Andrew Begay
Diné Flute Maker & Sculptor
Yá’át’ééh. My name is Andrew Begay. I am Diné from Red Mesa, Arizona, of the Mud Clan, born for the Red Streak into Water People. I grew up on the Navajo Nation, herding sheep, riding horses, and farming in the canyons.
I began making flutes in 1994 after a dream where an elder version of myself handed me a flute and said, “Brother, I came to show you this.” When I played it, I became the sound, echoing through the canyon and rising into the sky.
Over the next 15 years, my grandmother shared how the flute is part of our creation story. Each flute I make carries that teaching, the inlays reflect the sun’s first light, and the stones represent constellations, a window into forever. My language, art, and prayer guide me as I walk in both worlds.
