How to Make a Snake Charmer Flute

Snake charmers use pungi flutes to control venomous snakes.

Indian snake charmers traditionally control their animals using a flute made of gourd and bamboo called a Pungi. Pungis are available for purchase. However, with the correct tools and enough time and patience, you can make one at home.

Things You'll Need

• Mature Chinese bottle gourd
• Metal pipe cleaner
• Handheld jigsaw
• 2 bamboo rods, 7"-12" long
• recorder or clarinet mouthpiece
• Drill with 1/2" bit
• apoxy glue
• rubber gloves
• paintbrush

Instructions

Preparing the gourd

1. 

   Mature gourds may take weeks to fully dry.

   Dry the Chinese bottle gourd in a cool, dry place for several weeks. When the gourd is fully dry, it will be hard to the touch and will make a rattling noise when shaken.

2. Cut the tip off the small end of the bottle gourd using the jigsaw. Remove the dried seeds and fibers from the interior of the gourd using the metal pipe cleaner. If removal is difficult, soak the gourd in a mixture of soap and water to soften the fibers, then proceed with the pipe cleaner.

3. Cut a 3 inch hole in the center of the bottom of the large end of the gourd using the jigsaw. This hole should be in direct alignment with the hole cut in the top of the small end of the gourd.

Preparing bamboo

1. 

   Bamboo is used in many traditional woodwind instruments.

   Cut the hollow bamboo rods with the jigsaw so that they are identical lengths, about 7-to-12 inches.

2. Drill a hole 1 inch from the end of each bamboo rod. Set one rod aside.

3. Drill four to seven more holes, evenly spaced 1-to-2 inches apart, down the length of the remaining rod.

4. Align both rods so that the two holes located 1 inch from their respective ends are directly next to each other. Brush apoxy glue between both rods. Hold both rods in place until the apoxy dries and they are held firmly together.

5. Allow apoxy glue to dry fully.

Assembling the instrument

1. 

   All woodwind instruments have a mouthpiece that helps them produce their distinctive sounds.

   Place bamboo rods in the 3 inch hole at the large end of the gourd so that the rod ends with the aligned holes are as far from the gourd as possible.

2. Brush generous amounts of apoxy glue between the edges of the gourd hole and the bamboo rod. Hold the rod in place with one hand so that it sticks straight out from the gourd. Release only once the apoxy is fully dry and the rods are firmly set into the gourd.

3. Place the recorder or clarinet mouthpiece into the hole at the small end of the gourd so that it is possible to blow through the mouthpiece into the cavity of the gourd.

4. Rotate the mouthpiece so that a person blowing into the gourd can place the tops of his or her fingers over the holes in the bamboo in a configuration similar to a recorder or a clarinet.

5. Brush generous amounts of apoxy between the hole at the small end of the gourd and the woodwind mouthpiece. Hold the rod in place with one hand so that it sticks out from the gourd on the same axis as the bamboo rods. Release only once the apoxy is fully dry and the rods are firmly set into the gourd.

Tips & Warnings

• 1. Musical instruments are notoriously tricky home craft projects. The pungi may have to be recrafted or adjusted several times before it produces the desired sound.

• 2. Be careful that the apoxy creates an airtight seal around the instrument pieces entering and exiting the gourd. Otherwise, air may leak from the gourd and the pungi will not produce the desired sound.

• 3. The pungi's sound will vary depending on the kind of woodwind mouthpiece used. Some mouthpieces ---- such as those used for oboes and clarinets ---- require reeds.

• 1. Apoxy glue is caustic. Always wear rubber gloves when working with apoxy to avoid contact with skin.

• 2. Do not attempt use a homemade pungi to charm a venomous snake without prior training.

References

• Dream Time Village: Preparing Gourds
• Kool Bamboo: Making a Bamboo Flute
• Global Architects Guide: Pungi Information

Resources

• Gardening How To: Making Crafts with Gourds
• Anything Bamboo: Products
• Shalimar Craft: Pungi