OUR STORY
It all started in early 2014. From humble beginnings, Bay Batucada has grown into a vibrant community music group boasting over 50 members, all thanks to a chance encounter in Chile and a shared passion for the music here in Hawke's Bay.
The incubation of an idea
Co-founder and former club president, Murray Tonks, first encountered "batucada"— a high-energy samba percussion band — while working and studying Spanish in South America. He vividly recalls a parade in Valparaíso, Chile:
"I had never seen or heard of a batucada band before... I was blown away. I wondered if it would ever be possible to see something like this happening in Hawke's Bay."
Left: Rinie Coppelmans. Right: Murray Tonks.
Years later, back in New Zealand, Murray attended a local drumming workshop led by accomplished percussionist Rinie Coppelmans. Rinie, a seasoned drummer with published teaching materials and years of djembe workshops under his belt, shared Murray's enthusiasm. After several meetings, the decision was made: a samba band would be born in Hawke's Bay.
Phil Solomon
Gathering Momentum
The group truly found its stride when Rinie and Murray connected with Phil Solomon. Having recently moved to Hawke's Bay, Phil brought invaluable experience, having been part of a batucada band in Australia and also founding Tauranga Samba. His wealth of samba knowledge significantly shaped Bay Batucada's early years and continued growth.
A Decade of Drumming
Bay Batucada has gone from strength to strength, sharing stages and jamming with other samba bands across New Zealand. Our membership has flourished, and some of our members have even performed internationally in Germany and Japan. One highlight was Rinie's invitation to Tokyo in 2019 to lead a samba workshop for local schoolchildren. In 2025, Bay Batucada went to Australia for our first official overseas performance at Adelaide Samba Encontro.
One of our most celebrated performances is at CubaDupa in Wellington, New Zealand's largest outdoor arts and music festival. It's an incredible experience to bring our energy to the streets of our nation's capital city.
Participants in BAY BLOCO.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we created BAY BLOCO: A Samba Extravaganza. Held on 24 February 24 2024 at the Napier Soundshell, this special afternoon brought together our friends Nelson Sambassadors, Wellington Batucada, Sambatron from Hamilton, Samba ao Vento from Palmerston North, and the dazzling Elegancia samba carnival dancers from Wellington. You can find more information about the day by clicking here.
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