Kantele Maker Gerry Henkel

A key part of Ancestral Fires is making authentic instruments available to the community. At the September 21 gathering Jarvi and project organizers New Bohemian Arts Cooperative will present fifteen new 5-string kanteles, specially commissioned from master kantele builder Gerry Henkel of Duluth.This collection of instruments is a gift to Cokato in order to establish an ongoing group of players and further the community’s connections to the culture of their ancestors. The kantele is similar to a harp in some ways but has a compelling and unique sound. The original kantele had only 5 strings and was used to accompany the singing of traditional Finnish runes and stories, many from the Kalevala, Finland’s mythological folk epic. In the Kalevala it is said that a sage by the name of Väinämöinen made one of these instruments using the wood of a weeping birch and strung it with hair from a young maiden.