Cedar flutes are indeed mesmerizing. It's my impression that in most tribal communities where they are found they are an important element in ceremonial events. I know that some individual flutes are considered sacred, but flutes, generally, are also used in non-ceremonial circumstances. Cedar wood itself is also considered sacred by many tribes. Cedar flutes have existed among north american tribes since long before the european influx, and hence were not "designed" to conform to the european musical system. There is probably a movement toward standardization of hole spacings among non-traditional flute makers, but in the old way, the spacings were usually simply "a finger's width", which resulted in different intervals among diffenent flute makers. If anyone is interested in delving deeper, send me a note and I'll direct you to more knowledgeable folks.