August 2007
In the early days of the Southwest, flutes were crafted from bones and local reeds. Reeds have natural chambers that made up the primary and secondary chambers. After bone flutes, the earliest flutes today were created by the half hollow method. The original half hollow method is where a piece of wood is split in half and two chambers are carved out with a sharp rock. The two halves are then glued back together using tree sap or hoof glue as a bonding agent between the two pieces of wood forming the flute body. Then the two pieces were held together tightly by wrapping them in rawhide, sinew or leather.
August 2007
It is believed that the first Flute was given to us by the Great Spirit. As the story goes a woodpecker milled holes in a hollow branch. And as the wind blew through the top of the hollow branch a beautiful sound was made. Native men hearing this sound started crafting their own flutes.
August 2007
Dennis Hatch was born and raised in Southern California and currently lives in Southwestern Washington. He has been a woodworker for over 30 years. He is a registered member of the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Chippewa Indian Tribe. His flute company is appropriately named ‘Native Flute’. Until recently he worked as a Systems Engineer for a major Aerospace Corporation. He is now a full-time flute maker and has been making Native American flutes for about 10 years and is simply passionate about making Native American Flutes.