fire

Creating fire “the old way” is a magic process. Friction fire is generally generated by the friction between two pieces of wood, one moving and one stationary. The bow drill is a method to get the spindle up to speed quite easily and can well be learned in a day.

The Maori have used Mahoe (Whitey-wood) for their friction fires (but used a fire plow instead of a bow drill). In the course of this one day workshop, you will build your own bow drill from scratch and learn to use it. This includes collecting appropriate tinder.

The magic doesn’t lie in the act itself, lighting a “primitive” fire triggers our ability to remember the old ways. I have experienced this myself, and many others have too.

Light your fire!