A DIFERENT WAY TO PLAY.

A different way to play

I have learned early on in my flute journey that the creation of songs and flutes is a creation of who you are, the energy and tools you use, and what materials being used. This I feel should put to rest the idea of what is a traditional way to make songs and flutes. In other words what is created at the time is the tradition.

But what about the creation part itself? I know that I put the best of myself in my flutes and songs but I also put the worst. So, what do I do? I start by recognizing I can consciously affect the kind of energy that is going into what is being created. In the Lakota story the man courted the woman he fell in love with his flute. His flute was the tool to court her but it was the energy of his love that found its way to her heart, good and bad.

For everything created there has to be a beginning. As humans animals we can consciously create things in our lives but for what reasons? One of the reasons could be to fill a need of some kind. If this was the case, recognizing the need would be followed by an intention and then a decision to create. When the early humans discovered fire, it became something they knew was needed. So, their intention was to survive and their decision was to find the materials and tools that would make fire at their will. These steps then created away to keep fire and later away to make fire. This need could be the starting point of what is to be created and what type of energy to be used.

If you could take a workshop on how to play the Native American Flute, most of the information might be about how the flute can be ‘healing’ as well as learning how to play; what do you do? Or, you are in a Native American Flute making class were only European tuning was used, then what? I would guess someone would find away to fill that need. Maybe that’s another way to say it.

So, if your need is to heal with the flute then you will focus the needed energy on that. Or your need may be to network to fulfill finical and social status. Whatever the need is, that focus will be a part of what others will see in you. Always remember, the Native Ways and the ancestors know who has heart.
I wonder then if there is an order of creation. One possibility is to first fill a need, and then decide what the intention is, what type of energy to be used and then create what is needed by making a focused decision. If this is true, I have outlined a big part of life and that’s CRAZY.

An offering to the 7 directions was given before and after the writing of this Redbelly News Letter.
If you have requested and received an “OK” to repost this news letter feel free to repost!
If you would like to reprint or repost the Redbelly News Letter please contact Redbelly Music at: dmartinka@redbellymusic.com

Thank you, Redbelly Music

To learn more about David Martinka visit him at:
www.redbellymusic.com
www.myspace.com/davidmartinka

Redbelly News Fall

To, Everyone

We would like to start out by giving a big thanks to all whom we met at the SunWatch Flute Gathering this past August. I have posted some pics of the concert on the website. It was a true honor to have performed some of the Legends Of Time songs and new songs, yet to be released.

It was a great honor to have met so many great and fun people at the SunWatch Flute Gathering in Dayton OH this past Aug. Hanging out with all players and makers of the Native American Flute was just a blast!


Dan Haviland and myself our now focusing on the next CD Release. We have collaborated together with, Steve Wyes and Doug Large, on this project. We are settling on the title and songs. There will be some test mixes of songs to be posted on my website www.redbellymusic.com in the next few months, so keep checking. You can find the mixes in the music section of the site. Also, the songs for my next 2 sole CD’s are shaping up nice.

With these new songs it has come to my attention that there is some creation happening. So, I have started to explore this, and I have raised some questions. How do I feel when the song is there? Where do the songs come from and can they grow? Can I remember them? And so on. It’s exciting because its part of the journey. Lately, Eileen and I have been honored with some great sunsets. If you have ever been in a place to see the sky moments after the sun has sets, were the sky has many colors, you have seen The Rainbow Sky. So, there is a birth of a song “The Rainbow Sky”.

We have also started to do some video testing. This is fun for us because we look for beautiful places that we think would be a fun place to play songs. Look for postings of them throughout winter!

In September I preformed some Elk Medicine with John Sarantos at the Chippewa Valley Flute Circles retreat. He is one of many diverse people I am honored so much to know. It was an honor to have traded flute songs with John Sarantos and the other members of the circle. John Sarantos and Gera Clark’s CD Montana Crossings is available through www.CDBaby.com. The website is www.nightdancersmusic.com .

The blend of tobacco was then smoked with Dan Haviland the next week after the retreat. Dan Haviland has a special place that we do these ceremonies and it is a great honor to be in a world that few non-natives even now excistes. Dan Haviland will be at the Frankenmuth Wood Carvers Show on Oct. 21 from 10am-4pm. The show will be held at the high schools gym. He will also so be in concert at the Open Mind Store in Grand Rapids MI. Nov. 10 for more details 616-863-8868. Dan Haviland can be reached at 989-224-8369.

A blend of tobacco, sage and sweetgrass was give to the 7 directions before and after this was wrote. Also a song was played for the world to have peace.
If you would like to share this newsletter with friends or be removed for this newsletter please contact us at dmartinka@redbellymusic.com. If you have ask to share the newsletter in the past than there is no need to ask again.

Live Strong Under The Rainbow Sky,
Eileen and David

Redbelly News June

I am hoping that this edition of the Redbelly News gives a little more of an idea where I am coming from with my journey with the Native American Flute. So maybe you can further your own journey with the flute or whatever you love. I don’t think this could just be about flutes.
First, where do most of my songs come from? 95% of them are born through the earth. I have in recent months dreamed 2 songs. My mind and heart is always ready to play. This is a must for me now; there is no “Not being prepared”. Though I am not always in a position to play, I do my best to play when I can. If I can’t remember the song I make up one to honor the song I can’t remember.
Second, with my songs and now words come reasonability. An opinion or point of view may be another way to put it. I have felt that there is no other platform for me at least with my words than a newsletter likes this. Later this Fall I will be sharing some of my points of view on flute making and Elk Medicine at the Chippewa Valley Flute Circles Retreat as others will be sharing theirs. It’s a great thing for this circle to do because it goes back to one of the reasons they started to meet in the first place and that is to learn from each other.
Fourth, it is easier now for me to understand where and how the songs sometimes come about and the connection they have with the earth, my life and others. Every player has his or her own path or journey. You could say that life in itself is its own journey and there are many roads to take. I think to myself sometimes whether the songs could be snap shots of this journey. As for what is ahead, well this project with Dan Haviland has turned into something very special. We are just letting it grow on its own but believe me it wont take 8yrs like the LOT did.
I remembered while writing this of a conversation with a fellow flute player about the LOT’s completion. I was explaining that I looked forward to having the CD done and when I had it in my hands the goal I set would be complete. The response they had to what I had said will never leave me. My goal was never to make money but in his eyes it was. This kind of thinking is where the power of the flute gets lost. It can slow your own journey and to reach just a bit of the Elk Medicine in life should be part of everyone’s journey. Maybe this person has not reached his or her own Elk Medicine yet.
I would try to end with saying again that though I was the one to play the songs for the Legends Of Time CD. It was these people that gave their support and believed in what I was doing.
John Sarantos- My life is better because of him. He is a master player and teacher of the flute.
Dan Haviland- He has helped me as a better player, maker, and person.
Dan Declark and Robert Waino- They are what great friends should be.
Eileen Whitacre- Her art is beautiful and She Is The Rainbow (for real).
Elaine Zajdlik- Mom, thanks for putting me back on the road of life.
Ed Zajdlik- Dad, thanks for being my father and friend.

May you live strong under the Rainbow Sky.
David Martinka

Sage, Sweetgrass and Tobacco were given before and after the writing of Redbelly News.
If you would like to reprint the Redbelly News please contact David first. Thank you, Redbelly Music

For more information about David Martinka you can visit him at http://www.redbellymusic.com/.
http://www.myspace.com/davidmartinka

Redbelly News March

As I write the first of these Redbelly News Letters, I would like to thank all the people who have helped in the process of Redbelly Music. February 18th of this year marked the 14th year anniversary of this journey with the flute. Our goal is to make the music known and to help in the process of good energy, healing, and peace. This sometimes can be a large undertaking. Over these years, not only, I have learned that the songs I receive come from good energy, but also, how to go about sharing this is harder to figure out.

In John Two Hawks must recent Circle of Nations talked about Medicine People and sharing (Frank Fools Crow). I thought about my flute journey and the people who have helped me down this road. Even the ones who guarded their knowledge were apart of the quest to understand. Fools Crow is right; the ones that share the least, know the least. There are people who will guard what they know because others just take for themselves. To me, it’s crazy to just take ideas from others. So, in the future I am going to be even more willing to share than I am now. Also, I will take into consideration the ones that just want to take for themselves.

I have leaned in more recent years that the Slovakian people and Native people of North America have many things in common. One of those things they have in common is, music, stories, dance and art; which traditionally are passed down to younger generations. I believe that these two nationalities help me understand my goal through my flute journey. My hope with these newsletters is to give a better understanding of a non-native view about the native flute, rather than, just self-promotion.

We are all under the Rainbow Sky.

Peace, to all of you and may you be safe and strong!

David Martinka
Redbelly Lives

Before and after the writing of this newsletter an offering of Sage, Tobacco and Sweetgrass was given to the 4 directions.

Please note: unauthorized reprinting of this Newsletter is prohibited, unless contacted directly by David Martinka.

Redbelly News

The idea for this blog maybe is to give a view point of playing the Native American Flute from a none- native point of view. Peace for now, David Martinka