The Native American flute has achieved some measure of fame for its distinctive sound and the instrument was originally very personal. Its music was played without accompaniment in courtship, healing, meditation, and spiritual rituals.
There are many stories about how different Native American peoples discovered the flute. A common character in these stories is the woodpecker, who put holes in hollow branches while searching for termites. The wind would blow around these branches, creating sounds that the people noticed and eventually sought to recreate.
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