I was flabbergasted at what I saw. First, the breather was . . . what was it? It was long and narrow, black on bottom and ivory white on top. The top came to a point. And there was this stunning inlay of a full buffalo head with horns carved into the flute barrel and filled with crushed colored stone. More inlays circled the barrel and ran the full length of from top to bottom. It was simply stunning in appearance. I was almost afraid to play it. It was a magnificent piece of art and played with a deep, haunting sound.
I called Hawk immediately to thank him and ask about the buffalo engravings, and particularly the breather. He explained that he and his brother were on horseback hunting out west. They followed a canyon to a dead end where they discovered a large buffalo skeleton (American bison). The horns remained fully intact. Hawk took one and his brother took the other. Hawk cut this horn in half, shaping one piece into a breather, topping it with ivory. From that day on, it has been known as the “Sacred Flute.”
All but one track on this mediation CD was played by Hawk Littlejohn’s Sacred Flute.
The late Hawk Littlejohn has become an icon among the growing ranks of Native American flute artists. His legendary reputation as a maker of extraordinary flutes was only exceeded by his generosity, loving nature and sense of humor.
This CD is dedicated to his memory. The Sacred Flute plays on . . .