Sassafras Moon Rewild Camp-SW Missouri

Sassafras Moon Rewild Camp to be held
at ‘Thief Holler’ (aka Joel and Charity’s place) on April 8, 9,
10…2011. Feel free to come early and stay later if you want. Also
feel free to invite anyone you think would like to participate. Last
year’s spring camp was tons of fun, even with the rain. Look forward
to a little more streamlined open space gathering than last
year…with tons of new ideas, games, and projects to further your
rewilding efforts. Please come prepared to engage with and create a
healthy, encouraging atmosphere for all involved.
Families and children are encouraged to attend!

Please bring:
Basic camping equipment
Toilet paper
Food
Cooking/Eating utensils (there will be a common kitchen/firepit)
Knife
Axe/Hatchet
Bow and arrows
Skill to work on/share
Primitive projects
Ideas
Trade goods (handmade/wildcrafted/books)
Big heart and open mind
Field guides/books

Some of the activities will include: Woodsrunning, Archery, Atlatl
Throws, Stickball, Rabbitstick Golf, Firestarting, Childbirthing,
Tracking, Animal Form Games, Edible/Medicinal Plants, Nightwalks,
Movement, Camouflage and stalking, Music and Storytelling, Shelters,
and anything else that we can up with!
Dogs aren’t forbidden, but if they can stay at home…that would be
better than bringing them.

Directions can be obtained on Mapquest- South West City, MO 64863
We will send out directions to our place from SW Cioty for anyone interested
RSVP/Questions baxajanuak (at) gmail (dot) com

How did it go?

#of participants-40 including children

skills worked on-basketry, projectiles, movement and sensory awareness, bow-drill fire (many first time fires!), brain tanning, plantwalks, tracking and questioning

I feel that almost all the participants had a great time!
Here are some things that worked well:

We had a core group of people who helped get the palce ready and that could answer questions…that really took the pressure off of me…which was great! Sometimes I get placed into a (reluctant) leader role for the whole camp based on my willingness to speak up and also I’m usually the tallest person around. I really enjoyed undoing that tendency with the help of the everyone that was in the core group.

We made a zine to hand out with info for using our composting toilets, a map of trails and the land where we would be holding the camp, short articles on the skills/ideas being presented, and a schedule of the camp along with welcome and resources pages.

Getting moving in the morning with yoga, or just having everyone just stand in a circle and then go around letting everyone lead one stretch/movement/dance move/ etc was fuseful for getting blood pumping and feeling fun about the day ahead.

Being flexible was important…when it got a little hot one day, we took the basket and sensory tune-up classes to the river!

Music, jokes, storytelling around the common fire added to the story of the day gatherer/hunter/village atmosphere.

Trade blanket is always fun…provided you tell people WAY in advance…and say “please don’t make it a yard sale/dumping blanket”.

I’ll post more on what did not work well later…

That sounds fantastic!