Ideas about organizing a primitive skills club

Visions of the Rewilding Renaissance
#1

Hi all! I didn’t know where to best post this, but it relates to “forming community” so I thought I’d put it here.

Anyway, I was wondering if I could get some advice/feedback from y’all. In order to reach out and find other like-minded (rewilding) folks on Salt Spring, I thought I’d post a flyer on the community bulletin boards about starting some kind of “primitive skills club”. I still feel undecided on the best words to use, what I should call it, etc. Nothing like that already exists here (I did some research).

I haven’t come up with any wording yet, but I’d want to give a shout out for any folks who’d like friends to practice skills with, hang out in the woods with, etc. I’d introduce the idea of rewilding too. I thought of this as opposed to organizing a skillshare/workshop, because I don’t really know much (about anything!) yet, and I don’t know anyone (yet) who does. Once I have some contacts, then organizing an event might become more feasible.

So what thoughts do you have on this? Have any of you done something like this before, have any ideas for wording, etc? I’d appreciate any input. Thanks!

#2

run a rewild camp!!! :slight_smile:

http://www.rewild.info/fieldguide/index.php?title=Rewild_Camp

#3

bereal:

i want to emphasize that a rewild camp differs substantially from a skillshare or workshop; it can just consist of a whole bunch of good conversations about whatever inspires folks at that time, in that place, owing to the Open Space gathering structure. The more you talk, the more excited you get about rewilding. Also, you never know what someone has to teach until you give the chance, so Open Space can discover hidden skills. The secret lies in the introduction!

I hope that clears up any possible confusion over my rather short response. :slight_smile:

#4

Thanks Willem! I didn’t feel up to organizing an “event” without having any contacts, but a rewild camp sounds more informal, or at least I could make it an informal gathering of likeminded folks (the first time around, at least). I can see how a more specific event (date, time, place, purpose) would probably sound more attractive to people (and more coherent) than a less organized thing.

Do you have any text I could borrow, from a flyer of a rewild camp or something? Anything would help get me started. Thanks!

#5

Hi!

bereal, thanks for asking this question. I’m considering doing 'something" in my area also.

Willem, thanks for that. It’s gonna be useful for sure.

I have a few questions for anyone:

  • In your publicity for your Rewild Camps (flyers, news papers, billboards, websites, etc.), have you always explained, briefly or not, what Rewilding is?

  • In such cases where rewilding was explained in the publicity, have you had people who didn’t know about rewilding come to your Camps?

  • If so, how did it go with them?

  • Has anyone ever tried publicizing a Camp, meet-up, gathering, etc. without mentioning what Rewilding is, and instead have invited people for sharing about plants, primitive skills, etc.?

  • If so, how did they react when you eventually brought up the subject of Rewilding?

Thanks!

#6

Great questions Misko! I would also like to know people’s experiences regarding them, since I was also wondering how prominently to use the term rewilding.

#7

I’ve asked Scout to answer these questions too next time he gets on his internet. He really did all the organizing for our Rewild Camp PDX.

#8

'Kay, thanks Willem!

#9

Hey guys

Can we hold off on this conversation for the new rewild.info? I’d like to do a back and forth Q&A style with you on these issues, but I’d hate for it to get trashed here, especially when it will be great content for the new site. Mind waiting a couple weeks?

#10

Sure! No problem!

Later!
-Misko

#11

I don’t mind! That’ll give me some time to think about it more, & get things more clear in my head. Looking forward to the new site! ;D

#12

Shall we continue this conversation at the new site?

www.rewild.info/vanilla

(address will be changing to just www.rewild.info in a few weeks)