Classes/Outings
Would you like to learn how to make fire without modern technology? Would you like to know which local plants are edible and which local plants can be used medicinally? Join naturalist/aboriginal skills instructor Jim Robertson for outdoor instruction on how to build shelter, make soap, weave containers, and much more—all from natural materials. Jim has been leading hikes and teaching aboriginal/wilderness skills in the Santa Monica mountains for over 20 years.
FOR OUR MOST UP-TO-DATE CLASS SCHEDULE AND NEWS, PLEASE JOIN OUR MAILING LIST!
Once you are on the MAILING LIST, you will receive announcements for all upcoming public classes. These classes are typically held once or twice per month, all year long.
Contact Jim Robertson at:
(310) 395-0943
Jim is looking forward to hearing from you.
Posted on October 2, 2014
Join primitive skills instructor Jim Robertson for this two day workshop connecting with nature, each other, and our collective human heritage as we learn how to hand craft a self bow as the native Southern Californian people did.
The advent of archery marked a technological leap for humankind that began at least 10,000 years ago and quite possibly up to 64,000 years ago and that is still widely used today.
The bow and arrow was universally considered one of the quintessential survival tools among many, if not most, of ancient peoples around the globe. Hunters and warriors alike depended on their ability to craft, use, and maintain their bows to defend and provide for their families.
In this class, you will reconnect with the ancestral knowledge of handcrafting a self bow from the materials that nature provides.
You will learn:
The different properties of wood from native trees
How to select and harvest a bow stave
How native Southern California people fashioned and used bows
Efficient use of simple and portable tools to hand craft a field ready bow within hours
How to finish and protect your bow using common and easy to obtain materials
To hand twine a bowstring from natural and synthetic materials
The fundamentals of stalking and moving silently in the wild
This is a two day intensive class with the option of a back country camp out
in the beautiful Big Tujunga wilderness.
Class is limited to 10 students so early sign-up is highly recommended.
Class Date: Saturday & Sunday, October 25th (10am-5pm) – 26th (10am – 2pm), 2014
Early Bird Registration (ends October 15th): …… $99
Standard Registration……………………………………….$114
*Additional details, including directions and what to bring, will be provided
after sign up.
Questions? Call or email Jim at:
(310)395-0943
Check our MEETUP page at https://www.meetup.com/Aboriginal-Skills/
and friend us on FACEBOOK at https://www.facebook.com/jim.robertson.aboriginalskills
Posted in Blog, Events, Hunting
Posted on September 12, 2014
Email RSVPs to Jim at jimrobertson@aboriginalskills.com.
The class fee will be pre-paid via paypal in order to guarantee attendance
for our guest instructor.
ABORIGINAL SKILLS CLSS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, 9:30AM – 5:30PM
With option to stay until dark with Jim if you like (includes option for a “Stealthy” campout)
IN THE BEAUTIFUL SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS
Featuring the ancient skill of Flintknapping with a very special guest instructor joining me.
This will be a great fun class for all levels of Flintkanppers from beginners to advanced!
You, your family and friends are invited to join me, Naturalist and Aboriginal Skills Instructor, Jim Robertson along with my very special guest, Flintknapper, Ralph Lawless for a full day of Aboriginal Skills in the wild.
Due to the nature of instruction required for the class and to guarantee expert one-on-one time for each student, the number of attendees will be limited to a maximum of 20 students.
Don’t worry about the heat, as we will spend most of our time in the shade of a nice large oak grove.
My good friend, Ralph Lawless is a highly skilled Flintknapper with many years of experience. Ralph is one of the best Flintknappers in the country! In addition to being highly skilled in his craft, he is also an excellent instructor of his craft and a great person!
THIS IS A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF!
For those not familiar with the ancient stone age skill of Flintknapping… We use certain types of stone to break and shape other kinds of stone (this is known as the “Percussion” phase of Flintknapping). After the Percussion phase, we move on to
the “Pressure Flaking” phase where we use variety of different tools which often have pointed tips, such as antlers. Pressure flaking is the finer, “Finishing” phase for your piece/project.
Items commonly made by Flintknapping are Arrow Points, Knife Blades, Hatchet, Ax Blades and small items such as Pendants and other Jewelry to hang around your neck.
Archaeologically speaking, “Clovis Points” have been found dating back over 13,000 years. So Flintkanpping is an extremely valuable and useful tool to have in your bag of Aboriginal Skills. Additionally, Flintknapping is a fun way to connect more deeply with your ancient past and natural wild environment!
I hope you can take advantage of this special opportunity to spend some time in the wild with myself and my friend Ralph who is and extremely talented and well respected Flintknapping instructor!
In addition to Flintkanpping, we will include a Plant Walk where we will meet many of our plant friends and discuss how we may use them for Food, Medicine and Utilitarian purposes. This will include discussions of our local ecology, harvesting with integrity, mindful awareness and the law.
We will harvest some wild greens by the stream to make our traditional delicious healthy wild soup, which we will cook in my self made primitive clay pot.
Other Aboriginal Skills will be available for practicing such as the Friction Fire (hand drill and bow drill) making, cordage, wild soap making, net making, traps (no animals are harmed), etc….
REGISTRATION: To check space availability and register,
call or email Jim at:
(310)395-0943
COST: $47 Per Person – Pre paid via paypal (information upon RSVP) / Location – $12 parking fee
LOCATION: Calabsas, Malibu area – Full Directions upon RSVP
WHAT TO BRING – General: Water, lunch, sun protection, hat, bandanna. Optional – headlamp, paper, pen, camera, trekking poles or walking stick, knife (sheath preferred or pocket), please consider bringing an evening meal.
WHAT TO BRING – Flintknapping: Tools will be provided. Please bring (if you have them) Safety Glasses and a Sturdy Camp Chair. If you have your own Flintknapping tools, feel free to bring them along as well.
WHAT TO WEAR: Dress in layers, long pants and long sleeves are recommended to avoid contact with Poison Oak, sturdy shoes (with good tread) Consider wearing colors that harmonize with the natural environment.
Sorry – no dogs, nonprescription drugs, alcohol or tobacco (except for offerings)
Know of anyone who may be interested in this class? Please forward this announcement.
Check our MEETUP page at https://www.meetup.com/Aboriginal-Skills/
and friend us on FACEBOOK at https://www.facebook.com/jim.robertson.aboriginalskills
Posted in Blog, Events, Uncategorized
Posted on August 7, 2014
ABORIGINAL SKILLS CLASS / OUTING WITH NATURALIST AND ABORIGINAL SKILLS INSTRUCTOR JIM ROBERTSON
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30th, 9:30AM – 5:30PM (OR 10PM IF YOU WISH!)
With option for some to camp out in a “Stealthy Way”.
You, your family and friends are invited to join me for an all day outing/class in a beautiful, natural, wild environment.
We will visit a secret pond that few know of where you can take a swim if you like, or even do a little primitive fishing. So, don’t worry about the heat as most of our time will be spent by the pond or in the shade of a nice large Oak Grove.
We will start this class with an easy walk on mostly level ground where we will meet and discuss many of our plant friends. We will discuss ethical harvesting with mindful awareness, integrity and the law, along with local ecology and being stealthy and harmonious in the wild.
Our destination (approximately one mile or less) will be a shaded riparian (pond) area where we will have lunch and the option to harvest from the wild as our ancestors did. You can harvest materials for a hand drill or bow drill fire making kit, and or “triggers” for deadfall traps (no animals are harmed), or possibly a “stave” for an archery bow, or a spear for the Atlatl.
Later we will return to our base camp with some wild harvested greens in hand for our traditional delicious, healthy wild soup, which we will cook in my self made wild pottery. Here we will practice such skills as making your own fire kit, “Aboriginal” fire making (hand drill and bow drill), making your own deadfall trap triggers (figure four and Piaute) net making, cordage, soap making and more.
Practice these ancient skills at our little primitive village at your leisure or simply just enjoy the camaraderie of other nature lovers and relax until approximately 10P.M. if you wish.
Consider bringing food for dinner if you plan on staying late, as I definitely will!
Later, some of us will stealthily re-immerse ourselves into the wild for a night under the open star lit sky and music of the Frogs, Crickets, Coyotes, Etc.
Remember, all of these skills are pathways to a deeper relationship / connection with our natural environment and ourselves (our real selves).
Inclement Westher Never Cancels, it is an important part of our practice, learning and enjoyment.
LOCATION: Malibu Creek State Park.
DIRECTIONS: Provided via email.
REGISTRATION: Class size is limited so pre-regristration is required via Meet-up or the contact information below. If you do RSVP, please provide plenty of notice if there is any change so that another person may take your place. Also, if you are planning to camp out with Jim, please email him at jimrobertson@aboriginalskills.com. Also, to register (no additional fee) for that portion of the class as the overnight portion of the class has limited space.
COST: $35. Per Person Donation – Cash preferred prior to start of class.
WHAT TO BRING: water, lunch, sun protection, hat, bandanna. Optional – headlamp, paper, pen, camera, trekking poles or walking stick, knife (sheath preferred or pocket), please consider bringing an evening meal.
WHAT TO WEAR: Dress in layers, long pants and long sleeves are recommended to avoid contact with Poison Oak, sturdy shoes (with good tread) Consider wearing colors that harmonize with the natural environment.
Sorry – no dogs, nonprescription drugs, alcohol or tobacco (except for offerings)
To register, email or call Jim Robertson at:
(310)395-0943
Know of anyone who may be interested in this class? Please forward this announcement.
Check out our MEETUP page at https://www.meetup.com/Aboriginal-Skills/
and friend us on FACEBOOK at https://www.facebook.com/jim.robertson.aboriginalskills
Posted in Events
Posted on July 18, 2014
Friends, I thought you might like to know, I will be attending and teaching at Elements Gathering – August 7th through August 13th
The Elements Gathering is a several-day event in California’s Sequoia forest, organized by my friend, Primitive Skills instructor, Chris Morasky.
Events include, Music, fire-making, dance, tracking, wilderness skills and a chance to meet like-minded people from different walks of life.
For details, please visit www.elementsgatheringfest.com
Thanks,
Jim