They also learned how to take care of the essentials of survival, which includes shelter building and making fire from friction.
Here students Coley, Ethan and Riley add dry, fluffy debris to the inside of the shelter for bedding. Other students worked on the outside, adding sticks as "ribs" and then covering the shelter in several feet of debris for insulation.
Here student, Austin, carves a new spindle for his bow-and-drill friction fire kit. A spot of autumn sun shines on him as he works.
Alderleaf instructor Michelle teaches student Joanna how to make a bowline knot, to help secure the cord onto the bow. It is key to have it properly attached, so that the spindle can spin quickly and consistently.
Austin puts all the parts of his kit together, gets into the proper form and spins the spindle until it makes a coal. Other students around him continue to work on their first bow-and-drill kits.
It takes some serious carving, sweat and patience to get your first friction fire. Fire is one of the most important survival tools, it can purify our water, cook our food, and get us dry and warm after being soaked by the winter rains. Fire is at the center of so many tasks in the wilderness, and through it we reconnect with all of our ancestors, who all once depended so much on fire to keep them alive, warm and fed.
Watch for more to come soon from Alderleaf!
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