Richard Jamison - Primitive Skills and Crafts: An Outdoorsmans Guide to Shelters, Tools, Weapons, Tracking, Survival, and More

An Outdoorsman's Guide to Shelters, Tools,
Weapons, Tracking, Survival, and More

Compiled by Richard and Linda Jamison

Table of Contents

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Introduction

It has only been in the last few hundred years that we humans have become disconnected with our life force. And as a consequence, our perception of our place in nature has deteriorated to the point that we are systematically destroying our environment and ourselves. Yet, ironically, by taking a step hack in time, it is possible to take an immense step forward in understanding.

While we do not believe it is possible to return completely to the old ways, we do believe that once a person experiences the excitement of creating fire by ancient methods, molds a piece of the earth into a functional vessel of beauty, builds shelter using what nature provides, or experiences first-hand any of the life skills of our ancient ancestors, he or she will understand the vital alliance we all have with our past and our environment.

Acknowledgments
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Woodsmoke Journal is and has always been a combined effort of many, and so this book is dedicated to our "abo" friends and trail companions-practitioners who have devoted themselves to a lifetime of study, experimenting, and living the old ways, and have generously shared their finding with others. To our contributors and all who fit this description, thank you. You have helped convey understanding and meaning to our lives.

RICHARD AND LINDA JAMISON

Contributors' Biographies

Turkka Aaltoncn

Turkka is a long-time Woodsmoke associate, survivalist and a published freelance writer in his native Finland. Turkka is the director of the Finnish Survival Guild, which conducts training workshops and expeditions in that country. He has written four books on outdoor subjects and publishes a quarterly booklet titled Survival News, which contains how-to information on primitive and technical outdoor skills.

Donald Fisher

Donald first became interested in aboriginal lifestyles as a student of Paul I-Iellweg at California State University. The two became friends and have collaborated on many projects during the past fifteen years. Don now teaches primitive skills, including stoneworking, lithics and brain tanning at colleges, universities and museums near his home in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Paul Hellweg

Paul is a past contributor to early WoodsmokeJournal issues as well as the books The Best of Woodsmoke and Primitive Outdoor Skills. He serves as an Assistant Professor on the faculty of California State University Northridge, where lie teaches classes in backpacking, mountaineering, wilderness survival and basic flintknapping. An excellent flintknapper, Paul studied under the master, Don Crabtree. Paul is the author of the book Flintknapping, the Art of Making Stone Tools and eight other books including three climbing guides and several reference books.

Linda J. Jamison

Linda has participated in many primitive expeditions, both as a student and as an instructor. She has conducted field trips and lectured on wild plant identification and use at the University of Southern Colorado, University of Colorado, Pikes Peak Community College and to many clubs and organizations during the past twenty years. She was a director of I lighland Survival School and editor of WoodsnzokeJournal for six years. An English major, Linda currently writes film scripts and proposals in addition to being a published freelance writer of outdoor educational material. She was the executive producer of the Woodsmoke video series.

Richard L. Jamison

Richard is a noted expert who has received national recognition for his skill in primitive craftmanship and knowledge of aboriginal (prehistoric) skills. He is an accomplished, award-winning outdoor photographer (having majored in art with emphasis on photography at Weber State University in Utah) and a published writer. In 1973, Richard produced and filmed a series of outdoor educational films that was used by other instructors in schools throughout the United States and Europe. As director of Anasazi Expeditions, Richard conducted numerous primitive expeditions over the past twenty years, accumulating an impressive "trail time." He was publisher of Woodsmoke,Journal for six years and compiled two books which are distributed nationally-The Best of Woodsmoke and Primitive Outdoor Skills. In 1992, he produced and hosted a series of six Woodsmoke outdoor educational videos which are marketed nationally, primarily to schools and libraries. He is currently a production designer/ art director in the motion picture industry, specializing in large-format (IMAX).

Pcg Mathcwson

Peg is a graduate student of the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Ethnobotany, Art, and Anthropology of Native America. The daughter of two professors of Anthropology, she has been exposed to her chosen field all her life and has studied with traditional California basket weavers for eight years. Peg teaches primitive skills in the San Francisco area and in Oregon and has attended many primitive expeditions both as a student and instructor. In addition to her skill as a basketmaker, she is an outstanding craftsperson in many areas of the aboriginal lifestyle.

Larry Dcan Olscn

Larry is the author of the best-selling book, Outdoor Survival Skills and the originator of the award-winning "480" 30-day survival trek at Brigham Young University. He has been a pioneer in instigating primitive survival courses as an effective rehabilitation program in the United States. Larry has lectured and taught primitive survival throughout the nation and is currently Chairman of the Board of "Anasazi," a program for troubled youth that emphasizes the primitive lifestyle as a means to build selfesteem.