Kontaani Drumming Weekend Camp.........amazing!

I don't know where to start!
What an amazing weekend - I keep welling up at all the wonderful memories of our truly gorgeous time at Stanley Head Outdoor Education Center.
I am exhausted, swollen with the heat, have sore hands, sunburnt skin, broken tooth but my goodness was it all worthwhile - oh yeah! You bet your goddam ass it was!
A weekend full of smiles, laughter, friendship, camerarderie, drumming, snoring, drinking, dancing, superb music, firelit drumming, high wire walking, archery, drumming workshops, jamming sessions, singing, performances by the masters, more drumming and yet more drumming!

Friday afternoon we were busy showing people to their bunk rooms, putting up tents and generally familiarising ourselves with the superb venue Stanley Head. Set in 30 acres of woodland, rolling fields and with it's own lake - it was a truly perfect magical setting.
Our first drumming session late afternoon was a 'welcome' all invited workshop led by our wonderful tutors Jamie, Beej and Tess of Drumroots www.drumroots.org.uk
This was pitched at all levels of drummers and was very informal and great fun. Even the most nervous novice was made to feel included and valued in the circle of drummers. Jamie has a wonderful knack of putting people at ease.

After a meal together provided by the centre we congregated around the camp fire for some freestyle drumming, drinking and much merriment. Friendships were forged, jokes told and memories made.

After just 4 hours sleep I was up again with hangover intact, for a full day of excitement. Full English breakfast hit the spot and we wandered down to the shady trees for the first of the day's workshop. I was thrilled to be asked to play the dunduns with Jamie, Beej and Tess during the workshop despite my banging head!
Beej led a wonderful one and a half hours of superb drumming. This group consisted of complete beginners and players with limited experience but it was challenging to all. In such a short space of time Beej had the whole group playing a complete piece from start to finish - I for one was elated! Hangover drummed into submission - I felt fantastic and energised afterwards. The smiles all around confirmed that I was not the only one!

During this workshop the more experienced players took time out to experience the high ropes or archery activities. I must admit to being distracted on several occasions by Dee, wearing a hard hat, hundreds of feet up in the air clinging around a telegraph pole for dear life and hearing Ricci shreek and scream as he jumped off a pulpit and slid down a zip wire! I was too scared to have a go at this but took great pleasure in hearing the excited and frightend screams from those who did!

After a packed lunch again provided by the centre the afternoons workshops commenced.
The more advanced workshop was held in one of the centres classrooms - led by Jamie and Beej while Tess and I led a ladies only drum circle down amongst the trees.
Everyone who attended the advanced class said it was challenging and wonderful as is the norm with Drumroots - every class I have attended in the past has been amazing.
Tess and I led a very laid back group of ladies into a chilled out session - this time with Tess forged our friendship as we giggled and bonded - no pressure, just relaxed freestyle drumming.

Everyone then had a few hours off to enjoy the sunshine, explore the site, sit by the lake or like me - head off to bed for a power nap! Whilst lying in my bunk drifting in and out of sleep I could hear the wonderful sound of Debs and a few others jamming together in the copse of trees down at the bottom of the camping field - it sounded amazing and I drifted off with a smile on my face.
Craig had brought a guitar along and young Piers was playing it brilliantly with Craig accompanying him on djembe and mouth organ!

After a communial meal of chilli and baked potatoes we got ready for the evening performances and party.
Chris had set up the most amazing music system under the tree's by the camp fire and when I arrived at the site Bob Marley was pumping out over the meadow, chief fire officer Paul was setting the fire ready for later and Jane was setting candles, fairy lights and lanterns around the area. I took a sharp intake of breath at the beauty of it all.

Some of the staff of the centre joined us for our party which was wonderful! They had listened to the drumming whilst working during the day and had even joined in with some of the groups inbetween facilitating the high ropes etc and were hooked!

My Kontaani performance troupe kicked off the entertainment with our set based on the history of Kontaani. We started with the very first number we had all learned and went through the numbers in order of time, ending with the most recent one taught to by our personal tutors Jamie and Beej. We all had a wonderful time and it was quite surreal to see members of Tanante, Iya Sako and Sens Segna in our audience! Talk about nervous????? The nerves subsided when people got up to dance and we realise everyone was actually enjoying it. I was overjoyed to hear that Iya had called out "Soli Woullen!" as we kicked in to our penultimate number - yes he recognised it even if we had put our own Kontaani slant on it! After raptuous applause and calls for "more" we had a short break and Tanante, Iya and Sens took to the floor......WOW! this was what everyone was waiting for - to see the masters in action. They played for a solid hour by what was then a roaring camp fire. I don't think there was one person sat down by the end of the set - we were singing, dancing, skipping round the fire and generally lapping up every morsal of this gourmet drumming feast! FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC!
Oh my goodness - I have always been in awe of these guys and never in a million years would I ever have envisaged them playing for us at our own Kontaani private party but it happened! I keep pinching myself - I can't believe it. Some spectacular dancing was done by Dee enticing Sens ha ha!
After ensuring Tanante knew where the buffet had been put out for them I left everyone to carry on the party and fell into an exhausted sleep whilst listening to the mayhem with a massive drunken smile on my face.

Sunday morning came too quickly but I woke refreshed and happy that months of hard work and planning had prooved so worthwhile - we were having a ball!
I made a pot of fresh coffee and joined Sens and a group of other early risers by the pond, watching the ducks and laughing loudly at Jane and Shell's recollection of the previous evenings antics - Shell referring to the spinning lit up poi asked - "what are those balls called" the answer came - "testicles" at which we almost fell over laughing!

After another good full english breakfast we all got together for our 'farewell' jamming session with all of Tanante (who had stayed over with us), Iya and Sens.
I was almost bursting with pride as I looked around the circle at the smiles and grins from the particpants, happy and relaxed playing along, side by side with such master drummers.

It was finaly time to say goodbye and I am crying now writing this - the hugs, kisses and love amongst people, some of whom were complete strangers on Friday and were now firm friends was a joy to see. The comments from everyone about what an amazing time they had had was overwhelming.
One person in particular (you know who you are) made me sob uncontrollably when he said "thank you, you have changed my life - I was in a bad place till I met you, now I live for my drumming and Kontaani" Powerful stuff. Another lady said she had been made to feel part of a very special family.

The pressure is on to make this an anual event - next time I won't be anywhere near as worried about it being a success - the people will make it work, there is not one bad apple in the Kontaani fruit bowl, just lots of wonderful souls from all walks of life with one common bond - drumming - but my goodness is that bond huge!

Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart!
Marie xxx


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