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Fijian girl playing nose flute.

The nose flute is a popular musical instrument played in Polynesia and the Pacific Rim countries. Other versions are found in Africa, China and India.

'Ohe hano ihu in Hawaiian means "bamboo, breath, nose." It is made from a single bamboo node with a hole at the node area for the breath and three holes for the notes on the top side of the tube. A very pure sound from the heart and land to the heavens. It was often used in conjunction with chants and song. The Hawaiians believe that the nose is pure and innocent unlike the mouth which can say many things. So the breath entering and exiting the 'ohe hano ihu is purer than the mouth. In olden days a man would serenade his sweetheart with the nose flute in order to woo her heart and win her affections.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the nose flute is played by eight different ethnic groups. See Grove's Dictionary of Musical Instruments, 1984 edition.

In the Philippines the pitungilong (flute nose in Tagalog) or 'Kaleleng' of the northern Bontok people, is played with the extreme forward edge of the nostril. Because the Kaleleng is long and has a narrow internal diameter, it is easy to play different harmonics through over blowing - even with the rather weak force of the air from one nostril. Finger holes in the side of the tube change the operating length, giving various scales. Some players take a filter tip from a cigarette and plug the other unused nostril to increase the force of their breath through the flute.

Due to its diameter its range spans a single octave. When in the playing position the player would close their unused nostril with their thumb.

In New Zealand the Māori had no naturally occurring native bamboo so their nose flutes were carved from a soft stone similar to soapstone. If a gourd is used, the neck of the gourd is cut open to a small diameter and is used for the nose hole with side finger holes drilled in the bowl of the gourd to vary the pitch of the instrument.

The Humanatone nose flute is a musical novelty, a sort of plastic shield held under the nose that directs the player's breath through a whistle slot lying over the mouth opening, acting as a resonator. The tones produced are varied by changing the shape of the player's mouth cavity with different vowel and consonant formations. This is in the same manner as the Jew's harp (or 'Trump') is played. However the trump is a plucked tongue in a frame and is possibly the origin of free beating reeds, used in the following instruments: Harmonica Accordion Concertina Melodica .

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• Hawaiian nose flute - 'Ohe hano ihu sound clip performed by Ranga Pae
• "Berlin Noseflute Orchestra"
• "Berlin Noseflute Orchestra playing live"
• Video of the German "Paranasal Sinus Orchestra"
• Nose Flute Video Lessons"