Musical Instrument 1976.14.19
Octavius Seowtewa: The deer bone already has a hole in the inside, so that would probably resonate the sound a lot better than the wood. So, in order for them to get that same tone they thought of this holes in there to get that same sound. Ok. I heard them talking about some elders, and Presley (voice off camera) was talking about our grandfather. That was part of a very important group that when they did some dances that this individual, this elder, actually made one out of deer bone, and that’s why they were asking if there was a hole in it. In order to get that same sound, the deer already has a hole in the bone. So that makes a sound in order for it to get sound out of this, we have to drill some holes, to resonate. I first asked them what they thought it was, they thought it was a fire starter and a flute too. Then I demonstrated to them what it was doing that.
Fumi Arakawa: So it is a musical instrument?
Octavius Seowtewa: It’s a musical instrument. And it it’s ah, this thing is not used for entertainment. It’s used in ceremony, only. So having it in Chavez Cave with what we identified as a very important sacred place and finding something like this only enhances the information and gives it more of, of of, a little more, I guess clout or a little more information that would signify, make it that important site because of what has been coming out. And these two, the corn cobs and this one, only points to the fact that this was a very important place to the people, even across the valley to the other side.
Fumi Arakawa: La Cueva1
Octavius Seowtewa: Yea, La Cueva. We didn’t find anything like this in there. I don’t know if they did, but because of what came out from Chavez Cave…these people might have informed each other about this place. And so in order for them to get over their illness, their problems that they had a place to go.
Fumi Arakawa: Thank you. Anything else that they want to say?
Octavius Seowtewa: It’s considered an instrument2 to make sound and music but it’s not used in, like a band or orchestra for people to hear. It’s used in a ceremony. That these items are very important because it was specifically used for ceremonies. And finding that in Chavez Cave, with all what we felt, and what Curtis (Quam) was talking about yesterday when Aimee (Oliver-Bozeman) was filming the inside that Curtis said that he saw orbs. I think it just proves that our ancestors are still there. And with all this information this was only the second item we’ve seen. But there’s more and hopefully with the work that we’re doing, we can have people get a better understanding of the importance of this place.