Skip to main content
Access to this video is a benefit for members through PBS Passport.

Up Next

Slickrocks and Monuments in the Four Corners

Slickrocks and Monuments in the Four Corners

Season 10 Episode 1001
26:46
Ancient peoples of the Colorado Plateau

Ancient peoples of the Colorado Plateau

Season 10 Episode 1002
26:46
The Northern Jaguar Preserve

The Northern Jaguar Preserve

Season 10 Episode 1004
26:46
As the Waters of Lake Powell Recede

As the Waters of Lake Powell Recede

Season 10 Episode 1007
26:46
Christopher Columbus, his time and his plans

Christopher Columbus, his time and his plans

Season 10 Episode 1009
26:46
1492: Americans Discover Europe

1492: Americans Discover Europe

Season 10 Episode 1010
26:46
Back to Show
In the America's with David Yetman

Whistles in the Mist: Whistled Speech in Oaxaca

Season 2 Episode 210

The Chinantecan people of mountainous northern Oaxaca, Mexico, speak by whistling as well as by talking. We visit their isolated community and see for ourselves how they use whistled speech to supplement—and sometimes replace—spoken speech.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
Season
Brazil’s Pantanal: Wetlands and Wildlife
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
Explore the world's largest freshwater swamp, the Pantanal.
Father Kino and the Southwest
26:46
Learn everything about Francisco Eusebio Kino and the Mission San Xavier del Bac.
Chiapas Highlands: Mexico's Indian Empire
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
In Mexico's southernmost state, David finds nations apart from mainstream Mexico.
Cuba's Far East
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
With distinct Afro-Cuban roots, Santiago de Cuba was once Cuba's most important city.
Oregon: Violent Past and Verdant Present
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
More than any other of the contiguous United States, Oregon has been shaped by volcanoes.
Dominican Republic: Of Baseball, Whales, and Limping Devils
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
A hotbed of baseball, whalewatching, and a lively carnival, after years of turmoil.
Costa Rica: Laboratory of the Biosphere
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
From a biosphere to a Costa Rican rainforest reserve, scientists observe climate change.
Mexico’s Sierra Pinacate
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
The Pinacate Volcanic Range on the U.S.-Mexico border has a history of fire and brimstone.
Our Warming Oceans: Biosphere to Bahamas
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
Join researchers in Arizona and the Bahamas making startling climate change findings.
Mexico City: 600 Years of Urban Glory
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
Mexico City’s rich cultural and ethnic history reflects this vibrant Latin American city.
Ecuador: Native Peoples Meet the Oilmen
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:46
Amazon oil means prosperity for Ecuador, but benefits for native peoples are less clear.
Havana: Inside the City
26:46
Revealing a Havana that was once off-limits, beyond the architectural first impression.
Active loading indicator