Some History

The Legend of the First Flute


Cipriano Garcia playing a flute
Cipriano Garcia playing a flute of the Tohono O'odham culture.

The Oldest Known Native American Flute

The flute is thought to be the third oldest known musical instrument in the world. First there were drums, then rattles, then bone whistles. Bone flutes date back at least 35,000 years. Over time, flutes evolved: more holes; longer barrel; larger diameter. Flutes have been made with the materials available in the area: hardwoods; softwoods; river reeds; whatever was available.

The oldest known wooden Native American flute is the Beltrami Flute. This flute was found by an Italian explorer Giacomo Costantino Beltrami in 1823 in the area that is now Minnesota. You can read more about Beltrami and his discovery here.

photo of the Beltrami flute
The Beltrami Flute