Papua New Guinea native firemaking with string

[Ed4sobrevivencia]

Here is a very interesting paper on the ethnobotany of a tribe in West Papua. It has a paragraph about the fire thong method and includes a list of plant species used. Also is a reference to another paper which describes the method in more detail.

http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/ethnobotany/Yali2.pdf

Ed

 

[Hoodoo]

Just questioning!

Silica in plants. I gather it is for real. I did a search and found that lots of plants deposit silica in them -as detected in the ash after burnt. I also noted that the amount varies a lot with time and with location in the plant.

So, is silica the key issue in getting these sparks? If so then where is there most silica in the bamboo? Does the age of the bamboo have a significant effect? Maybe very old pieces are much better than young or middle age stems?

Even if you got 100% silica then would that be any better then stone?

Silica is commonly incorporated into the tissues of plants as a defense against herbivores. Very common in grasses. This is also an "induced defense" meaning that an increase in grazing by an herbivore can cause an increase in silica uptake by the plant.

This has been well documented among grasses in the Aftrican plains, Too much silica can cause silica urolithiasis (a fatal urinary tract disease) and even cancer of the esophagus in the large grazing ungulates.

One of the well-know "useful" plants is Equisetum, or scouring rush. Because of the high silica content, plant stems are often bundled together and used for cleaning pots and pans.

 

[Galemys]

BOD had login problems so he asked me to post this, a first historical record (from 1805) of the bamboo percussion method (click on "page 46" to see the text of the page and then on "next" for page 47):

http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/cgi...t;subview=detail;start=1;size=25;didno=sea144

From the following book by David N. Woodard (London, 1805):
"The narrative of Captain David Woodard and four seamen : who lost their ship while in a boat at sea, and surrendered themselves up to the Malays in the island of Celebes; containing an interesting account of their sufferings from hungar and various hardships, and their escape from the Malays, after a captivity of two years and a half: also an account of the manners and customs of the country, and a description of the harbours and coast, and c. ... "

That's quite a long title as was common in those days.

One of the well-know "useful" plants is Equisetum, or scouring rush. Because of the high silica content, plant stems are often bundled together and used for cleaning pots and pans.

Hoodoo,

Ed had already tested striking dried Equisetum stalks for sparks but says it is too brittle.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[BOD]

This is to let members know that BCUK member Ed (Ed4sobrevivencia) is the first non native in recorded history to succeed in the bamboo percussion technique.

Highly competent flint and steel firemakers like 18th century sailors and American mountain men have failed repeatedly despite living with the natives for months.

This is a magnificent achievement and can be seen at

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/...mitive Fire/?action=view&current=b4eb4fa1.pbr

Frankly the Olympics pales in comparison.

 

[Galemys]

Hail hail the fire king!

Cheers Ed

Tom

 

[rich59]

You might just check with Stuart on this proposed record

 

[BOD]

Did he succeed with my temiang?

He has not mentioned it.

Was this at the moot?

This might be a photo finish. Ed succeeded a while back but had a problem with posting the video.

There has been no word from Holland on success there with the bamboo sent to them.

The controversial fire bamboo!!! No one believed the first people who reported its existence either.

This is becoming like the Olympics then!

 

[Ed4sobrevivencia]

ASH and Tom, thanks for your kind words! I’ve had so much fun investigating this remarkable way of starting fire. It led me to meeting you all on BushcraftUK and to a new love for bamboo. I’d prefer to say that _we_ did it, as it was a collaborative effort indeed. Congratulations to all of us!
I’ve worn off the epidermis of the bamboo from making so many fires and having others try it. Now, I find it harder to do. At first, it was simple as in the video: http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/...current=BambooStrike-a-lightDemonstration.flv
But, after lots and lots of use it has become harder to do requiring several tries before success. I hope the rest of the bamboo ASH gave me arrives soon so that I can test the _Caryota mitis_ based tinder I’ve made. Another Olympic feat remains!

 

[Ed4sobrevivencia]

Walter Hough succeeded in making fire with the bamboo strike-a-light around 1929 using an example at the US National Museum. Walter was the head curator of anthropology at the time and wrote the books 'Fire as an Agent in Human Culture' and 'Fire Making Apparatus....', another Smithsonian bulletin. He was a real "Fire King"

 

[BOD]

Walter Hough succeeded in making fire with the bamboo strike-a-light around 1929 using an example at the US National Museum. Walter was the head curator of anthropology at the time and wrote the books 'Fire as an Agent in Human Culture' and 'Fire Making Apparatus....', another Smithsonian bulletin. He was a real "Fire King"

We need a source for this and was there an independent observer.

Was it timed?

Those dry old specimens would probably spark like crazy