Artisan creates flutes that call out to people
| "You hear with your ears, but it
doesn't stop there, we feel and hear with our whole bodies. Our body is
comprised mostly of water, the vibrations of the music reach every cell in
our body. Because of this every cell of our being can hear the healing
sound of the flute."
Swifteagles first observed how the flutes were made by watching his father as a young boy. Woody credits his father, who was of Apache and Aztec descent, with teaching him at the early age of 11. His mother was French and Scottish. "Making flutes for over 44 years, I was insistent on making each flute better than the previous one. I'm always trying to improve and make one that is uniguely better than the last". Each flute that he creates is hand carved with meticulous attention to detail. Using traditional methods, multiple species of wood, inlays, and wood burnt designs Swifteagles hand carves fine instruments that are playable works of individual art, in much the same way his ancestors would have. About 12 years ago he immersed himself in his heritage. He started attending pow wows and other Native American events. "I found contentment with the traditional teachings, " he said. "When I decided to follow my native traditional ways, I wanted to work with my hands like my father did, to try to provide a living for my family," Swifteagles said. "My father set the path, he taught me , it was up to me to find the manner. Swifteagles said: "It is my belief that our ancestors can guide us in ways we don't understand. My father passed away and I like to think he's looking over my shoulder and smiling," "When I come up with something new on a flute, I always wonder if it was my father's hand in that or mine." Swifteagles teaches a five-minute oral teaching that will have anyone, who can count to five and breath, playing their "Heartsong" in 14 days. |