It could just as well be called Historical Travel, because it is all about travelling away from home and what clothing, equipment, tools and skills as well as transport are used to travel.
Historical Trekking can include any period at all, not just the 18th century, but until I introduced it to a Medieval friend of mine it was predominantly 18th century. Now members of NEMAS in Armidale NSW are also involved in Historical Trekking middle ages style.
But just because we have set ourselves a period of 1680 to 1760, that does not mean that we can't incorporate earlier period items of hardware and primitive skills into our activities, which in fact we do. We learn & practice skills that the natives used at the time of colonisation in the New World, and in deed here in Australia also. The very fact that our group is in New England Australia means that we need to learn all about native fauna and flora and its many uses. Here below is a list of the skills that our woodsrunners, both ment & women, are expected to learn and practice. But this list is only a guide, it does not restrict us from learning many other primitive skills from bark canoe construction to flint knapping and many more.
Woodsrunner’s
Skills.
This
is a list of basic skills in which I personally would expect an 18th
century woodsman or woods-woman to have some experience with.
·
Flint
& steel fire lighting
·
Wet
weather fire lighting
·
Fire-bow
fire lighting
·
Flintlock
fire lighting
·
Flintlock
use, service & repair
·
Field
dressing & butchering game
·
Blade
sharpening
·
Tomahawk
throwing
·
Making
rawhide
·
Brain
tanning
·
Primitive
shelter construction
·
How
to stay warm in winter with only one blanket
·
Cordage
manufacture
·
Moccasin
construction and repair
·
Sewing
·
Axe
and tomahawk helve making
·
Fishing
·
Hunting
·
Evasion
·
Tracking
·
Reading
sign
·
Woods
lore
·
Navigation
·
Primitive
trap construction & trapping
·
Open
fire cooking
·
Fireplace
construction
·
Clothing
manufacture
·
Drying
meat & other foods
·
Knowledge
of plant tinders & preparation
·
Knowledge
of native foods & preparation
·
Knowledge
of native plants in the area and their uses for other than tinder and food.
·
Scouting
·
Basic
first aid
4 comments:
Excellent post Keith. I particularly liked the fire bow pictures. Outstanding. Cheers Dave
http://davesact.com
Thanks for the kind words Keith...
It is a bit of a problem to be sure, the general public has a bit of a time trying to understand the concept of Trekking, and unfortunately so do some who actually do it at times too... hence my departure from "PC" trekking in the past... I will have to get my kit together when I get home and drop by for a Trek/scout some time I think...
Cheers,
Karl
http://ranger-pathfinder-notes.blogspot.com/
Good post Keith, as was Karls today. I would find a article or two expounding on this article interesting. A skills template, woodsrunner style.
Adios,
Doc
Thank you Dave. Don't forget the video for fire-bow is on my youtube channel.
Karl, you are welcome here anytime, you & your wife. We have a spare room or two.
Thanks Doc. Could you please be more specific on what you mean by a skills template please?
Regards, Keith.
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