Whistle For It

The Mazateco Indians of Mexico can hold a complete conversation - just by whistling. Mazateco ‘whistled speech’, which is used only by the men in the tribe, is based on the tones and rhythms of the spoken language. By varying the speed, pitch and intensity of the whistles, the men can deal with a wide range of subjects. A similar language of whistles called “silbo”, is used on the Canary Island of La Gomera. The sounds carry so well across the valleys that a speaker can be understood up to 8 km away.