Fred Keams’ journey as a flute maker started when he had moved away from his home in Navajo nation and was going through a period of depression. He heard his cousin playing a Native American flute, and the sound uplifted him and inspired him to craft his own.
Keams makes each flute by hand, and says it takes about a week to create one from start to finish. He named his business Yellowknife Flutes after the nickname given him by a friend and co-worker in Fort Defiance, Arizona. By crafting and playing traditional flutes, Keams is continuing the long craft and musical traditions of the Navajo.