2020-006 | ABOUT HUMILITY BEFORE NATURE

WISDOM TRAILS: Bushcraft teaches you to be part of the landscape instead of the landscape as part of your designs. Humility before nature instead of arrogance. Blending instead of standing out. Adapting instead of plodding on tunnel vision.

Bushcraft makes you an island of your own instead of "no man is an island". Improvising and prepping is the name of the game.

First seen on Facebook

December 17, 2017

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BUSHCRAFT, FOR OUTSIDERS, is destructive. Their prejudice about its methods are anchored on the Western concept of outdoors living, which is very popular now and then in syndicated survival TV programs and in hundreds of YouTube channels. I could not disagree more and I would not have to elucidate further why because bushcraft is not ready yet for politically-correct societies and will never become mainstream, no matter how people tried hard about it.

For most people, including this writer, it is a way of life, although mine is a special kind of existence since I lived in an urban setting and turned “wild” when ranging the mountains. I have this special relationship with the outdoors and I try to remove this gap between modern man and his environment through my advocacy of imparting knowledge of bushcraft and the importance of safety of the outdoors. Safety does not only favor man but also of nature from man.

What is the difference then between my bushcraft and that of the popular Western concept? Not much really except that I would rather tone down mine because I saw how people tried hard to build it up but are torn down quickly by those who cannot understand its principles. How would you go about to make it palatable? Simple. With HUMILITY. Not by bending against criticisms but understanding nature first, embracing it perfectly and then let the skeptics see the beauty of bushcraft in it. Do not overdo things. Keep it simple. 

In the first place, bushcraft is a cerebral activity. It uses more brains – creativity and epiphanies – than it uses brute force. The latter is just the by-product of the former. You have to agree with that and that is where you start. Since man has dominion over earth and all its living things, we are morally its steward. Obviously, man’s place is above these things, we tend to be arrogant in how we dispose with these and then we broadcast it everywhere, which does not sit well with those who are advocating for a healthy environment.

On the other hand, a humble steward would work his way around and find other solutions instead of focusing on a challenge in a conventional way, with blades flashing and talk for miles of its sharp character! Very predictable and not a bushcraft way, which we tell the world is “bushcraft” and we feel “proud” about our exploits. It would have been alright if we have enough resources or we are just one million people living in this planet we called home. 

If there is humility on our part, we could easily blend in among it; adapt within it; and improvise around it. BLEND. ADAPT. IMPROVISE. This is the only guiding principle I used in bushcraft and it does not need a lot of explanations if it becomes one of your core values. I arrived at this conclusion when I demonstrated “Survival Day” for my adherents in the Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild; a sort of certification process for one who likes to practice bushcraft in an ethical manner. 

I looked inwards long and hard to create a different philosophy in bushcraft where it shall be acceptable to all and it is called ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT. It is anchored more on the “blend, adapt and improvise” approach which is merely toning down excessiveness of this activity by leisure outdoorsmen and is, in itself, educational for the true traditionalists: the indigenous people, the homesteaders and the people who find the wilderness as their calling.

Ethical Bushcraft guarantees to leave so few traces of you as you enjoy leisure bushcraft activities in places below the treeline, in marshy jungles and rocky shorelines, where all the actions are. When you are on that level, you are an island of your own; a part of a landscape. In my part of the world, I now have adherents who are now into that and I feel so secure that it made our world a better place to live in.

 

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WARRIOR PILGRIMAGE BLOG, personified by this writer, is synonymous with the Outdoors, since Bushcraft and Survival is its niche. Safety and Security are its bedrock when it ventured into organizing outdoor events that involved people as in adventure/pilgrimage guideships and seminars; and explorations and expeditions.

 

Through tutorship, experience, folk knowledge and good old common sense, this writer was able to collect useful information which he is currently documenting in a book titled, ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT. He shares some of this information and knowledge in his training sessions; in his social-media account; and in this blog.

2020-005 | OUTDOORS SAFETY & THE PLANT KINGDOM

OUTDOOR COMMON SENSE TIPS: Treat all vegetation as harmful. Looks could be deceiving. Do not take chances in touching it, much less ingest it, unless you KNOW the plant personally.

Never ever touch and cook wild mushrooms. They look almost the same found in grocery stores and supermarkets yet exhibit different characteristics.

First seen on Facebook

December 14, 2017

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MAN MAY HAVE DOMINION over the animals and plants of this planet but he has no complete control of all the plants that grew in his realm. What could be toxic here could be a delicacy in another part of the world. He might be a walking encyclopedia in a semi-arctic region but he would be a complete idiot in the tropics.

Science, however, have resolved that large gap but, scientific research and volumes of books related to the plant kingdom are confined only to the few and, mostly, within walls; and what information that may be shared to the public, comes out after the fact, when a person or a family succumb to the fatal ingestion of harmful plants.

Fortunately for us we now have the Internet. We could learn plants from the tips of our fingers and the information are almost endless. Would that make you an instant expert? Your guess is as good as mine. On the other hand, what little knowledge you got would be dangerous. Me, I just give plants a wide berth when walking on a trail, making sure I do not touch the one that have caused so much grief to people.     

The one I am talking here is the stinging tree (first photo) or what we know locally as "alingatong" or “lipa”. As long as the leaves are found as high as your head, you are safe. Watch out instead for the younger trees which grow level to your face, arms and legs. They sting when brushed and the more you rub the more torment you would receive. This last for 3 to 4 days without medical intervention.

During the flowering season, pollen and tiny fibers float from the treetops and branches down to the ground in slow motion. Zillions of these stay almost suspended in the air and carried off by wind higher or lower or sideways. These tiny particles causes allergenic reaction to one who has asthmatic spells and, sometimes, causes irritation to the skin which ran for days.

One of the most notorious plants to have this characteristic is the cowhage (second photo), or more locally known as “aninipay” or “nipay”. Its tiny fibers adhering to the flowers and fruit causes so much irritation. Folk tales suggest that because it is so light you could spot a beam of light over the “nipay” towards a person and it would ride that beam of light and inflict harm. Of course, it is unverified tale and made for entertainment only.

We may have other plants that are so toxic but it would not harm you for as long as you do not break a leaf or branch and smear your skin with its sap or ingest a part of it. We also do not know some plants are toxic and that is why we treat everyone as harmful. We do not experiment just because it looked like the ones demonstrated in YouTube or you saw a picture printed in a book.

Although not a plant, but still a member of the plant kingdom, mushrooms ARE to be left alone. They almost looked the same with just a little difference in their parts or color pigments. The safest mushrooms are still those found in supermarkets and groceries. Let a real living person, especially a grower, show you how. As much as possible, never discuss mushrooms if you are not an expert.

Learning how edible plants looked like is best learned from a garden and on the public markets. Bring these to the kitchen and learn how to process and cook these in many ways. Seasonal edibles are always found in markets. If you visit a place, look for this kind and you would learn something; much better than those online instructional.     

Skin irritations are best treated by washing the affected part and apply Caladryl© or calamine ointment. Do not apply alcohol, oil or skin lotion! If you do not have an ointment, alternative treatment but not a treatment actually, is smearing it with petroleum jelly. It helps to cool the affected skin and lessen the swelling.

 

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WARRIOR PILGRIMAGE BLOG, personified by this writer, is synonymous with the Outdoors, since Bushcraft and Survival is its niche. Safety and Security are its bedrock when it ventured into organizing outdoor events that involved people as in adventure/pilgrimage guideships and seminars; and explorations and expeditions.

Through tutorship, experience, folk knowledge and good old common sense, this writer were able to collect useful information which he is currently documenting in a book titled, ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT. He shares some of this information and knowledge in his training sessions; in his social-media account; and in this blog.

Photo Nr 3 from Mushroon Info

Photo Nr 4 from Adrenaline Romance