THIS BLOGGER
RECENTLY SIGNED a Memorandum of Agreement with BLUEWATER RESORTS, represented
by its corporate marketing officer, Enrico Monsanto, as resource person for a
series of bushcraft events in 2018 designed for children in all its
recreational facilities located in Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, Lapulapu
City; Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort, Bohol; and Bluewater Sumilon Island
Resort, Cebu.
The first of this
is at the Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort. Participating would be children from
the Dolpo Kids Club, from guests, walk-in registrants and from the staff of
Bluewater Resorts. I would be expecting the presence of the parents and
nursemaids too as was the last time I did this same activity last year (March
25, 2017). In fact, parents last year joined the kids carve their own bamboo
spoons.
But before this,
there was a teaser video released by Bluewater Resorts about the summer-long
activities offered by their facilities for children and Bushcraft Camp for Kids
is one of these. In fact, members of the Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild
made themselves available for a video shoot right inside Bluewater Maribago
Beach Resort. Please watch the video:
Before 08:00 of
March 17, 2018, I was already at Allegro Restaurant with Mr. Monsanto. With me
are Jhurds, 8-year old Jacob, Jonathaniel and Jingaling. They will assist me
during the Introduction to Bushcraft for Kids. I have subdivided this day-long
activity to a Plant ID Tour, Primitive Cooking, Elementary Firecraft, Blade
Safety, Knife Dexterity Exercise, Animal Snares, and Simple Shelter Construction
A couple of
Japanese minors and a Korean joined a handful of Filipino kids as I talk about
the essence of bushcraft. Then I point to each and every tree that would help
them find water in case of survival and other helpful plants which harbor
useful parts. This was possible during the Plant ID Tour around the confines of
Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort.
Considering that a
bamboo is the most common plant in the tropics even in temperate parts of Asia,
the idea of cooking food using a bamboo as an improvised cooking vessel is
shown to the kids and parents alike in Primitive Cooking. A two-meter pole of
green bamboo is opened with a knife with the aid of a stick. That done, rice
and water are poured into and then a fire is started.
The kids are also
taught how to create a fire by a magnifying glass and by a ferrocerium rod
during the session on Elementary Firecraft. With a fine downy material, the
kids shrieked in delight as they create fire when they scratched the ferro rod
over it. Fire by solar magnification took time to evolve but with a charred
clothe, a smoky ember appear, blowing it to life when placed among a bundle of
dry tinder. Thick smoke erupted then fire.
The next topic is
Blade Safety and it is this part where it is most difficult to proceed since
the children would be exposed to harm. The edge and the tip of a knife are
parts where it is sharpest and, therefore, harmful. Extra care should be
undertaken when handling a knife, especially during the practical exercise.
Close supervision would be properly exercised by my staff.
The kids are
attentive during the lecture on the procedures of handling a knife, repeating
it over again as I see fit and proper. It is very important that the direction
of the strokes should be away from you and should be slightly downward. Then
you may have to choose your most comfortable position and engage work in the safest
location. Engaging in conversations while working is discouraged.
A knife at rest
should be returned inside its sheath and it is forbidden for anybody to walk
around with an unsheathed knife. Then there are rules how to pass a knife from
one person to another. All of those are the most important and the children are
now ready for the Knife Dexterity Exercise wherein they are made to carve a spoon
from a piece of bamboo. Parents joined their wards, as well as the Bluewater
staff.
After an hour of
close supervision, the children proudly showed off their bamboo spoons. They
have achieved this work on their own, mastering their fear and timidness and,
once they have gained confidence on this single moment, they would be
comfortable handling a knife with responsibility. Then a demonstration is shown
to kids how an animal snare work and how to construct a simple shelter. The day
is capped off by tasting the rice cooked in bamboo.
I consider it an
honor and a sort of redemption for my brand of outdoor activities, to be
accepted and trusted wholly by Bluewater Resorts, a certified green hotel and
resort, to propagate bushcraft on their recreational facilities that involve
children. Although bushcraft uses blades as tools, it is a child-friendly
activity which nurtures the creativity of the child and aids the child the
value of life skills, which is now beginning to wane due to easy access to WiFi
and the electrical outlet.
This writer, who
have toiled to create this blog from scratch and for which many original ideas
came forth which animated the local outdoors scene from its dull
one-dimensional existence. The Philippine Independence Bushcraft Camp, the Camp
Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild, the exploration and establishment of the Cebu
Highlands Trail, the Thruhike, and the formation of the Camino de Santiago of
Cebu, are all fruits of this blog which fired up the imagination of outdoorsmen
who wanted variety.
At the end of the
day I am more than satisfied that people – children most specially – are
getting interested again on the long-neglected skills of bushcraft. It is not
spectacular compared to most outdoor activities which has an abundance of supportive
corporate names. Most often it is maligned and misunderstood and I have to
fight it from within to remove those wrong misconceptions. I weeded out the
wrong practices which popular and social media are erroneously propagating.
That rare opportunity
and, forthwith, being associated with one of the best green hotel in Southeast
Asia, gives a prestige which I have had not expected before. It is something
that I would watch carefully when traversing over opinions and contents in
social media. What I digress would surely reflect to names that I am currently
associating myself with. It is an unfamiliar territory but I would not want it
in any other way. It is just right.
It was a long
journey for me, jagged and steep, running against the wind to corner an elusive
prey. I am now on to that special place where dreams become a reality. The
sheep is now snarling like a wolf but it is just a harmless shadow. I let it be
and so I claim my rightful place under the sun.
Document done in LibreOffice 5.3
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