Totoket Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is celebrating its 50th year. It is believed to be the only active all-female corps playing what's call Ancient Music used originally for military purposes. Today this music is heard mostly at parades, concerts and musters. Totoket is the original name of Branford and seemed appropriate for the Corp's name.

In the beginning, many members of the Stony Creek Fife and Drums Corps donated their time teaching the fife, snare drums and bass drum. Mothers served as advisors and were enthusiastic supports. The Corps ran several fund raisers for the purchase of snare and bass drums, including candy and food sales, a turkey shoot and donations from several Branford organizations and individuals. Practices were held through Branford, including the Branford Academy and Armory, and are now held on Monday nights at Seaside Hall in Stony Creek.

We donned our three corner hats and made our first appearance in the Short Beach parade on Sept. 2, 1968. Although the Corps is smaller than in its heyday, it still marches in parades, notably the Branford Memorial Day and Veterans' Day parades, the Deep River and Westbrook parades and musters, Madison's Fourth of July celebration and the Short Beach Labor Day parade. The Corps has marched in the New Haven St. Patrick's Day parade, Hamden, West Haven, East Haven parades, Fire Department and Christmas parades, and played at Flag Day ceremonies and concerts. The Corps also has gone to musters both in and out of state (Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts). [In 2015] the Corps joined the Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps, the St. Mary's Prize Band from Limerick Ireland and Branford's St. Mary School Fife and Drum Corps for an unbelievable evening program by the water.

Over the years, we have had many unforgettable moments, including marching in oppressive heat, sprinkles to downpours and winds strong enough to force the bass drummers sideways, always continuing to play.  Broken drum heads, uniform malfunctions, dropped fifes, blisters and endless steep hills have all been part of our 50 years.

As a Corps, we can never adequately express our appreciation for the support we have received from the Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps – they not only helped us get started, they have stood with us for 50 years, teaching, encouraging, helping out and even occasionally filling out our ranks in parades.

We are thankful for all of the support we have had over these 50 years. It would not have been possible without the assistance of our instructors, the commitment of the members and most of all the enthusiasm of the spectators as we march by.

To contact the Corps, send an email to totoket1967@yahoo.com