Native American Love Flute Legend

History of the Native American Flute: Where Spirit Takes Form

There was a time before flutes . . .

Many generations ago, the people had drums, gourd rattles and bull-roarers, but no flutes. At that time, a young man went out to hunt. The people in his camp were hungry as meat was scarce.

He found the tracks of an Elk and followed them for a long time. The Elk, wise and swift, is the one who owns the love charm. If a man possesses Elk Medicine, the girl he likes can't help liking him, too. He will also be a lucky hunter.

This young hunter had no Elk Medicine. After many hours, he finally sighted his game. Although a skilled hunter, the Elk always managed to stay just out of range, leading him deep inside a thick forest. The tracks had disappeared and so had the Elk. There was no moon. He realized he was lost and, it was too dark to find his way out.

He came upon a stream with cool, clear water.where he stopped to drink and eat food that he had brought with him. He rolled himself into his fur robe, propped his back against a tree and tried to rest. But he couldn't sleep because of the strange noises that filled the forest, the "groaning" of trees in the wind, and the cries of night animals such as the owl. It was as if he was hearing these sounds for the first time.

Suddenly, he was aware of an entirely new sound, one that neither he nor anyone else had ever heard before.The sound was mournful and ghost-like; it made him afraid, so he drew his robe tightly about himself and reached for his bow, making sure it was properly strung and ready for immediate use.

As frightening as the sound was, it was also like a song, sad but beautiful, full of love, hope and yearning. Before he knew it, he was asleep, dreaming of the bird called wagnuka, the redheaded woodpecker. In his dream, wagnuka appeared singing the strangely beautiful song and telling him, "Follow me and I will teach you."

The sun was already high when the hunter awoke the next morning. On a branch of the tree against which he was leaning, he saw a redheaded woodpecke who flew from tree to tree, but never very far, looking back all the time as if to say, "Come on!" Suddenly, he heard that wonderful song again, and his heart yearned to find the singer. Flying toward the sound, leading the hunter, the bird flitted through the leaves, while its bright red top made it easy to follow.

At last, the woodpecker lighted on a cedar tree and began hammering on a branch with his strong beak, making a noise like the fast beating of a small drum. A gust of wind arose, and again the hunter heard that beautiful sound right above him.

Looking up, he discovered the song came from the dead branch on which the woodpecker was tapping his beak. He realized it was the wind which made the sound as it whistled through the hole the bird had drilled.

The hunter took the branch, a hollow piece of wood full of woodpecker holes that was about the length of his forearm. He walked back to his village bringing no meat, but happy with his discovery.

In his tipi, the young man tried to make the branch sing for him. He blew on it, he waved it around, no sound came. It made him sad. He wanted so much to hear that wonderful new sound. He purified himself in the sweat lodge and climbed to the top of a lonely hill. There, resting with his back against a large rock, he fasted, going without food or water for four days and nights, crying for a vision which would tell him how to make the branch sing.

In the middle of the fourth night, wagnuka, the bird with the bright red top, appeared, saying, "Watch me," turning himself into a man, showing the hunter how to make the branch sing. In his dream, the young man observed very carefully, as instructed.

When he awoke, he broke off a branch from a cedar tree and, working many hours, hollowed it out with a bowstring drill, just as he had seen the woodpecker do in his dream. He whittled the branch into the shape of the birds with a long neck and a open beak. He painted the top of the birds head with washasha, the sacred red color. He prayed. He smoked the branch up with incense of burning sage, cedar and sweet grass. He fingered the holes as he had seen the man-bird do in his vision, meanwhile blowing softly into the mouthpiece. All at once, there was the song, ghost-like and beautiful, that drifted all the way to the village, where the people were joyful to hear it. With the help of the wind and the woodpecker, the young man had brought them the first flute.

NOTE: This legend has been edited from historical documents and is believed to be of public domain.

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	Native American Flute- Crane Head, Aromatic Cedar Native American aromatic red cedar gives this flute fine tones as well as making a beautiful display piece for your home, tipi, or office. You’ll find this fine example of the Native American flute maker’s art pleasing to the ear as well as the eye! The crane and eagle head model are available in cedar. 23-24" long. Code: 6510-013-003 Price: 94.00
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	Native American Style Cedar Flute Kit Now you can have the enjoyment of constructing your own “Love Flute” and adding your personal, distinctive finishing touches. The kit includes everything necessary to make a finished flute: 2 pre-hollowed flute halves in traditional, aromatic cedar, 2 leather thongs, reed material, pre-shaped volume control, simulated sinew & Native American Flutes booklet with illustrated assembly instructions and tips on learning how to play your flute, as described above. Kit includes: 2 pre-hollowed flute halves 2 leather thongs reed material pre-shaped volume control simulated sinew 2 brass spots illustrated instructions, NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTES Code: 4833-012-900 Price: Regular Price: $23.00 Sale Price: $20.75
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	The Art of the Native American Flute R. Carlos Nakai & James Demars - Divided into several sections, this well written book is a summation of Carlos Nakai’s years as an educator, performer and student of the Native American flute. Covering everything from tuning, fingering, style, history and even a section on care and maintenance of the flute. Also included are numerous transcriptions of songs from Nakai’s recordings. This book is an important source on the Native American flute and a concise review of the career and artistry of one of the most important ethnic artists in America. 121 pp: heavily illus. SC Code: 4106-009-130 Price: 19.95
	Engraved Cedar Indian Love Flutes - Treble Treble, size: 20” x 1-1/8” - Our standard size, with the typical musical range of a love flute. Key: "G”. We are proud to introduce our line of engraved flutes. Each is carved from aromatic cedar to give an optimum playing sound. All come with etched designs around holes. Three tones available to give you the exact sound you prefer. Enjoy these skillfully hand-crafted Indian flutes. All flute sizes are approximate. Code: 6510-014-001 Price: 66.00
	Engraved Cedar Indian Love Flutes - Bass Bass, size: 23” x 1-1/4” – Slightly longer and larger diameter size, producing a lower range of notes. Key: "E". We are proud to introduce our line of engraved flutes. Each is carved from aromatic cedar to give an optimum playing sound. All come with etched designs around holes. Three tones available to give you the exact sound you prefer. Enjoy these skillfully hand-crafted Indian flutes. All flute sizes are approximate. Code: 6510-014-002 Price: 84.00
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	Engraved Cedar Indian Love Flute - Treble, with Flute Book Treble, size: 20” x 1-1/8” - Our standard size, with the typical musical range of a love flute. Key: “G”. Also includes Chazanoff Flute Music Book (4106-004-074). We are proud to introduce our line of engraved flutes. Each is carved from aromatic cedar to give an optimum playing sound. All come with etched designs around holes. Three tones available to give you the exact sound you prefer. Enjoy these skillfully hand-crafted Indian flutes. All flute sizes are approximate. Code: 6510-012-901 Price: 75.00
	Deluxe Native American Flute - Eagle Head, Aromatic Cedar 20"-21" Native American aromatic red cedar gives this flute fine tones as well as making a beautiful display piece for your home, tipi, or office. You’ll find this fine example of the Native American flute maker’s art pleasing to the ear as well as the eye! The crane and eagle head model are available in cedar. 20-21" long. Code: 6510-015-001 Price: 125.00
	Native American Flutes - Crazy Crow Instructional Booklet Ten pages on learning to play the flute, with 6 traditional Lakota, Kiowa, Mandan & Zuni songs, plus illustrated instructions for flute kit assembly. Code: I0098 Price: 2.95
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	Traditional Flute - Vol. 1 - Fernando Cellicion Cassette CLOSEOUT - No longer made in this media Available as cassette only Fernando Cellicion is an internationally renowned Native flute player, singer, performer and recording artist. He is a member of the Zuni Tribe and lives in the Pueblo of Zuni in the state of New Mexico. He is also the director of The Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dancers. Code: 4004-506-003 Price: 6.95
	Traditional Flute - Vol. 2 - Fernando Cellicion Cassette CLOSEOUT - No longer made in this media Available as cassette only Pueblo & Gospel Hymns Fernando Cellicion is an internationally renowned Native flute player, singer, performer and recording artist. He is a member of the Zuni Tribe and lives in the Pueblo of Zuni in the state of New Mexico. He is also the director of The Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dancers. Code: 4004-506-103 Price: 6.95
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	Drumstick & Flute Bags - Rainbow Selvedge Broadcloth This item is pictured on the right in the above image. Carrying your drumsticks or flutes in one of our stylish, handmade bags provides both convenience and protection. This is our large size bag made from our 100% Rainbow Selvedge Broadcloth. It will comfortably hold up to 2 flutes or 8 drumsticks, and if you're recording you can even throw in a small digital recorder or a few mini discs. Size is 8" x 28 1/2". Code: 4524-316-004 Price: 37.50
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	Woodpecker River Cane Native American Flute Made by Native American flute craftsman Robert Bushy, these wonderful Native American flutes are fashioned from real river cane. Each flute is personally tuned and ready for use. The plain 6-hole river cane flute is approximately 22" long. The woodpecker flute, approximately 24" long, is hand-painted and adorned with feathers and cones to give it that individual appeal. Code: 6510-011-101 Price: 65.00
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	Flute Songs of the Kiowa & Comanche- Indian House CD Southern Plains Contents: 13 traditional songs (including the Kiowa flag song, love songs, and Comanche hymns) Singers: Tom Mauchahty-Ware Recorded at: Hog Creek, Oklahoma, June 1, 1978 Tribe: Kiowa, Comanche Code: 4001-251-213 Price: 16.00
	Love Songs of the Lakota-Performed on Flute by Kevin Locke - Indian House CD Contents: 12 traditional Lakota love songs performed on flute by Kevin Locke Singers: Kevin Locke on flute Recorded at: Storm Mountain, Black Hills, South Dakota, September 1-2, 1982 Tribe: Lakota Sioux Code: 4001-431-513 Price: 16.00
	Native American Love Flute Kit Make your own custome Native American Love Flute Also known as a "courting flute", this kit provides everything you need to make a truly unique Native American Love Flute. Cut from aromatic cedar, this kit includes: two flute halves "birdie" sinew leather lace reed material sandpaper loon head pre-form assembly instructions Legend of the Native American Love Flute People listen to and play the Native American flute for any number of reasons: reflection, meditation, relaxation, even prayer. According to the Lakota Legend of the Flute, this was not the intended purpose. The "love flute," according to legend, was originally an instrument of courting. The legend speaks of a young man, while hunting in the forest, came upon a tree which had been eaten away by termites and pecked with holes by woodpeckers. As the wind stirred, a beautiful sound came from its branches. The young man removed a branch and returned to his village. This branch would become the first flute. As an instrument of courting, the flute was played only by men. It was believed that when a young man played his flute, the wind would carry the song into the heart of his chosen love. Read Lakota Love Flute Legend Today, Native American flutes are used for many reasons besides courting, and more and more woman are making and playing flutes as well. Code: 4833-012-902 Price: 27.50