense, conical at the top to hold back sand and straighter when hitting rocks. His hard work had brought some success as he had cultivated a small patch of greens next to the river by using the water from these deep pits.
Stones of Remembrance (Hawaii) CD
Original price was: £7.00.£5.00Current price is: £5.00.
The Finer Things in Life (Kevin Prosch & Bryn Haworth)
£12.00
We Face into The Wind (Northumbria)
£12.00
Sing to the Well (Tanzania) CD & DVD - 100% sales to Tanzania
£15.00
Spirit of Four Directions (Native American) CD
£5.00
Carry Me On (Hawaii) CD - Exciting news - Remastered version available NOW
£10.00
Wake Up Sleeping Giant (Stó:Lō Nation)
£10.00
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