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pocomoonskyeyes

Parallel worlds Modern America/Native America

Rating: 3 votes, 4.33 average.
Beyond a Shadow of a doubt Native Americans were/are the best survivalists this Nation has ever seen. I'm not saying that other cultures/countries did not have the equal to them in their respective places. Just that they were the best here in our country. Even Mountain Men learned from them and shared with other mountain Men.
As a child I dreamed of Indians. I wanted the Cowboys to lose so that their lifestyle could continue. Of course that was TV and everything had already passed on into the history books,and the old lifestyle was no more. My favorite movie Today is "the Last Of the Dogmen"... Why? To be able to find a Native people with all the vast knowledge they had. Some of us dream of what I term "survival-ing", of going off into the wilderness and not looking back and not coming back. Living the life that Native Americans lived, every day of their lives from cradle to grave.
From that day forth I have wanted to live like that. Total independence. Total self reliance,depending on no one but those around you living the same way. I later found out that I have some small amount of Native American blood, on both sides of my family,different Nations. Creek and Cherokee. Is this where that affinity comes from? I don't know,maybe.
I think that my intense interest in Wilderness survival sprang from these roots. However when I was a boy there was no internet,no cell phones,not even cordless phones. The nearest bookstore that could possibly have this kind of book was over a hundred miles away. But there was a merit badge in Boy scouts called wilderness survival. I started with this small pamphlet trying to absorb the ancient wisdom of a long gone era. The knowledge of Native America. One book was mentioned in that pamphlet that I just HAD to HAVE. Outdoor Survival Skills By Larry Dean Olsen. I asked my father for that one thing for my birthday... And he gave it to me. I was on my way...
Now you may say what has this got to do with Native America? EVERYTHING. You see by learning this knowledge I thought that I could Rekindle the old Native American way of life. The dreams of a boy long ago.
But it did start me on a journey. A journey that continues today. I still want that lifestyle the total independence an unsurpassed self sufficiency.
You see I think that is what some of us today truly desire. However we have become trapped by our comforts. The internet, the cell phones, the TV,...etc.
Then I went to a protest in '98 or '99 and an old flame was rekindled. Indian burial grounds were being disturbed. I was around the people I had admired since early childhood before I even went to school. In less than a year I had become Homeless and had to rely on some of the skills I had learned in an earlier time. I had a small camp right in the heart of Knoxville Tn. in a small tract of woods most people didn't even notice as they passed it on their way to work. It started with just me. Then someone else asked if they could move in,he did and brought his Girlfriend. I gained a "Rep" on the streets and eventually met the woman I am with today.
Honestly I kept away from most of the other homeless... The druggies and the prostitutes etc. Oh I associated with them,it couldn't be avoided. I did not "hang out", They had nothing I wanted or needed as they tended to get in trouble. But our little group started and grew until there were about 10 people that would at one time or other come and go. Rules were very simple. 1) no drugs or alcohol 2) someone was in camp at all times 3) women were NEVER left in camp by themselves, a man had to be there at all times(chauvinistic? not really they (not all women though) could not handle trouble if it came)
This was a Very Spiritual time for me.If you have never spent a lot of time away from "civilization" I don't know if I can get you to understand. Imagine a week long camping trip followed by another and another and so on. I believe this is why Native Americans had such a spiritual connection with the Earth. When you live That close to the earth you start to feel connected to it. In fact you are part of it. The longer you stay the more attuned to it you become, if you'll just listen.
Honestly if it weren't for my "addictions" to civilization I would've moved into the deep forest, or at least further from town. You see I smoke,addiction #1. I drink coffee with sugar Addictions #2&3. I just couldn't break those chains so I stayed close,yet removed. In some respects homeless really are the "invisible" people. People pass them by everyday but don't notice them. I know it isn't the same as passing in the forest by a big ol' grizzly bear and he doesn't see or hear you. But since man is the most dangerous predator, and there are predators out there let me assure you. it was similar if not the same. There was a guy, a loner, killed not 100 yds from my camp. he had about $40 and that is why he died... $40. Human predators do exist, you see.
Honestly I do not think I have the skills to walk away and just LIVE that lifestyle. There's a lot that you may not think about.
Trapping,hunting,gathering. these are the skills that most think about when they think about concerns for wilderness survival but there's more. Basket weaving, flint knapping, leather tanning & sewing,cooking and recipes for wild Edibles, just to name a few. These are the skills that Native Americans possessed in ADDITION to the ones we commonly think about . You know...the basics - Shelter, Fire, Food, Water. I would like this be a Cautionary to those who think I have a knife, I know how to make shelter,find food,build a fire. I have a survival kit. There's the difference. You could strip a Native American Naked,no matter what nation or tribe, throw him (or her)out in the middle of nowhere come back in a year and they are THRIVING, not living, not surviving,THRIVING. This is how much knowledge we (well most of us) lack. Throw me out naked and in a week I am probably just barely hanging on, if at all.
So for those Bare wilderness numpty's (Moderator please correct if I got that wrong) that think you are just going out with your little kit and make a go of it think again. I have some small Native American blood,some small Native American skills, and I know I couldn't do it.
Yeah I may have suckered some in here with the title. Yeah you may be mad, but if you just stop and heed the advice of the people here you just might be able to live through a wilderness survival experience.
I do admire Native Americans that is true, if you want feel free to talk about whatever floats your boat. But maybe this will give you some inspiration. How Native are you? Share, join in in the tribe of mankind.Relish in the joy of life.
Btw I plan on starting another blog sometime in the future. As this is something new to me I would appreciate constructive criticism on Improvements I could make. This is just a "trial run" so to speak.

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Updated 08-11-2009 at 12:05 AM by pocomoonskyeyes (spelling correction)

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Comments

  1. panch0's Avatar
    Awesome blog Poco!
    Huel Cualli!
    Updated 08-10-2009 at 11:47 PM by panch0
  2. Sarge47's Avatar
    Now THAT be what I'M talking about! That hits home!
  3. nell67's Avatar
    Poco,AMAZING!!!!!! I agree with all the others,you have a gift for writing!
  4. Okwaho's Avatar
    Very good blog. I agree, maybe we are brothers, eh? We're just two people answering our ancestral Call Of The Wild. Can't wait to read your next blog.
  5. Timber_wolf's Avatar
    Well said, friend! Your writings are well worth keeping track of.

    Timber Wolf
  6. pocomoonskyeyes's Avatar
    OK I appreciate all the compliments But what could I do to improve this? What is missing? What could be added? Thank you again.
  7. Okwaho's Avatar
    I would say try and shorten it up as much as you can, but don't cut out any quality. Cuz there's nothing an ADHD child like myself loves more than reading something somewhat quick yet very informative.
  8. mccaw69's Avatar
    Great blog,very well written,and to the point.
  9. HanoverDan's Avatar
    It is a nice piece. I have talked with and worked with a bunch of native americans. Like all peoples we have skills brought on by necessity and some by desire like me and a bunch of guys here.

    If nothing existed except you and your clan in the woods. Nothing but U and this world. Over centuries your people would learn what must be learned. The NA had thousands of years.

    I have talked to the wise men of tribes in various states and they assure me that the natural way is nothing but learned.

    All respect to people of all clans but what is learned in a thousand years can be unlearned in 5 or 6 generations. Languages, life stiles, abilities.

    I taught survival, I spoke pretty good vietnamese and japaneese and a few words in other languages. I have no need for the languages and live well in my cowboy castle. Lonely and surrounded by friends and my wifes family.
    I have lost the languages,most of my survival skills and it has been only 16 years. How long before those that learned learned a needed skill at the time forgets it.

    We cannot go back we must learn from the past and study for the future.

    Just my piece. We forget because we find easier ways.

    Respect
    Daniel
  10. b storm's Avatar
    That is an amazing thread but i agree with Okwaho it should be a little shorter, but i still loved it.
  11. rwc1969's Avatar
    I wish the Indians woulda won too. Constructive critisism? Spaces between paragraphs. It makes it easier to read long winded posts. JK! other than that, I think it's a great post.
  12. Huntinfool's Avatar
    I agree with rwc1969 kind of! I say it needs to broke down into smaller paragraphs. This is one of the things a good editor would tell you if he was going to publish your article.

    And yes space between the paragraphs and spaces after commas. But by all means go through and break it anywhere you can.

    It's hard for me to read any one's writing that is all in just a few paragraphs, but if broken up I can follow the lines much better and it also seems to keep my interest better.

    You can read twice as much because you don't feel like your reading a lot, reading it in short segments it's easier to follow a story line also.


    ~HF~
  13. gryffynklm's Avatar
    Very nice post. If you consider The early life of our ancient peoples was their school. By the time you were old enough to join the men and women of your tribe in daily activities you have had 14 + years of learning a plant or skill and then using that knowledge a daily basis. It becomes a component of life. There are things I have learned as a child or even as an adult that only gets occasional use and I occasionally require relearning. We learn and educate to work. Not to live. We work to pay for a living not to make one. Sorry just blathering.