What is bushcraft all about? Is it about survival? Is it about being prepared? Could it be concerned with the natural world or traditional craftwork? Is it about leaping from a cliff, or about how to avoid cliffs altogether? The subject is vast and could include all of the above. What it is about however, is self development and the learning of new skills that might lead to a greater understanding of the world around you and maybe a greater understanding of yourself.

Since the TV popularisation of bushcraft by Ray Mears and survival techniques by Bear Grylls a whole myriad of bushcraft and survival courses have sprung up around the country. Although we applaud these initiatives and wish them all every success those who are a part of ‘Live Wild’ believe there is far more that can be achieved through the development of skills related to learning how to learn. The key is the ability to adapt to a variety of situations in a safe and sensible way. Many years ago, back in the mists of TV history, a television series set a whole generation of children on the path of making spears, bows and dens out in the wild. Now probably only remembered for its haunting theme tune Robinson Crusoe was a true classic survival story concerning the ability to adapt to an alien environment. I wouldn’t mind betting that Ray Mears could give a fair rendition of Da da da dah, da dah if asked. Of course Daniel Defoe’s masterpiece is better as a book but the book doesn’t come with a theme tune. As for the long nosed ugly princess and the sinister troll by the lake, the least said the better.

But I digress. What we call bushcraft is what we have no apparent need for in our modern world and yet millions of people throughout the world live by on a day to day basis. Just consider the humble spoon. Our way of getting a spoon is far more complicated in reality than a bushman making one from a tree branch. A giant machine digs up iron ore, which is then turned into steel by another giant machine the steel is then transported to another set of machines that stamp out a spoon that is transported by yet another machine to a giant supermarket where it sits on a shelf waiting for you. During this time you have just finished an Information Technology course so that you can get a job to earn enough money to go to the supermarket to buy the spoon. The bushman would of course want to know why.

At ‘Live Wild’ we often ask why and we want you to also ask yourself why. Why buy a spoon when you can make your own. Survival is a state of mind.