Vertical Flute (Open Pipe)
Probably Skittagetan family, Haida, Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada
[19th century]
Carved from slate and inlaid with bone
Lenght 1 foot 10-1/2 inches, Diameter 1-1/4 inches
89.4.2235
The surface is carved with totemic emblems and three figures in high
relief; below the mouthpiece are a raven and two human figures. (Central
Catalog) The Haida, the indigenous people living in present-day Northwest
Canada, were master carvers and created immense "totem poles",
as well as musical instruments such as this one. These argillite (a
soft black stone) flutes, or more accurately, recorders, are very
rare. (Drew, p. 185)
Music is connected with religion in most cultures, and can be a form
of prayer. In Native American cultures, music symbolized and personalized
supernatural power. Music can be used in meditation to aid the listener
in focusing their thoughts, leading to a relaxed state and exalted
spirits.
Drew, Leslie and Douglas Wilson. Argillite: Art of the Haida.
North Vancouver, B.C.: Hancock House Publishers Ltd., 1980.
The Grove Dictionary of Art Online, ed. L. Macy (Accessed
17 September 2002), <http://www.groveart.com>, "Native
North American art, Carving and Sculpture: Northwest Coast, Introduction;
Northern."
The Grove Dictionary of Music Online (Accessed 17 September
2002), <http://www.grovemusic.com>, "Amerindian music."
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Catalog, New York, New York.
Wright, Robin K. Northern Haida Master Carvers. Seattle: University
of Washington Press, 2001.
