The turn of the 20th century saw an
unfortunate period of attempts to assimilate most Native American peoples
into mainstream America. The Indians were faced with incredibly harsh
assimilation rules and there was further relocation as treaties and
reservations were illegally modified. Simple survival as a people and as
individuals became forefront in the activities of Native Americans,
especially during the 1930s and 1940s. As a result, many cultural aspects
were lost or nearly so. The flute tradition was nearly one of
them.
Still the flute tradition survived, literally by a handful of
individuals. Beginning in the late 1940s, their numbers increased and
gained some prominence. Belo Cozad (Kiowa), Dan Red Buffalo (Lakota), Dick
Foolbull (Lakota), George Watchetaker (Comanche), Abel Big Bow (Kiowa),
Woodrow Haney (Seminole), and Doc Tate Nevaquaya (Comanche), among others,
reacquainted both natives and non-natives alike with the native flute.
Non-natives, such as Dr. Richard Payne, Thurlow Lieurance and Vernon
McNeal also played a significant role the revitalization of the flute
tradition.
The 1970s marked the beginning of the period when
flute makers shifted from primarily making flutes for their own use to
primarily making flutes in quantity for use by others. Many began
deriving, at least partially, their livelihood from their work.
The
renaissance of the native flute was still in its infancy and only a
relatively few makers emerged during the 1970s. Some learned their craft
from relatives in previous generations. Hawk Littlejohn (who actually
began making flutes in the 1950s), and Tim Spotted Wolf learned from their
Grandfathers, while Sonny Nevaquaya learned from his father, Doc Tate.
Others met Dr. Payne and discovered his wealth of knowledge, including Dr.
Oliver Jones and Michael Graham Allen. Many turned to historic flutes for
their inspiration including Raven Charles King and Arnold Richardson. And
there were a number that taught themselves including Carl Running Deer,
Zacciah Blackburn and Lew Paxton Price. The early 1980s added a few more
makers including Lakota George Estes and Ken Light.
The 1980s saw
the emergence of two influences that had a dramatic impact on flute making.
The first was R. Carlos Nakai, who has become perhaps the most prominent
player in modern times. He not only influenced countless people to take up
the instrument as players, but also quite a number of people to make them.
His impact became most apparent in the early 1990s. The second was the
release of a dozen books by Lew Paxton Price, that covered every facet of
constructing native flutes. They have become the foremost reference on the
subject and many contemporary makers consider his books an important
influence in their work.
This period also saw the introduction of
numerous innovations in the crafting of native flutes. Power tools began
to supplement hand tools to in some cases improve precision work and
reduce crafting time. Makers began using more than cedars, cane and
bamboo. Flutes were made in a wide variety of softwoods and hardwoods as
well as domestic and foreign exotic woods. Plastic and metal tubes also
found their way into flute making.
A significant modification to
emerge at this time was the carving of the flue into the block directly,
thus creating a style that needed no nest/roost. This has become a
standard feature on what is now referred to as the "Plains" flute, or what
should perhaps be called the "Contemporary Plains" flute.
Other
innovations included the use of Western music tunings, such as pentatonic
minor, diatonic and chromatic major. This led to the introduction of over
two octaves of keys that flutes were tuned to. Multiple tone chamber
flutes (usually referred to as drones or dual-chambered) began appearing
as well as double bass designs (those of Michael Allen) that required
additional mouthpiece fixtures.
As the 20th century drew to a
close, flute makers offering their flutes to the public numbered over one
hundred. There is indeed a receptive market. Professional and amateur
players now number in the upper hundreds, flute circles have sprung up
nation-wide and internationally, web-clubs and listservs abound on the
internet, and hospitals, and other service centers are recognizing the
benefits of flute music.
Flute making, as well as flute playing, has
crossed all cultural bounds and has ensured the flute tradition will
survive well into the 21 century.
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