Here are 14 Thumbnail photos with links to more info and full-size pictures. E-mail here for more info.

In addition to being from an ancient Species, Conches, pronounced Kahnchez (also spelled Conchs, pronounced Kahnks) are some of the oldest spiritual* (links marked with an asterisk will open a new window, to return here simply close the new window ), musical, and communication tools on our planet. For eons they have been used to send messages, announce gatherings, open spiritual circles, honor the directions, welcome spirits, and send positive vibrations everywhere. Drawings and carvings of Conch shells pre-exist time.....(well almost) .... following their experiences in the animal world Sea Snails may transform into a plane with a different vibration....Once I found a conch shell in the ocean, already with a hole to blow. Following my natural instinct, I did and it sang! I'm sure shells called out to our ancestors long ago just as they do today.

I first blew on a conch shell (conching*) in the Hawaiian Isles. Since then I have always kept my eyes open for unusual, large, and rare shells. When I find a shell with a live snail, I return it to the ocean. I have carved over 350 musical conches, including numerous Museum Specimen conches. In my travels I have traded for, bought, sold and traded away these shells at flea markets, shell shops, Grateful Dead Venues, Barter Fairs, and with collectors. Check out these shells from all around the world.

The evolution of the Mollusks, the phylum within which Conches are found, appears to have its genesis over 600 million years ago in the Pre-Cambrian period. The Gastropoda class, within the Mollusks phylum, contains more than 80,000 living species including our "common" garden Snails. Most of the conchs we find today had their start about 65 million years ago. For about the last Million years, Marine conch species have been decreasing.

Fossil conches, found thousands of miles from the nearest oceans, tell one story of the changes our planet has experienced. Amazingly these fossils can sometimes be made into some of our planets oldest musical instruments. Conches were used by the Mayans, the Phoenicians, and by many other sea based peoples. They continue to be used in many religious societies today. Even Tom Robbins painted contemporary conch lust fests (Skinny Legs et al, Shameless Tom R plug).

Some of my conchees (those who have been conched) include (in addition to all my family and friends) (caution!! shameless name dropping about to occur) Alvaro Arcu the President of Guatemala, Gaspar Caperton the Governor of West Virginia, Gloria Steinum, Mickey Hart, Vince Welnick (and all the other members of the Grateful Dead, but at a much greater distance), Bill Graham, Wavy Gravy (too many times to mention), Ken Kesey, String Cheese Incident and the Zen tricksters, (I conched for their Y2K New Years Show at the Portland Convention Center), Bob Dylan, Dennis Peron, the Mad Monks, the clan of ancient psychotherapists presenting at the Evolution of Psychotherapy conference in Vegas, and numerous others (if you feel excluded drop me a line and you too may wind up listed here)

Conching has also given me far more than my 15 minutes of fame...When I conched in the center of the CNN building, it was broadcast nationwide on numerous stations, until the security guard slammed my shell into my face!...Many other media events have featured me conching including numerous TV blurbs of special events, and the "Press Democrat" Santa Rosa's major Newspaper

Health and Harmony Festival in 1999
Here's a Zoom in on the double conch
...Apparently this photo has been featured on multiple occassions!

I have also conched at many sacred sites on this planet, including Canyons (Grand, Barranco, and others) Mountains, Islands, Pyramids (2nd & 3rd largest in the world) archaeological sites, the temple of the Jaguar, where the carved jaguar are blowing huge conches! Valley of Fire, and just about everywhere I go....So if you see a guy with a shell, say hello......

Ride the wavy turban....adventure here.....

Explore, and contact me if you seek shells, if you have shells to sell or trade, or just to increase my conchesness.

Hu