Exhibits > Traditional Art >
Flute
21. Flute
 Royal
H. Balcom’s descriptive list notes: “One Arapahoe flute—extremely
rare. Tradition has it that when the suitor plays a certain tune
outside the tepee of his inamorata that she must of necessity follow
him off.” This red-stained wooden flute was made in two pieces
and glued together by hide glue. Along the shaft of the flute are
leather strips or other tanned pieces of hide that hang from below
the flute when held for playing. The strips also wrap around the
flute in order to hold it together. There are six fingering holes
for making notes. The “flute” is played like a recorder:
by blowing through a small wooden mouthpiece at the end of the instrument.
The length of the flute is 17 3/8 inches and the width, near the
mouthpiece, is 2 1/8 inches. WHC2000.17.07.
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