After the conclusion of the opening circle, everyone is free to do what they wish for the duration of the day. Many people participate in organised and impromptu educational sessions which cover everything from creating compost piles, proper use of axes and knives, carving wooden cups, making salves, to archery and splitting wood properly.
Throughout the weekend, there is a great emphasis on connecting with the past, and creating a sense of belonging to a community. Everyone who is able is encouraged to sign up for a work crew which is responsible for ensuring everything is running smoothly. This includes crews which split firewood, ensure water jugs are full, washroom maintenance, and overall fitness of the site. The event functions as a community in the truest sense of the world, completely self-sufficient from the rest of the world for four days.
One of the highlights of the four day event is the “Saturday Feast” where everyone brings a pot-luck dish. These range from bear stew, lamb stew, banoc bread, to more mundane things like potato chips. The feast is served in tribal style whereas the elderly eat first, then children and parents, then adults without children. This is an age-old tradition.
Attending events such as Headwaters brings a sense of passion, community and stewardship to your life that is so often missing in the western world. Many people arrive knowing few others, and leave with literally a hundred friends. Connections are made, romances kindled, business is conducted, and a passion for a primitive lifestyle where humans work together is instilled in each and every person.
During the closing ceremony, a beautiful song called “The Elderberry Song” was sung. This song blends the masculine and feminine energies into a synergistic song. It was an experience that is difficult to describe in words.
Barefoot Bushcraft acknowledges the land on which we gather was the historic territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, many of whom continue to live and work here today. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum agreement. Today this gathering place is home to many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and acknowledging reminds us that our great standard of living is directly related to the resources and friendship of Indigenous peoples.
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