The magical weave of the flute by Wolfs Robe

Last night my family had the privilege of attending a flute concert by Wolfs Robe, A Native American from the Shawnee tribe. Not only were we moved by his music but we were also moved by the history lesson Wolfs weaved through his music. Educating us about the importance of the flute to the Native American tribes.
A flute educator and maker himself, Wolfs explained how each flutes was made and could be traced to the person who made them based on its length which was the length of the maker's arm. And each one is specific to the individual maker based on the size of his hands and fingers. Sending us on a wonderful trip through nature and time with each flute he played. Placating us. Soothing us.
He then showed us the modern day flute which is ironically called the Native American concert flute. But he told us this flute has nothing to do with the Native Americans at all. And when he played it, the sound was not as sweet nor as soul stirring as the traditional Native American flute. Explaining to us that it is because the flute was mass produced rather than individually crafted therefore it lacked the soul of the individual flutes. Modern day flutes are produced to appeal to the masses. Whereas the traditional flute is made on an individual basis and therefore incorporates the soul of its maker. And carries his passion. Which can never be mass produced.
He also told us the modern day flute was designed based on traditional flutes that were confiscated during the European invasion. The Europeans took them because they believed the flutes were used for ceremony. So they believed there were along the lines of sorcery and because they wanted to "tame" the Native Americans, they took the one thing they thought would break their spirits.
He also explained the flute for a time lost its place within the Native American tribes because no one wanted to see the peaceful side of them. Most people when they think of Native Americans think of them in their war paint, drums and war clothing and that's what they want to see when they see them. War and violence rather than the sweet and gentle side of the flute. He says as a result the flute only made it resurgence in the 1960s during the hippy peace and love movement.
He explained during the first European invasion, thousands of flutes were confiscated but now only about 35 of them remain in the Smithsonian Institute. He says he is asked all the time whether he is angry about what happened. To which he responds, "I could look at the situation as the glass is half empty or half full and I choose to look at it as half full and to be grateful for there being 35 ancient flutes still left. I could hold that anger but did any of you in the audience steal the flutes so who would I be angry with? The people that stole from us and tried to break our spirits are all dead so why would I waste my time being angry with history when I can't change it. I am just grateful the 35 flutes are there for us to see."
I felt a chill go up and down my spine when he said this because his words of wisdom resonated with me profoundly. I was looking at a man whose ancestors used to roam the American continent as free people. People who lived off the land and respected the land. The flutes that were confiscated were designed to become one with the wildlife,  mostly birds, of the places where they lived. They were designed as instruments of nature such that when the maker closed his eyes and played his instrument it would be like he was out in nature, meandering through the woods with nothing but its sounds bringing him joy. And that connection to nature and to the soul was taken away from his ancestors first by the invasion and then by the missionaries when they came along and tried to convert the Natives  to Christianity.
But yet he has forgiveness in his heart for what had been done to his people and instead of reacting in an angry way, he has turned these sad periods in his ancestral history into an opportunity to educate people about the importance of the flute to his people and the part it has played in their history. And he does it by playing a tune from each different type of flute. Lulling his audience in unsuspectingly and then once he has them enraptured, he brings the audience back to reality by telling the history of each flute.
I believe Wolfs does well because he expresses gratitude for all he has and all that has happened. Respecting there is nothing that can be done to rewrite the pages of history but hopefully by educating people in a non threatening way, he can prevent a similar atrocity from reoccurring in the future.
Music is the universal language that soothes the soul. Drawing us in. Transporting us back to a place and time when ceremony was the way we connected. When we roamed freely before structure came and imprisoned us. Reminding us on a deep soul level about where we came from. When we were at one with nature.
Imagine an instrument that became most used by the Native American males in the 15th and 16th centuries to court the women of their dreams becoming such an instrument of scorn and hate by those who did not understand that man, love, and nature are one in the same? An instrument fashioned out of nature and its sounds to transport us back to the place of love, of beginning, of connection becoming one viewed by the non Natives as one of contempt or hate. Such a dark and destructive period in mankind's history that is now being turned into a forum for healing.
Wolf has learned to appeal to our souls and draw us in with gratitude, forgiveness, love and light allowing each person that attends his concerts to understand that if we want to be successful with anything in life we must first come from a place of forgiveness, gratitude and love. Only then will we be able to draw people in. Only then will be able to educate and promote Universal love. Only then will we have peace in this world. Because we will remember we were born of love and of light. And wherever there is music, there is joy.
I feel privileged to have been in the presence of a man who promotes such a powerful message through the Universal language of music. His website aptly states, "Our Native culture is like a delicate weaving, with each strand representing a part of our world. The flute is just one of those strands. If you cut one strand, over time you will lose the entire weaving, so I strove to keep this part of our Native culture alive, evolving and intact. I wish to share it with the world."
If you would like to learn more about Wolfs Robe and what he does, you may visit his website www.akaflutemanent.com.