Mine began in 2003 when I met my first Hung. It rocked my world - and I didn't stop dreaming of one for the next six years. My next chapter began when I met Rusty James at a gathering of friends by the fire - and I struck up a conversation with him on Handpans - without knowing he was the co-founder of the first Handpan Festival in North America and a collector of these beautiful steel sound sculptures. Needless to say - within months I was invited to the gathering where I began my love for an amazingly lovely and beautiful community of people from all walks of life. Builders, players, novice and professional musicians, healers and creative souls all sharing and loving through this transformational tool of steel. The beauty of these gatherings I soon realized was beyond just one aspect whether it was community, music, collections of Handpans available to check out, listen to, and play - with permission......it was the total package that leaves you flying high on sweet energy for weeks after a gathering......it's truly a beautiful thing. This is what inspired me to facilitate The Song Of The Forest Handpan Gathering after Mark Garner of Saraz organized the first one. I organized three in two years and loved each one for it's own medicine. Each gathering that I offered and went to - well, it's always a specific energy signature that is made between the location, people attending, types of pans there, and "stars" of our sweet little community such as well known players and builders. I then changed the idea of SOTF to Traveling Song where the idea was to offer these small intimate gatherings in places outside of my home country. I did host one Traveling Song in 2014 in Asheville, NC to solidify the energy and then put things on hold while I explored other aspects of my life and travel. Today in 2017 I have been traveling for nine months straight in S.America and up into central America. I will cont to do this for quite some time. So, I realized I wanted to open up Traveling Song again and offer a gathering in the beautiful San Marcos community on the magical Lake Atitlan, Guatemala in March 2018 and in The Sacred Valley in Peru in Oct 2018. I am honored to sculpt an amazing adventure for you to explore these indigenous regions and offer an opportunity to experience some of their healing practices, play pan, and come together with community while being held in a beautiful setting and space. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me here on FB - either on this page or at Kara Cura.
