EC @ MAPS Meet 2007

The Mid-Atlantic Primitive Skills (MAPS) Meet has developed from the activities of the Mid-Atlantic Primitive Skills Group and the growing primitive technology community of the Greater Washington D.C. area of which Earth Connection has been a part.

This year, the sixth for the event, was a transition, as the primary responsibility for the Meet was assumed by Ancestral Knowledge, with MAPS as an important sponsor. Earth Connection was on hand to provide a variety of EC instruction. Tim's taught his all time favorite subject--FIRE, while Hue provided the always popular and dirty Scout Class and Jamey focused on the well received cordage and gourd canteens classes. Jamey and Hue taught a few extra classes on Water in the Wilderness and the Sunday Morningstarr Medicine Wheel.

Fun was had by all, I assure you. We cannot wait for next year's event.

It was also a transition of sorts for Hue as well... he is passing the MAPS scout class to a new instructor, Owen, and moving on to bigger and better classes next year. We expect great things from this fine young man.

You go get'em dirty Owen!
Visit Owen's Blog

Sticks, Stones, and Broken Bones

One of our class favorites is the two day Primitive Tools, 2-3 June. Here we learn how to make stuff to make more stuff all using what is available from mother nature. Lots of skills come to play in this class... from working stone, wood, bone and antler. Cordage and natural glues were also taught.

Percussion and pressure flaking fundamentals took us into the world of flintknapping where we produced a variety of stone tools for a variety of uses. Scrapers, knives, arrowheads, and in many cases, making larger stones into ever smaller ones. Stone tool making tends to be the class focus, but plenty of time is spent on all the other tools we can make.

Tool-man Tim, Hue and Jamey worked hard to make sure everyone had some time with all the tool making skills. Our weekend was split between a perfect weather day on Saturday and a raining day on Sunday... experience in both weather conditions provided a unique experience demonstrating the finesse needed in the skills.

Jen brought the growing MacWelch family down for a visit and were a welcomed break from bashing and cutting up our fingers. No major injuries occurred over this weekend--thank you--even though the risk is high when you are whacking rocks against rocks.