Philippine bamboo firemaking

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bladerique

Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
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I've seen this done wherever there is bamboo. It's cool every time.

[video=youtube;O8yVT-PG9Zg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8yVT-PG9Zg&feature=related[/video]
 
First time to see a video of this, although I have seen it in books before. Very cool, thanks for sharing.
 
I love the guy who lights his smoke at the end!

I have seen this many times - but this was an EXCELLENT explanation of it. His parang was SHARP too.

TF
 
Love this. Thanks again Bladrique. You've been a valuable source of information. I'll need all of this in about 3 weeks.
 
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nice video. i have a handful of dried bamboo stashed away but haven't found the time to do that yet. even there in the province, it's a lost art. my grandparents most likely didn't even do that. i asked my dad awhile ago and he said they always used matches when he was growing up.
 
His way of using a large piece braced against his body while using a smaller "sandwich" of bamboo and tinder seems more efficient than the bamboo saw you see in old survival manuals. I'll bet it's less fatiguing and starts much faster. I can't tell if his way of making tinder was more showmanship, but he definitely was an expert. Maybe he is a Negrito tribesman? I believe they were frequently employed as survival instructors to US servicemen back when they still had bases at Subic and Clark Field.
 
Great video. This same technique can be used on other materials with good results. It's an ass kicker though.

Here's a video I did on the method, using Mullen and basswood. Given the chance though. hand drill or bow and drill is much easier!

[youtube]T6ghEaBXWeU[/youtube]
 
Ultraman said:
His way of using a large piece braced against his body while using a smaller "sandwich" of bamboo and tinder seems more efficient than the bamboo saw you see in old survival manuals. I'll bet it's less fatiguing and starts much faster. I can't tell if his way of making tinder was more showmanship, but he definitely was an expert. Maybe he is a Negrito tribesman? I believe they were frequently employed as survival instructors to US servicemen back when they still had bases at Subic and Clark Field.
Click to expand...

You hit the nail squarely on the head there pare!

Looks like one of those regular "day tours" they host regularly thru JEST (Jungle Environment Survival Training) in Subic, Olongapo. Those ones are for the tourists.

Some of those instructors are indeed "Aetas" (Negritos), or Philippine aborginal tribesmen, who taught jungle survival to the GI's. As you can see, his presentation skills are well-practiced and rehearsed.

The "braced on knee" method was shown. Here is another method, in another place here in SE-Asia -


[youtube]jQQ3ONgnV7I&feature[/youtube]
 
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untamed said:
You hit the nail squarely on the head there pare!

Looks like one of those regular "day tours" they host regularly thru JEST (Jungle Environment Survival Training) in Subic, Olongapo. Those ones are for the tourists.

Some of those instructors are indeed "Aetas" (Negritos), or Philippine aborginal tribesmen, who taught jungle survival to the GI's. As you can see, his presentation skills are well-practiced and rehearsed.
Click to expand...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Good to know the ole brain cells are still working for me, pards.

I would love to go on one of those tours. I wonder if they do things like blowgun sessions, too? I remember as a kid seeing an Aeta using one (he was selling them).

The darts were going through thick cardboard quite a distance away.
 
^ Not too sure about the blow guns or actual weapons and "real" bush skills for that matter. I think that's another full, dedicated course though worked-out probably thru some other special arrangements (at least the way I understand it). The vid above is just for day tripping tourists.
 
i've got a set of good green bamboo (not sure which species ), dried out, that works well for this. Another method (I like it more), is to stick the gathing portion in the ground and crouch on the knees to put more pressure
 
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