Some good answers here. Even the WiKi def. was pretty good. At the risk of being redundant, let me add a few thoughts....
Here is what I wrote in an other thread on bushcraft blades concerning bushcraft with a little added:
As I'm somewhat (or very!) old school in my idea of bushcraft; I too see it as the skills. More importantly, the indigenous and locally based skills.
Knifecraft or Campcraft is an aspect of the whole. I agree with the common saying, 'the best knife is the one at hand', but more identify bushcraft as 'being in one's element'. I believe the peak of bushcraft is not needing a knife; but when having a need for a cutting implement, being able to easily improvise with what is provided and achieve similar results.
The term Bushcraft is one that I don't really use much. I associate the term with the Australian Bush, as well as more recently, the Northern Wilderness.
The problem is the generalizations. Trying to apply an approach to the whole. Being in a Mediterranean climate, I see woodlands, riparian, chaparral, desert, coastal sand dune, mountains, etc. I don't necessarily always apply the practices or natural materials in each area to the whole. Each realm or plant community has its own unique feel and approach. The diversity of skills mirrors the diversity of the areas they are practiced in. This also emphasizes heavily on awareness. One of my teachers always said: 'Respect the principles, challenge the methods.'
I always took this as: 'learn and respect the principles, and challenge the methods, after learning them, without needing to re-invent the wheel."
As well, returning to 'being in one's element', I am of the mind that without a knife, a true bushman should still be in his element. Without a pack, still be in his element. This is what I strive for with my skills. So that a saunter through the woods is no different from any other journey into the woods.
Reliancy on gear or tools should not be confused with utter dependancy. To put trust in a tool is different than committing entirely to it....
But for me, it also implies art. In this we find ritual, or even tradition.
Take the throwing stick, for example:
It can be made in a variety of ways, and will give you that much back.
More commonly these days, it is a picked up stick, either carved somewhat or not at all and thrown club-like at a rabbit. It will last you so many times and is only so efficient.
Now let's look at how certain Native California tribes made them. On a full moon (they understood hydraulics, this will come into play in fire-hardening), they would go to a high altitude, 2,000ft. or so, and collect the perfect branch of a Scrub Oak. They would fire heat with the bark on (the amount of moisture escaping quickly caused the grains to tighten that much more and would not crack with the bark on), then bend into shape, either in a tree nook or fulcrum made of rocks. After bent and heated once more, then they would shape it into a long, slender throwing stick, and smooth on rock and then rub fat or grease into. they would also generally make two, and take two when hunting.
This would soar yards and be used on deer, coyote, fox, rabbit, bird, squirrel, all kinds. It would last a lifetime and even be passed down as an heirloom.
So we see art contributing to peak performance and skill. It is an aspect of human culture that cannot be excluded. I see aspects of self expression as well in this....
) Feel better Marcelo? Betcha .05 there'll be lots good stuuf put on here....
