Just some hints on bushcraft displays, I've been doing them for around 4 years now.
I'm doing demo's for my local council this year and the amount of red tape is laughable, but to give you an idea what to expect if working with your council/school etc. (I should point out, this is just Demo to watch
no hands on stuff)
Some tips for teaching friction firelighting to the public:
(for anyone reading the thread)
friction fire-lighting is my "bread and butter",
the good thing is you can speed up or slow down the whole process to make a display last 5mins or up to 20 if there is a crowd asking questions.
the crowds love it, kids love the fire, a monirity of the crowd will be secretly willing you to fail (I've had boxes of matches and lighters chucked towards me!
The others want you to succeed
.
make sure you rest between bow drill demo's, I did 20 in a day once, the last few embers were lucky!
take spares, a Boss I worked for a few years ago arrived to demo bow drill without his bow! and had to run off into a bush to make one!
weather, it might rain, at least take a tarp to cover your gear.
Keep it "low brow"!
(the amount of people I've said "I teach Bushcraft" and their instant response is "witchcraft?", they haven't heard of Ray Mears so I say "like survival". Their response is nearly always "oh so you eat worms then?")always assume they know nothing!
kids they won't be interested in the wood, bow, or any Gucci kit you have,
a zebra billy
looks like a tin can
a £200 hand made knife from norway,
looks like a knife
a Gransfors axe,
looks like an axe
children don't have money to buy stuff like that, and wouldn't be allowed to use it anyway why would they be interested?
also "showing off" how sharp your knife is etc is only going to get you black looks from concerned parents! (carving, using the knife sensibly as a tool is different).
again, think of it like a child would...
who would make a fire like this?
what grows on hazel trees?
and what is friction?
why am I blowing the ember?
Be professional, and be realistic, can you teach bow drill all day? can you get a coal every time? do a demo in front of your friends get them to be very critical find out your weak areas!
you will need a
police check for the group you're working with(not a previous job).
you will need
public liability insurance (mine is £5'000'000) which sounds a lot but is quite normal.
expect to
"toe-the-line" they want me to have a fireblanket, I've never used one and don't intend to, but they want it, so I'm having one (my bucket of water will do the trick!
.
The "Dog/toddler" problem they are your wost enemy, as they act randomly/and dangerously so I use a fence around my area (basically there are a lot of "rough" kids and potentially loose dogs) I have to be safe! if doing a fire demo, be ready to cover it in an instant if you need to!
expect some things to be issued to you
I'm even being issued a "security guard" sounds bizarre but it's what the council says is needed. something to do with the
4000 children expected every day (apparently some of the kids will want to join in)! :theyareon
when selling the idea expect them not to know anything about "Bushcraft" I aproached the council with my ideas they loved the idea but a boss higher up thought that Friction firelighting could be teaching kids arson!
a lot of thought went onto my argument "for's and against's", credentials help, but a video and pictures of myself demonstrating sold the deal.
have a "Plan B" if you can't get a coal for what ever reason, and the public will kindly point it out, have a plan of escape, start to demo a different method like a fire steel.
and lastly, know that you won't get a coal every time, you're only human!
(sorry Tam) and whatever else you can think of. Maybe Nag could help with some hammock and tarp demos eh Mark?
