Whistle

Description:

Hollowed pipe made from soft wood (alder and willow), slightly curved at one end with bark stripped from the lower 1.5″. Small incision 1.5″ from bark covered end. The face opposite this incision has been cut, forming an inclination.

References:

James W. VanStone. 1985. Material Culture of the Davis Inlet and Barren Ground Naskapi: the William Duncan Strong Collection. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. Fieldiana, Anthropology New Series No.7. MacKenzie Shoebox dictionary 2003.

Innu Narrative:

“A willow was used to make this one. This one is twisted around and pushed in. Make a small hole where the sound comes out. It’s called kueshkushtatshikan – a whistle. Just a small piece of willow.” Pinashue Benuen

“Kueskustatshikan (whistle). I made these in the past too. People made them when they lived in the country. Our families made these for us when we had nothing to do, and because there was nothing for us to play with. Our fathers make these for us to play with.” Uniam Katshinak

Other Info:

“A simple whistle is a rectangular piece of birch-wood. A small block of wood is wedged in the center to hold a strip of inner birch bark which serves as a vibrator.” VanStone (1985:34)

MacKenzie Shoebox dictionary lists kueshkushtatshikan as “whistle; wind instrument; flute; trumpet; clarinet” while Drapeau (1999) lists kuishkushtakan as “sifflet, flûte (whistle, flute).”