Pib-be-gwun or Siyontanka

Unknown

19th century · Wood, skin · Musical Instruments

A Native American flute is divided by an internal plug into two chambers. The player's breath is routed out of the tube as it encounters the plug and is redirected to the second chamber by a thin metal spacer positioned under a block (often carved as an animal) secured by a cord. Formerly restricted to men in sacred ritual and courting contexts, it is today an instrument with a growing social and secular repertoire.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

Wood, skin

Culture

Native American (Chippewa or Ojibwa)

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889