Who coined the word 'Bushcraft'?
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Survival is short term, 'somehow-stay-alive-by-any- means-necessary-until-you-get out-of-this-dreadful place'.
Bushcraft is living comfortably in, and making full appreciation of, the outdoors using old skills and the sustainable use of natural resources. It is using knowledge instead of kit. Know more, carry less. It is not roughing it, it is smoothing it.
Put it another way, the San bushmen on Ray's program: are they just 'surviving'? I'd say they are living!
There are large areas of bushcraft that could scarcely be called 'survival'. For example:
Making rustic furniture/spoons from wood. Probably not the first thing taught to RAF aircrew on their survival course.
Tracking of non-quarry animals.
Techniques for wildlife observation.
Sorry, I'm rambling. But I think it's an important distinction.
Bushcraft is living comfortably in, and making full appreciation of, the outdoors using old skills and the sustainable use of natural resources. It is using knowledge instead of kit. Know more, carry less. It is not roughing it, it is smoothing it.
Put it another way, the San bushmen on Ray's program: are they just 'surviving'? I'd say they are living!
There are large areas of bushcraft that could scarcely be called 'survival'. For example:
Making rustic furniture/spoons from wood. Probably not the first thing taught to RAF aircrew on their survival course.
Tracking of non-quarry animals.
Techniques for wildlife observation.
Sorry, I'm rambling. But I think it's an important distinction.
I agree with Aussie about the term bushcraft really being Australian and although I've never been to Australia, I would guess the term has been in common usage for a long time. But I also agree with Moonraker that in terms of a "movement" the term is closely associated with Ray Mears and his approach to the outdoors. One might say he "appropriated" the term and popularized it through his books and the telly. 
Historically, bushcraft was not something you usually learned by attending a school. It was something you picked up from spending lots of time in the outdoors. The Mears approach has been a big influence in changing that and has brought a lot of folks to the wild outdoors that might never have considered it before.
Historically, bushcraft was not something you usually learned by attending a school. It was something you picked up from spending lots of time in the outdoors. The Mears approach has been a big influence in changing that and has brought a lot of folks to the wild outdoors that might never have considered it before.Doc said:
Doc as a former soldier I can tell you honestly - survival isnt about kit! I'd have given my hind teeth for half the carry less by knowing more kit most people carry when bushcrafting! Surviving out of a little nextt o useless tin isnt kit!
Personally speaking, apart from one or two distinctions I think they are the same - ok bushcraft philosophy is living FROM the land not OFF it - but hey even Ray has felled trees, killed or had killed game and fish just to make a tv programme which in its most base term is for entertainment - this isnt living with nature. And as for the san bushmen living - in style? They are barely surviving Doc the world is closing in around them they find it harder to find game and water every year - they are living the life they choose sure but they are surviving (without tv programmes and tourism they would very probably not be able to exist at all now - sad but true)
Anyway as has been said before this is an arguement which has been done to death many times over the years. And again as we seem to do so often these days we are arguing over a name - whats in a name?
Gary - maybe my choice of the Bushmen was not the best example - as I understand it the native North American tribes historically had a fairly good standard of living and they lived almost purely by bushcraft (with some agriculture in some areas). They were thriving, not surviving! Well, until the Europeans came along, anyway.
I didn't do much 'survival' in my TA days. I've seen the RAF aircrew survival couse shown on TV and it did seem to be based on using the survival kit that goes with the ejector seat (eg those little steel Estwing hatchets)
In some ways I am not surprised to hear the San are struggling. I am quite interested in rural health and there are a number of peoples who used to live by primitive skills (aborigines, Canadian First Nations, Maoris) who have pretty awful health problems (eg alcoholism, diabetes) now. Would be interesting to compare the life expectancy of these folk in say,1700 to now.
I didn't do much 'survival' in my TA days. I've seen the RAF aircrew survival couse shown on TV and it did seem to be based on using the survival kit that goes with the ejector seat (eg those little steel Estwing hatchets)
In some ways I am not surprised to hear the San are struggling. I am quite interested in rural health and there are a number of peoples who used to live by primitive skills (aborigines, Canadian First Nations, Maoris) who have pretty awful health problems (eg alcoholism, diabetes) now. Would be interesting to compare the life expectancy of these folk in say,1700 to now.
Sheryl - I USE THE WORD ADVISEDLY read debate instead of argue!!
Doc, I agree totally about the native American mate. Interesting following your reply I have recently read 'the hudson bay company' by R M Ballatyne and is it he mentions a journey to Red river settlement (17/1800's) and makes a note to say how the settlers where so health and wealthy of both stock and grain - seemingly pointing out that it was the paradise a hard working farmer might hope to find.
Doc, I agree totally about the native American mate. Interesting following your reply I have recently read 'the hudson bay company' by R M Ballatyne and is it he mentions a journey to Red river settlement (17/1800's) and makes a note to say how the settlers where so health and wealthy of both stock and grain - seemingly pointing out that it was the paradise a hard working farmer might hope to find.
Hoodoo said:One might say he "appropriated" the term and popularized it through his books and the telly.
Thanks Hoodoo - your view is well balanced. It's something of an emotive subject over here!
It would appear so. How strange.Grasshopper said:...It's something of an emotive subject over here!
One good thing about this website is the broad definition of 'bushcraft'.. From winemaking to leathercraft, BCUK has covered it.
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