Daredevil’s Club met under clear blue skies at Galbraith Mountain to feel what it is like to start fire with only two pieces of wood. With volunteer Sam, and EMA Jordan in tow, Dave and Tim led the crew into the forest; there was important, focused work to do.
As these boys are truly making the transition into adolescence, it seems essential to empower them with the skill of fire. They are testing boundaries, looking for their place in a bigger world. No longer are they the small boys who joined Explorers Club as it was starting. No. These guys are stretching their elbows for space in the adolescent world.
As mentors, we recognize that transferring to them the skill of fire is one of the many ways to show them the incredible power, and attached responsibility, that is becoming more integrated into their lives. Fire has the ability to destroy and it also can keep us nourished and warm. We are giving the tools and skills to these boys so they can be the destroyers or nourishers of our society. Scary indeed and it requires a lot of trust in them! We mentors toil to imbue them with the skill of how to be discerning and responsible.
Boys were keen to get started with their bow drill kits. Dave asked them to recall the story of how Coyote stole fire from Firekeeper sisters and brought it to the people. They remembered how fire resides inside of wood and that rubbing wood together can bring us the heat and light of fire. Dave showed them the entire bow drill setup, with all of its pieces and processes. Using cottonwood spindle, red alder hearth, a vine maple bow, some nylon cordage, and an elk antler for a top piece, he showed the technique that all of the boys later practiced. Under the curious eyes of a browsing deer and the group, he created smoke, a coal, and flame.
Explorers took turns practicing the bow drill techniques on Tim’s and Dave’s kits while others carved their bows and spindles. We safely used edged tools as we created our kits. This mentor is very impressed by the intention with which these Explorers worked to fashion their materials.
Of course, after some focused work, boys needed a break so their curiosity sent them into the forest after birds and their calls. Though supervised, Explorers were basically on their own and had the freedom to wander. When those of us at basecamp made the crow call, it didn’t take but five seconds for the crow call to come back to us from way off in the distance. We called and again there was a response as the bird chasers were rapidly coming back.
This situation is exactly the kind of trust/responsibility cycle that is crucial for these boys. They knew the boundaries (staying within sound distance); they had the freedom to go where they wanted (the trust), and they adhered to coming back right away (which is the rule). Younge groups are incapable of this level of trust but the DDC was successful at proving themselves.
Though a tiny “test” and perhaps indistinguishable for the Explorers, I realized that this group needs us to give them the tools and rules and boundaries, and then to let them go. The TRUST that they will do right and follow the safety rules is something that we must give them. They proved to me in that moment that they are ready for fire-making skills; they are adolescents knocking on the door for adult skills. Of course we must be attentive to anything that undermines this trust and constantly work on building it, but we need to give them the wiggle room. Scary indeed! Maybe some of you parents are already experiencing this at home :)
To end our day we trudged quickly up to the ridge and along the edge. We held closing meeting overlooking Bellingham and the extent of the Bay, well into the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island. What a great way to celebrate thankfulness and our focused fire intention together. We were graced by a dozen raptors— possibly Red-Tailed Hawks perhaps Bald Eagles— “kettling up” to our south, riding the thermals as boys thanked the many birds they found during the outing.
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