Howdy folks!
Just thought it might be interesting to see why everyone else got involved in Bushcraft! If this is in the wrong place, please move it, couldn't think where to post
Personally, I have a few reasons.
When I was six years old, we moved from the big city (well actually, the little suburbs - just outside Frederick, Maryland, USA - to the little island - Skye, north western Scottish Isle! Big change? I'll say... but I was a kid, and it was a fine adventure to be on! For the first time in my life I was able to explore & appreciate the great outdoors, and I had a pal who felt the same. We were always running around Glendale, Milovaig etc trying and continuously failing to hunt rabbits with bows... that was really the big start of the great outdoors side of it.
The next reason came later on, when we had, sadly, moved down to Portobello, Edinburgh. My mother was interested in Geneology; I wasn't. In fact, I hated it. I was sorta at the age of realisation (I was 9, btw) - realising how horrible history is, and how horrible people still can be. I felt that I had no reason at all to delve into our family history - my mother's side of the family went right back to some of the early Scottish settlers in America, and unfortunately, I was fully aware of the hell that Native Americans went through so that we could take their land...
I brought this up with my mother one day, and my jaw dropped as she told me that I was part Cherokee...
Cherokee didn't really mean much to me, I hadn't a clue what it meant or anything, the point was that I was part Native American, which gave me a feeling of pride, no matter how small the amount of Native American blood in my veins. So I got a really big desire to explore it further, through learning the skills that were once commonplace and hopefully passing them on someday.
Unfortunately, I didn't think that I had much chance learning it in the city, and I thought I was too young to do it by myself anyway, so it sorta lay dorment. That is, until a couple months ago
I often wondered whether she told a "white lie" to make me feel better. Still a possibility I suppose, but I did ask her numerous times as I got older and she remained ademant. And even if it ain't true - doesn't matter now, the fire's started and no amount of geneology can put it out!
I'm still keen on learning some of the traditional Native American bushcraft skills, and I'm glad I've started young - more time to learn
God, I should write a book
So c'mon folks, tell me why you're bushcrafters
Just thought it might be interesting to see why everyone else got involved in Bushcraft! If this is in the wrong place, please move it, couldn't think where to post
Personally, I have a few reasons.
When I was six years old, we moved from the big city (well actually, the little suburbs - just outside Frederick, Maryland, USA - to the little island - Skye, north western Scottish Isle! Big change? I'll say... but I was a kid, and it was a fine adventure to be on! For the first time in my life I was able to explore & appreciate the great outdoors, and I had a pal who felt the same. We were always running around Glendale, Milovaig etc trying and continuously failing to hunt rabbits with bows... that was really the big start of the great outdoors side of it.
The next reason came later on, when we had, sadly, moved down to Portobello, Edinburgh. My mother was interested in Geneology; I wasn't. In fact, I hated it. I was sorta at the age of realisation (I was 9, btw) - realising how horrible history is, and how horrible people still can be. I felt that I had no reason at all to delve into our family history - my mother's side of the family went right back to some of the early Scottish settlers in America, and unfortunately, I was fully aware of the hell that Native Americans went through so that we could take their land...
I brought this up with my mother one day, and my jaw dropped as she told me that I was part Cherokee...
Cherokee didn't really mean much to me, I hadn't a clue what it meant or anything, the point was that I was part Native American, which gave me a feeling of pride, no matter how small the amount of Native American blood in my veins. So I got a really big desire to explore it further, through learning the skills that were once commonplace and hopefully passing them on someday.
Unfortunately, I didn't think that I had much chance learning it in the city, and I thought I was too young to do it by myself anyway, so it sorta lay dorment. That is, until a couple months ago
I often wondered whether she told a "white lie" to make me feel better. Still a possibility I suppose, but I did ask her numerous times as I got older and she remained ademant. And even if it ain't true - doesn't matter now, the fire's started and no amount of geneology can put it out!
I'm still keen on learning some of the traditional Native American bushcraft skills, and I'm glad I've started young - more time to learn
God, I should write a book
So c'mon folks, tell me why you're bushcrafters