17/12/2025
Some more behind the scenes about the making of my first pre-hispanic bottle flute with recently in Thailand. Currently she (yes, she) is still in Thailand, as the clay has to dry slowly, be bisque fired, then glazed fired, by which time I was already back in London. Here you can see the wonderful outdoor pottery studio, some process shots during the two days, some delicious crab fried rice, omelette, fried papaya and other food that kept us going. The actual whistle (one pitch) is decorated in the form of a shaman's head, which is then covered completely by another head in the form of a cat with five eyes, inspired by local Thai spirits and a vivid dream. This outer covering represents the shape-shifting ability and protection of the shaman during their journey. Sound was believed to be the intermediary, the fifth element, linking the physical and spiritual realms. The outer layer also produces another higher pitch. You can hear the sounds in the video where I blow into the bottle to test it. After it is fired, you fill it with water, and the pressure of the water moving from one chamber to the other, creates the air pressure to activate the whistle. A massive thank you to Pepe for sharing all his knowledge and time with me. Check out his incredible work!!!