For thousands of years people have cherished fire and all that fire provided. And one of the prevalent methods of creating those uncountable fires around the world was the 'bow drill', a well-shaped rod of soft wood spun in a bow with a cord, which generates enough heat in its' spinning against the hearth board to create a powdery, smoldering ember. This small ember, when cradled in shredded fiber, can be blown into fire and provide for our human needs of warmth, comfort and creativity as it long has.
We will craft our own bow drill sets from local materials, some that we gather and others that have been cured out for immediate use, and then start working at gaining the form and strength to run it well enough to make coals consistently. Our day will also include learning the trees that give the necessary parts to our sets, gathering tinder and needed materials, solid practice sessions, fire building and use guidance, and splitting out some blanks to replace our spindles and boards as they get expended.
Date: Saturday, March 9
Time: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Lunch will be provided.
Ages: Adults only
Ages 15+ are invited to enroll if accompanied by a participating adult.
Location: Viola, WI
Materials fee: $15
Instructions: Dress for being outside throughout the day. A sharp knife will be necessary, I will have good ones for sale and some lenders too. Cut gloves are optional if concerned with cutting yourself.
Sliding Scale Course Fee (not including Materials Fees)
Supporter Level Ticket: $115
Sustainer Level Ticket: $90
Supported Level Ticket: $65
Instructor Bio - Nicholas WazeeGale
Nicholas WazeeGale has been a lifelong student of Nature, traditional culture, and sustainability. He is passionate about Nature observation, living closely with the Earth and natural rhythms, hunting and gathering, craft and handwork, and community. He resides in the Driftless region with his wife and children and has taught for DFS, the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, and independently for almost 20 years. He is a certified wilderness guide and is a level 4 Track and Sign certificate holder through TCNA/Cybertracker. He and his wife Kindred earn their livelihood teaching outdoor skills and hand craft, running summer camps, and selling fine handcrafts through their business, WildRoots HandCrafts. (Instagram: @wildroots.handcrafts and/or @naturalnuances)