Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

I was performing rock music in Johannesburg last week. Afterwards I headed south to Zulu country and met up with John Roff, a flutist and maker there. We met through this forum. He has been making various flutes from the local bamboo. He uses them in his work as a nature guide and environmental teacher. I gave him several lessons (perhaps the first on African soil?). It was gratifying to see the thirst for shakuhachi knowledge sprouting up in such an isolated spot. I'm going to hook him up with some books/manuals/CD's so that he can continue to learn on his own. Let this be a lesson to those of us who have easy access to a teacher. Take advantage of it! If any of you are visiting Africa and would like to get together and play with John I'm sure he would love that. He and his family are wonderful folks and John is well versed on the nature and culture of the area.