A Gift from Aotearoa

As part of our sponsorship of the Vancouver Island Musicfest we were privileged to host the Pacific Curls of Aotearoa. For those of you who don't know, New Zealand is Shayne's other beloved home, so we felt especially blessed to have Ora, Sara and Kim as our guests (as Shayne said,  it was as if a little bit of home had settled in the lodge).

On the night before their departure they graciously performed for some of our guests and staff. It was an intimate gathering with an audience of 6.

With the field stone fireplace for a backdrop and with the timbers overhead the women bestowed us and the lodge with a special gift. To try to describe their music is to try to describe the beautiful and diverse New Zealand itself: a mixture of Pacific and European culture that melds together to create something new and unique.

In between songs we were invited to inquire about the various instruments that the Pacific Curls so skillfully play. From the guitar to the nose flute, the fiddle to the poi, the ukulele to the tambourine, all are played with skill and joy.

Thank you to Ora for her beautiful vocals and storytelling that left a lasting impression with all...

Thank you to Sara for her Celtic energy and spirit that flowed from her and her fiddle and upbeat banter....

Thank you to Kim for her masterful guitar and ukulele playing, vocals and the unique instruments she shared...

We look forward to your return.

Arohanui,

Andrea and Shayne