Hawaiian nose flute to be topic

KAHULUI - Anthony Natividad will discuss Hawaiian nose flutes at the Rotary Club of Kahului meeting Monday at The Dunes at Maui Lani golf course restaurant.

Natividad is an innovative musician, a recording artist, craftsman and entertaining storyteller, the club announcement said. Born and raised in Hawaii, he has a deep appreciation for nature, spirituality and cultural diversity, the news release said.

Natividad is an original musician with "'Ulalena" and has recorded the first all-nose-flute CD, "Ahupua'a." He was also the featured nose-flute artist on the Odyssey channel's "America" series.

His biography also includes being a guest performer with the Tau Dance Theatre; guest artist on "TC 2000" with Tony Conjugacion and on Herb Ohta Jr.'s " Ukulele Romance"; and part of Uncle Sam Ka'ai's artifact presentation at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

Natividad is reviving and raising the artistic and cultural value of the ohe hano ihu, or nose flute. The instrument was used for courting, ceremonies and pitch reference for chants and songs, and was banned by foreigners at one time as an instrument of seduction.

Natividad began making flutes in 1993.

He has also used the nose flute for therapeutic, healing purposes.

Natividad has been part of the Artists in the Schools program since 1996 and the Elderhostel program since 1999. He has worked with schools on Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kauai, and has presented workshops and joined cultural festivals in Washington, California and Utah.

The Rotary Club of Kahului meets for lunch from 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays. The buffet lunch costs $20. For more information, contact club President Sandy Baz at 870-7691.