The Shawnee name for elk is wapiti, which means “white rump.” Elk are connected with love and music for many Native Americans, and a well-known tribe legend credits elk with the creation of the first flute: a boy is too shy to speak to the girl he has fallen in love with. But two elk-men visit him in a dream and give him a flute, which he masters, giving him the means to communicate his feelings to the girl through music.

Thanks, wapiti!

This piece will be auctioned to raise funds for Mount Evans Home Health Care and Hospice, in Evergreen CO.