By Craig Chambers

Native American flutes are enjoyed and played in many cultures around the world. I have always enjoyed Native flute music for its pleasing sound quality and ability to bring relaxing calm to the environment where it is played. Hearing Native flutes always take me back to my mother’’s kitchen where she often had flute music playing to bring a tranquil peace into her home. The beautiful flute music revives the soul and produces a calming affect on the lives of all who hear it.

If you look at the history of Indian instruments, you will realize that like the drum, the flute plays a big role in the daily lives, festivities and cultures of many American Indian Tribes. Native American flute music takes you on a cultural journey where descendants look to their ancestors to guide them, and rely upon their instruments to unite them with the Great Spirit.

Flutes in one form or another have existed for hundreds of years and have been part of many Tribes around the world. The study of flute instruments in history shows us that they did exist in ancient cultures. The origin and design of the Native American flute is a little more complicated to research due to the fact that North American Tribes did not have written languages. It wasn”t until travelers documented their travels and findings, that the Native American flute is found in history.

You can”t appreciate the true worth of Native flute music until you see that society came close to extinguishing this beautiful art with strict assimilation rules. The 1900′’s brought with it tough rules for Native Americans that threatened to suffocate their culture and people. Along with many other Native Indian rituals, these rules strangled the advancement of Native flute music. It wasn”t until the middle of the century that assimilation laws started to decrease and Native rituals were able to be exercised within the Tribe and out in the open once again. Over time, the popularity of the Native American flute flourished to the point that flute makers began making these instruments in large numbers to sell, and not just for individual use. The materials used to make the flutes also turned from undeveloped crude instruments to more sophisticated, with the use of modern power tools and the greater accessibility to various types of woods, plastics and metals.

Today, there are many options available when buying a Native style flute, and it is just a matter of personal opinion. There are some guidelines you should keep in mind though when choosing an instrument. There are various kinds of flutes, but all have one of two different sound tones. The sound tone of the flute is based on whether it is a Plains style or a Woodlands style. A Plains style flute will produce a buzz type sound while a Woodlands style will produce a bell tone. No matter which type of flute you choose, it is a good idea to look over the quality and characteristics of each individual instrument, including the mouthpiece, size, shape and number of holes, in order to choose one that you like. Native American flutes also come in many different types of wood ranging from exotic, rather expensive woods, to simple pieces of pine, cane or bamboo.

Thanks to the overall enjoyment of flute music, you can conveniently buy Native American flutes online, in various music stores, and in specialty shops that sell Indian musical instruments and southwest home decorating accessories. If you are searching for a simple instrument for playing or decorative purposes, or are searching for genuine Indian musical instruments for use in Indian powwows and ceremonies, consider keeping the beautiful customs and music of Indigenous people alive with the soothing harmony of Native American flutes.

About The Author

Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey and offers free information online about choosing Native American flutes for various playing purposes. For more information visit http://www.missiondelrey.com