November 9, 2008 Clove Road

Dear Parents,

The air and the land were still warm when we last gathered for Track and Sign (Nov. 9). Now the winds are reminding us of the coming winter, the coming time of snows and the possibilities of tracking in the snow.

We were missing Joey, Ihor and Talli, yet were joined by David Kucera, Josh Roberts and Ru Oarcea.

From our morning circle of gratitude and recognition we separated into smaller groups each with intentions and tasks. David, Larry, Liam and Ru started for our camp to work on the lodge construction. Peter, Bosch and Josh left with a group to continue their exploration of the trees. Rolando and Charles each led a group into a series of connected survival tasks centered on fire, water and food.

The two groups practicing the survival skills were temporarily divided. The seventh graders in this group were offered some principles in group participation. These included being aware of the groups Needs, offering guidance Invisibly (subtly), allowing and caring for an inclusive quality of Communication (speaking and listening), and leading by Example: NICE. The other subgroup was receiving a demonstration on how to remove the bark of of a white pine and fashion it into a container that holds water. When the groups rejoined each had something to offer the other. Their instructions were to cross the stream without using a bridge, make a fire, heat stones, boil water in a pine bark container, fashion a workable figure four trap, and make cordage from the plant fibers that would string a bow and shoot an arrow. The groups needed to develop a strategy that would keep them dry while crossing the stream. They needed to boil a carrot as a way to measurably purify water. Rolando gave teach group a small 15lb bow to string. Each group had 4 hours to complete the tasks. Here was an opportunity to experience their abilities to work together effectively. It was also an opportunity to synthesis various skills into a coherent progression and practice group organization and problem solving in resource procurance (getting materials) and allocation (how to use time and individual strengths).

While this was underway, Rolando came upon a freshly killed doe. It was gut shot by a bow hunter, wandered off and died near the stream. Liam and Ru came from the camp. Ru expertly accessed the situation and skillfully gutted the deer. They the brought it back to camp, where it was hung, skinned and the butchering began. Charles shared the information of the deer with Peter’s group. They soon arrived in camp and began preparing the meat.

At the same time, David and Larry (and later Liam, too) were carving mortise and tenon joints for the lodge structure. Their works is beautiful, tight and strong. Simultaneously Bosch, Josh and others are checking in with the two task groups, offering support and questions. The day was moving in a multi faceted flow of natural activity and engagement. At our camp we were a village–all male perhaps–yet at ease and enjoying the various tasks. –Charles

PETER HERE: Our group began with a return to the small grove of cedars, a place with which we’re becoming more and more familiar each visit. We used our leaf book as a reference to try to quickly identify all the species around us — though now that the leaves have mostly fallen, we’re challenged to look deeper. What is the shape of the tree? What is the bark like? How does it branch? And always we’re asking: what is this tree useful for?

Josh was with us. We spent a long time with a red oiser dogwood. They can be copsed for long, straight branches suitable for arrows or baskets and native peoples smoked the inner bark ceremonially. We returned to the Nannyberry and the Russian olive trees for tasting — and Josh used his machete for harvesting a throwing stick from the Russian Olive, White Pine and a Redcedar for comparisons. Which are the heaviest? Which are the best for throwing? We also investigated the roots of the nearby Oak, Pine and Cedar trees, digging up lengths of shoelace-thickness roots, pounding it gently and evenly against a log with a throwing stick to remove the outer layer. We discovered that this was an incredibly strong, flexible rope — easily obtained and very useful. We compared the different species — pine seemed to be the weakest but still useful. When they dry out they stiffen and become less strong.

Word came to us that the other group had found a deer, gut-shot with an arrow and dead between 6 and 12 hours. Ru and Liam had gutted it and dragged it back to the main camp area and hung it from a pine branch by its back legs. We watched as Ru and Josh expertly skinned and butchered the deer. Owen, Oliver and Will spent nearly two hours by the fire with a leg bone each, cutting off strips of meat for cooking, cutting away the tough white connective tissue (the fascia), having a tactile relationship with muscle, bone and tendon — they were laughing, surprised I think at how interested they were in what they were doing.

Toward the end of the day our clan dragged the remains down and away to a spot that felt right, away from the water. We placed the bones roughly in their proper arrangement and talked about the deer. We looked at its teeth and the points were sharp so we aged it between 1-2 years old. We didn’t know where it came from and we didn’t know where it was going , but for the short time it was with us, it was a provider of gifts.

Advertisement