I started making pre-American objects in 2020, however, my relation to them comes from childhood. Since then, making has turned into inquiry: When were these instruments played, what rituals enveloped them, how did their rites of passages, and funerary rites sound? In addition, I also explore pathways for indigenous and diasporic communities to reclaim these technologies, challenging colonial narratives through the essential act of listening.
Through crafting these instruments, I stitch together fragmented stories and revive one of the oldest and most obscure sonic heritage--Abya Yala's legacy. I seek guidance from celestial constallations as I shape flute beings, water whistle beigns, rattle beings, serpent beings--each endowed with unique patterns and frequencies. These inter-dimensional mechanisms are imbued with sonic codes, they are ancient future technologies, carrying memory about land and self. Two of the instruments in this collection are gifts.
A note on making:
The objects in this collection serve as a reflection of the ancient peoples who forged them. Through touch and experimentation, these individuals established connections with the birds, volcanoes, oceans, cosmos, changing seasons, and each other. I hesitate to label them simply as musical instruments; they are more accurately described as temporal maps, with frequencies that resonate with specific territories.
Some temples were discovered filled with broken flutes, seemingly unused (as evidenced by the mouthpieces showing no signs of wear), which were likely crafted to accompany their makers into the afterlife. Others were designed for use during solstices or equinoxes, as their construction and arrangement of sound chambers align precisely with the sun's position during these celestial events. Additionally, some pan flutes were found with clay deliberately sealing the mouthpiece, hinting at their intended purpose.
While these objects possess potential healing qualities, they are imbued with so much knowledge, with healing being just one facet of their existence. To me, they communicate the language of stars.
I prefer to refer to them as objetos sonoros—Sound Objects.