ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS

For ALL presentations, I bring over 150 Classical Prehispanic instruments and illustrate; besides the Voice, Wind & Percussion Instruments, ranging from: Ocarinas or Huilakapiztli (clay flutes shaped like animals or people); Panpipes(all sizes/materials); Tlapitzali- Flutes (single to quadruple flutes/clay); Flutes (wood, bone and bamboo); The "Plains" Flute; Whistles to imitate birds & wind; Drums like the "Ayotl"(turtle shell); "Teponaztli"(log drum) & "Huehuetl"(tall vertical drum); Water Drums (gourd); Rattles made of Deer and Goat Hooves, Butterfly Cocoons, Giant Seed Pods, etc; "Omichikahuastli" (Rasps); Rain Sticks of snake gourd or bamboo; Rain Arcs and Chimes of Sea Urchin Spines or Bamboo; Trumpets of Snake Gourd or Sea Snail Shell and since guitars, violins, harps, etc. come from European contact, the ONLY stringed instrument I bring is the Hunter's Bow (with an attached gourd resonator) called the Tawitól, in the Southern Tepehuan language or Arco Musical in Spanish! I also bring an instrument that I invented called "Jaguar's Voice". I get lots of letters and comments about it.

NOTE: I feature the fine Clay Wind Instruments (copies of artifacts) by master builder, Xavier Quijas Yxayotl.

INSTRUMENT BUILDING CLASSES (schools or private groups or individuals) are available, please ask me about it.

Mexican Clay Wind Instruments - Mexika Origin
(Black Clay Tlapizalli, maker: Xavier Quijas Yxayotl; Coatl Ocarina, maker: Jorge Dayer & Chixtli, maker: Vicente Cara de Barro)