Bushcraft
Encyclopedia
Survival skills
Survival skills are techniques a person may use in a dangerous situation to save themselves or others...
. A popular term for wilderness
The Bush
"The bush" is a term used for rural, undeveloped land or country areas in certain countries.-Australia:The term is iconic in Australia. In reference to the landscape, "bush" describes a wooded area, intermediate between a shrubland and a forest, generally of dry and nitrogen-poor soil, mostly...
skills in Canada, The UK, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the term was popularised in the southern hemisphere by Les Hiddins
Les Hiddins
Major Leslie James Hiddins AM , aka "The Bush Tucker Man" is a retired Australian Army soldier and war veteran, who is best known for his love and knowledge of the Australian bush...
(The Bush Tucker Man) in Australia as well as in the northern hemisphere by Mors Kochanski
Mors Kochanski
Mors Kochanski is a Canadian bushcraft and wilderness survival instructor, naturalist and author.The Kochanski family immigrated to Canada from Poland in 1938 and Mors was born two years later , the fifth of six children. His mother named him "Morris", but because of a misunderstanding due to her...
and recently gained considerable currency in the United Kingdom due to the popularity of Ray Mears and his bushcraft and survival television programmes.
Bushcraft is about surviving and thriving in the natural environment, and the acquisition of ancient skills and knowledge to do so. Bushcraft skills include; firecraft, tracking
Tracking (hunting)
Tracking in hunting and ecology is the science and art of observing animal tracks and other signs, with the goal of gaining understanding of the landscape and the animal being tracked...
, hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing, shelter building, the use of tools such as knives and axes, foraging
Foraging
- Definitions and significance of foraging behavior :Foraging is the act of searching for and exploiting food resources. It affects an animal's fitness because it plays an important role in an animal's ability to survive and reproduce...
, hand-carving wood, container construction from natural materials, rope and twine-making, and many others. These are the kinds of skills well known to our ancient predecessors, many of which are still practiced today as an everyday skill amongst aboriginal and native peoples around the world.
Etymology
Ray Mears
Raymond Paul "Ray" Mears is an English woodsman, instructor, author and TV presenter. His TV appearances cover bushcraft and survival techniques, and he is best known for the TV series Ray Mears' Bushcraft, Ray Mears' World of Survival, Extreme Survival, Survival with Ray Mears, Wild Britain with...
and his television programmes, the term was also used by the Irish-born Australian writer Richard Graves
Richard Harry Graves
Richard Harry Graves was an Irish-born Australian poet and novelist.In World War II Graves founded and led the Australian Jungle Rescue Detachment of 60 soldiers, which was attached to the Far East American Airforce. These men conducted over 300 rescues, all of which were completed successfully...
and Canadian bushcraft teacher Mors Kochanski
Mors Kochanski
Mors Kochanski is a Canadian bushcraft and wilderness survival instructor, naturalist and author.The Kochanski family immigrated to Canada from Poland in 1938 and Mors was born two years later , the fifth of six children. His mother named him "Morris", but because of a misunderstanding due to her...
. The word has been used in its current sense in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
at least as far back as the 1800s. Bush in this sense is probably a direct adoption of the Dutch 'bosch', originally used in Dutch colonies for woodland and country covered with natural wood, but extended to usage in British colonies, applied to the uncleared or un-farmed districts, still in a state of nature. Later this was used by extension for the country as opposed to the town. In Southern Africa, we get Bushman
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
from the Dutch 'boschjesman' applied by the Dutch colonists to the natives living in the bush. In North America (where there was also considerable colonisation by the Dutch) you have the word 'bushwacker' which is close to the Dutch 'bosch-wachter' meaning 'forest-keeper'. It is now common to hear the term bushcrafter to describe someone interested in bushcraft.
The term was used in the following books (amongst others):
- The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888 by Ernest FavencErnest FavencErnest Favenc was an explorer of Australia, a journalist and historian.-Personal life:Favenc was born in Walworth, Surrey, England. Of Huguenot descent, he was the son of Abraham George Favenc, merchant, and his wife Emma, née Jones...
; published in 1888. - My Brilliant Career by Miles FranklinMiles FranklinStella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin, known as Miles Franklin was an Australian writer and feminist who is best known for her novel My Brilliant Career, published in 1901...
; published in 1901. - Campaign Pictures of the War in South Africa (1899-1900) by A. G. Hales; published in 1901.
- The Explorers of Australia and their Life-work by Ernest FavencErnest FavencErnest Favenc was an explorer of Australia, a journalist and historian.-Personal life:Favenc was born in Walworth, Surrey, England. Of Huguenot descent, he was the son of Abraham George Favenc, merchant, and his wife Emma, née Jones...
; published in 1908. - We of the Never-Never by Jeannie GunnJeannie GunnJeannie Gunn OBE was an Australian novelist, teacher and Returned and Services League of Australia volunteer.- Life :...
; published in 1908. - The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders by Ernest Scott; published in 1914.
See also
- WoodcraftWoodcraftWoodcraft is a recreational/educational program devised by Ernest Thompson Seton in 1902, for young people based on camping, outdoor skills and woodcrafts. Thompson Seton's Woodcraft ideas were incorporated into the early Scout movement, but also in many other organisations in many countries.In the...
- ScoutcraftScoutcraftScoutcraft is a term used to cover a variety of woodcraft knowledge and skills required by people seeking to venture into wild country and sustain themselves independently. The term has been adopted by Scouting organizations to reflect skills and knowledge which are felt to be a core part of the...
- Ray MearsRay MearsRaymond Paul "Ray" Mears is an English woodsman, instructor, author and TV presenter. His TV appearances cover bushcraft and survival techniques, and he is best known for the TV series Ray Mears' Bushcraft, Ray Mears' World of Survival, Extreme Survival, Survival with Ray Mears, Wild Britain with...
- Mors KochanskiMors KochanskiMors Kochanski is a Canadian bushcraft and wilderness survival instructor, naturalist and author.The Kochanski family immigrated to Canada from Poland in 1938 and Mors was born two years later , the fifth of six children. His mother named him "Morris", but because of a misunderstanding due to her...
- Les StroudLes StroudLes Stroud is a Canadian musician, filmmaker, and survival expert best known as the creator, writer, producer, director, cameraman and host of the television series Survivorman...
- Dick Proenneke
- Bear GryllsBear GryllsEdward Michael "Bear" Grylls is an English adventurer, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his television series Man vs. Wild, known as Born Survivor in the United Kingdom...
- Lofty WisemanLofty WisemanJohn "Lofty" Wiseman is a British author and survival consultant, and a former member of the Special Air Service , the British special forces unit....
- Bradford AngierBradford AngierBradford Angier was a wilderness survivalist and proponent of back to earth living. He authored more than 35 books on how to survive in the wild and how to live minimalisticly off the land....