The Native American Flute
The pages below are about the Native American Flute. A variety of material; music, songs, stories, and instructional material will be posted here. These pages are part of a larger web site devoted the the shamanic work of my wife, Carol Proudfoot-Edgar. I invite you to visit ShamanicVisions and see what we are up to.
May the Spirit of Kokopelli be with you
Bob Edgar
(from The Native American Flute Book by Bob Edgar)
told by Carol Proudfoot Edgar.
Ancient stories and stone carvings indicate that the flute, like the drum and rattle, has been made and played for tens of thousands of years. These instruments have always been considered gifts from the Spirits. Oral tradition often conveys the circumstances under which these gifts came to the people. Details of the stories vary since the Spirits of the land vary (types of trees, birds, animals). This story comes from the Lakota Sioux. Cedar flutes of modern design are thought to have been used first by the Sioux.
(from The Native American Flute Book by Bob Edgar)
Just as there are myths concerning the origin of the flute, so there is a strong, powerful oral tradition regarding the original Flute player who brings prosperity to the people and the land through his music. In the Southwest, this figure is depicted as Kokopelli, the Humpback Flute Player. Note the slide show of petroplyph images at the bottom of the page.
A little primer on how to play the Native American flute. It is derived from a more detailed book I wrote and does not require ability to read music. It teaches "by the numbers".
 A pdf version of this fluteguide suitable for printing
Here are four shamanic chants that are often sung at shamanic gatherings. In addition to the words I have included the music with fingering for the Native American flute. The scores are from my flute book. you will also see a music controller whic you can turn on and off to hear the chant played as a midi file.
A picture of my most treasured flute, Made by Hawk LittleJohn, accompanied by a sound file of me playing Hawk's flute.
This song came to me at a ceremonial burial of a faun, killed by dogs, at Westerbeke Ranch in Sonoma, CA. I am playing Hawk's Flute. The drawing is by a participant in one of Carol's workshops.
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