Audio: “Moon Dancer” by Cherokee flute player Mark Hicks

There are many stories about how different Native American peoples invented the flute. In one tale, woodpeckers pecked holes in hollow branches while searching for termites; when the wind blew along the holes, people nearby heard its music.

Modern Native American flutes are generally tuned to a variation of the minor pentatonic scale, which gives the instrument its distinctive plaintive sound. It is widely believed that listening to this music slows the heart rate, relieving stress.

For information about Cherokee history and culture, see Cherokee Nation.

To order a CD of Mark Hicks’ music, see The Flute Player.

— Mark Hicks