Twohawks
The flute came to me about 15 years ago through my cousin. He is a member of the Lumbee Nation, a flute player and recording artist. He sent me my first flute that he got from his flute maker that lived in Oklahoma. I received the flute and tried, without much success, to play. I had just about given up on the flute when I called my cousin and spoke with him on the matter. He told me I was not to quit but take the flute out in the forest and sit alone with it. I was to put my back against a tree, smudge with sage, ask the Creator to open my heart and ears and then my Cousin told me to “Play the tree line”. Without explanation he hung up the phone and left me to ponder what he meant. I did as I was told and as I sat and looked at the trees wondering what he had meant by “Playing the tree line” I finally came to the realization that the tree line went up and down like a musical scale. So I began to play the tree line up and down. After a while I was playing a simple song. I came home and continued to practice and read about the flute and learn as much as I could. I soon learned that others have been told to play the tree line and that it was an old saying for new flute players to get them to think and learn to play the notes up and down the scale.
The N/A flute is different than any other instrument in that it is actually a way of life. Being a flute player is to walk a different path. I recently read where a lady gave a flute to her daughter as a gift as the daughter began to play she told her mom the sound of the flute was to her God’s Whispers. What a beautiful thing to say. The flute touches us all in different ways but it touches everyone that hears it. I love to see the expression on people’s faces when they hear the flute for the first time. I call that experience “Remembering” I will let You ponder that for awhile. Walking the Red Path in life is a wonderful walk, walking the Red Path with the flute is the most incredible journey one can be blessed with.
In Song
Twohawks
