In the Native American flute community, there are three primary approaches to playing - playing from the heart, rote learning, and by reading a form of music notation called TABlature. While one may also read regular music notation using the Native American flute, TABlature is easier since the fingering system remains constant regardless of what flute key is utilized...

One of the most popular figures in Native American mythology is Kokopelli, a demigod who is illustrated in pictographs (images that are painted or drawn on rock surfaces) and petroglyphs (images that are etched or chiseled into the surface) dating from 200 AD. Often depicted in rock art as a phallically-illustrated male, Kokopelli also manifests with a hunched back, carrying a flute, a cane, or a staff. Sometimes he is drawn with a clubbed foot. Interestingly, Kokopelli is sometimes depicted as a bug with antennae. Not all of these attributes are always present in Kokopelli illustrations.

The Native American flute has an interesting body of mythology, with stories detailing the flute’s origination, how it was used to teach life-lessons, its role in bringing prosperity to the people and their crops, and the peoples’ responsibility to give back through the playing of the flute. There are varying versions of similar stories within tribal communities, often with details being changed to make them more relevant to the individual societal, environmental, and psychological structure.

Regardless of what instrument you purchase, keeping it aesthetically beautiful and safe from potential physical hazards is paramount to its beauty and physical longevity. There is nothing worse than finding a deep scratch or a glaring dent on your instrument. After you have chosen a Native American flute from a reputable maker, attentive care of that investment is important because it is made out of wood, a natural, sensitive material. Proper care and maintenance is necessary to keep it playing its optimal best.