Primitive, I mean *really* primitive

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forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
This kind of stuff really, really calls out to me, and I just realized that next summer I may have a chance to try it out for a couple of weeks (just need to braintan a few more hides) when the Survival Guild is planning to hold a 14 days advanced course.
 

RonW

Native
Nov 29, 2010
1,575
121
Dalarna Sweden
Wondefull!
I admire those who can and want to do this, but for me it goes a bit to far. yet I'll certainly keep track of them!
 

robin wood

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 29, 2007
3,054
1
derbyshire
www.robin-wood.co.uk
Now that does look really very impressive. Amazing skills and nice photos of pretty girls dressed in skins too, what more could you ask.
Lynxs.Eric.Valli20.jpg
 

grey-array

Full Member
Feb 14, 2012
1,067
4
The Netherlands
Wow, that sounds like an amazing course, I'dd better save up for a year of the teaching of all kinds of knowledgeable people like lynx.
I would love to participate one day in the immersion program, but also would like to learn the traditional skills of birch bark canoe building, snowshoe crafting, I would like to build my own house some day I got a good list to look forward to it seems ^^
Thanks for sharing this, this will be going in my bookmarks/favorites folder
yours sincerely Ruud
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Wow, that sounds like an amazing course, I'dd better save up for a year of the teaching of all kinds of knowledgeable people like lynx. I would love to participate one day in the immersion program, but also would like to learn the traditional skills of birch bark canoe building, snowshoe crafting, I would like to build my own house some day I got a good list to look forward to it seems ^^
I read a few years ago in the Bulletin of Primitive Technology that there was some people in the Netherlands that did a shorter (6 weeks?) stone age experiment.
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Wondefull! I admire those who can and want to do this, but for me it goes a bit to far. yet I'll certainly keep track of them!
Well, yes, Lynx is not doing what she does by half measure. There is a few reasons why I really, really like what she is doing. One is that she and her crew is receating almost lost skills, rediscovering them and then teaching them to others. Another is that I recall being about 8 or 9, reading some educational youth books about life in the stone age (I intentionally have not tried to find most of those the books again, I do not want to be dissapointed), and going out to try, in my naive way, to recreate them. I still want to, even if it is close to 40 years ago. The third is that if you have the skills to make all your kit, and live with it in the wilderness, then you have what may be the ultimate level of survival and bushcraft skills. All of those are things that I admire and, in a small, way aspire to. Lynx shows us what can be done, now it is up to us to choose if we want to be inspired or not.
 
I looked into Lynx a while ago (in a non-medical way... :S) when I was getting really into primitive stuff. She's a genius! Apparently she got done for not having a recognised teaching qualification or something immensely stupid!! (That by the way is one of the reasons I was looking into primitive stuff - to get away from pillocks in suits and all their endless red tape). There's a video on YouTube about one of their immersion courses, and it just looks amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpZOKHzzUtA

I also came across the Rabbit Stick meet-ups, which look to me to be very similar to the Bush Moot, just a lot less Laplanders and a lot more buskskin!! You can find all kinds of juicy stuff about it (and literally a million photos!) here: http://www.neoanderthal.com/Primitive Skills Gatherings.html

In fact, the Rabbit Stick idea got me wondering if there would be enough folk over here who would be interested in running a UK version?? Do we have the expertise over here, or would we need to ship Cody Lundin over?? (my girls would be ecstatic if we did, mind...)
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I looked into Lynx a while ago (in a non-medical way... :S) when I was getting really into primitive stuff. She's a genius! Apparently she got done for not having a recognised teaching qualification or something immensely stupid!! (That by the way is one of the reasons I was looking into primitive stuff - to get away from pillocks in suits and all their endless red tape). There's a video on YouTube about one of their immersion courses, and it just looks amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpZOKHzzUtA I also came across the Rabbit Stick meet-ups, which look to me to be very similar to the Bush Moot, just a lot less Laplanders and a lot more buskskin!! You can find all kinds of juicy stuff about it (and literally a million photos!) here: http://www.neoanderthal.com/Primitive Skills Gatherings.html In fact, the Rabbit Stick idea got me wondering if there would be enough folk over here who would be interested in running a UK version?? Do we have the expertise over here, or would we need to ship Cody Lundin over?? (my girls would be ecstatic if we did, mind...)

It has been done in Europe. The recipe is -- on the surface -- simple

1. Find a location. At least 5 acres, there need to be space to camp, space to work, park cars and to eat. A lake or creek to bathe in would be appreciated. A scout camp? Make sure whoever owns the land is fine with trails being made by people walking, firepits dug, etc.

2. Find teachers. Use locals when you can (John Lord for flintknapping, Lotta Rahme for the tanning, Robin Wood for bowlturning or carving, etc), but be open for paying for a flight for a "poster name" (Mors, Lynx, Cody, there is a long list of possibles). Decide how you are going to pay them (paid, free trip and site fee in exchange for 3-4 days of teaching out of a week, free site fee but they may charge a fee from course participants, etc).

3. Arrange for food for 50-200 people. Really think this one through. You can get helpers from the participants (e.g. all participants must sign up to help with 2 meals), but you will need someone in charge. Can you borrow kit from the civil defence or home guard?

4. Put ads in all suitable fora. Don't charge an arm and a leg, I'd say the sweet spot is UKP 3-500 for a week.

Håkan Strotz did it in Sweden in the 90's, so it can be done here. I don't think there is a market for "pure abo" here, but please prove me wrong: I'll attend if there is any way whatsoever I can make it.
 

RonW

Native
Nov 29, 2010
1,575
121
Dalarna Sweden
Well, yes, Lynx is not doing what she does by half measure. There is a few reasons why I really, really like what she is doing. One is that she and her crew is receating almost lost skills, rediscovering them and then teaching them to others. Another is that I recall being about 8 or 9, reading some educational youth books about life in the stone age (I intentionally have not tried to find most of those the books again, I do not want to be dissapointed), and going out to try, in my naive way, to recreate them. I still want to, even if it is close to 40 years ago. The third is that if you have the skills to make all your kit, and live with it in the wilderness, then you have what may be the ultimate level of survival and bushcraft skills. All of those are things that I admire and, in a small, way aspire to. Lynx shows us what can be done, now it is up to us to choose if we want to be inspired or not.

Hej FW,
with my reply I did not mean she was taking it too far; on the contrary. It would be a lifestyle that would go too far for me....now.
 

robin wood

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 29, 2007
3,054
1
derbyshire
www.robin-wood.co.uk

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