Doublestop Magazine

Bows and Arrows

You may not immediately think of Native Americans when you think of traditional fiddle styles, but check out Swil Kanim, a member of the Lummi Nation in the Pacific Northwest. I first heard of Swil Kanim on Seattle’s local NPR station, KUOW. (Hear the interview on KUOW’s website; the relevant part starts 14:00 into the program.) He tells a story of his initial desire to play the violin, in the fourth grade. When the other kids pointed out that it “wasn’t an Indian instrument”, Kanim pointed out that, “of course it is, it has a bow!” Check the story out for more.