The First Flute

Names should be respected. They should be valued. They should be honoured. When a name is given to an adult, it is often given based on the life that person has lived. The name is a statement about the person he or she has become. When a name is given to a child, it foretells what kind of a person that child will become. If a child is given the name He Who is Kind to Strangers, that child is destined to live a life of kindness. I know this to be true because I once knew a kind man who as a child was given that name.

In The First Flute, David Bouchard tells the story of a young man given the name Dancing Raven. He was a dancer - the best from all the nations. But the other men and boys in his village don't appreciate Dancing Raven's talent - hunting, fishing and tracking are the truly important talents. Dancing Raven must prove to his village the importance of his song.

Includes a cd with a reading of the story as well as music from Jan Michael Looking Wolf, a native flute player from Oregon.

Best-selling Metis author David Bouchard is an Order of Canada recipient and the author of many books for young readers including The Aboriginal Carol and Nokum is My Teacher. He lives in Victoria.

Don Oelze was born in New Zealand. He had a fascination with the lifestyle of cowboys and Indians from a very early age. After studying art and meeting other artists he focused his subject area on native life. He lives in Montana with his wife Utako.

Jan Michael Looking Wolf is a renowned and award-winning Native American flute recording artist and performer. He has recorded 18 CDs and 3 DVDs. He lives in western Oregon.