Flageolet or Indian "love flute"; wood; carved in imitation of a garfish; painted, bound with sinew; modern. This specimen, however is modern, and made more for the tourist trade than its original purpose.
Donor:
David Finster
Collection place:
Rosebud Reservation, Todd County, South Dakota
Verbatim coll. place:
South Dakota; Todd; Rosebud Reservation
Culture or time period:
Teton Dakota
Collector:
David Finster
Collection date:
1967
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Flageolets
Function:
5.4 Secular and Religious Musical Instruments
Accession date:
1969
Context of use:
This is the modern version of the "Elk medicine flute", which in the buffalo hunting days was supposed to have the power to make a woman fall in love with the man who played the proper song on it. This was learned from an "elk dreamer" or shaman. This specimen, however, is modern, and made more for the tourist trade than its original purpose
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
length 63.5 centimeters
Comment:
Materials, techniques: wood, sinew; carved
Loans:
S1979-1980 #32: Merritt College/Maurice Wolfe (January 14, 1980–May 6, 1980) and S1994-1995 #9: SFO Museum (April 7, 1995–December 1995)