Im also glad to read that gratitude of "creation" is important to you ..Its the birds, the trees, and the people around me that make the urban chaos worth dealing with
@treverbettis I have been fighting your mindset for a little over 1 year, when I changed my path in life. I have persisted, and slowly accumulated skills. I see a huge improvement in myself and I still know it is only the tip of the iceberg. But that makes me excited. Get out there and meet the people you need to help you on this path.
AllergicHobbit, I appreciate your polite discussion. I also appreciate you not taking anything for granted and questioning what you read/hear. I think more research has gone into this than you might be aware. I politely suggest that because you are not yet aware of it, it doesn't mean research doesn't support the use of fire and cooking as fundamental forces shaping the modern human being. Send me an email sometime if you would like some good reading on this topic. Best wishes.
@MrCrunchybizzle Cooking in clay pots is one of my favorite things. This is a peak technology for cooking vessels in the indigenous world. The clays are wild-collected, from different parts of the world (depending on where I find myself) and the temper also varies. In this part of the world, I'm using clean sand as the temper. These are wood-fired pots. I'm glad you are enjoying the videos and happy to give you some enjoyment--our modern life can be very frustrating. Get some time outside!
Arthur, I must say you give me much needed hope. after a long frustrating day at work this has totally lifted my spirits. please keep sharing your knowledge. I understand this is off topic, but I am interested in your ceramic cookware. Was it made with clay you collected? What did you use for temper? and what was the percentage of temper? I want your knowledge!!! gimme gimme!
Just a thought: how do we know the predators of early man were afraid of fire? And how do we know that early man was NOT afraid of fire? As for the shortened digestive system, I would argue that the transition from a vegetarian diet to a diet containing meats, especially from fish and other aquatic animals, lead to the digestive changes. It's easy to overlook how well we are adapted to eating fatty fish, for example.
@arthurdhaines Thank you so much for your expert opinion. you are a great inspiration and resource to many of us who wish to revive and ultimately build upon the ways of the toolmaker. I'm looking forward to the next volume of ancestral plants and of course more videos.
You just got me to subscribe and I’ve watched a couple of your videos dude and you are some kind of wealth of knowledge you should have a hell a lot more subscribers
I also feel that our best path lies in rewilding. My main goals are to 1. learn to survive and strive within our dominant culture and 2. to break away from the dominant culture and learn to survive and strive without it, rewild, etc. The first one is the real soul crusher. Sinse our intentions are so much similar it would be great to hear your take on the first one, if you are interested in sharing.
Im australian and im 12 years old and I've always wanted to live free from the world of consuming and use only what i need and give back so like if i take some thing from the wild to use for cooking then ill give a portion of it to a wild animal or put it in a spot out side or if i take flowers or something like that then i will only take a small amount and of i walk past a tree or something ill pull off dead leves to help nourish it i love Mother Nature and i think she deserves so much more respect then we give her ok thanking u bye
You devoted a large segment to the idea that cooking has led to many changes in our species but I would argue that "crushing" of our food, rather than cooking, is the culprit. Many ancient teeth exhibit wear caused by rock dust that entered food through crushing. Foods were harvested, dried, crushed, stored, sometimes cooked, and then eaten. These steps allowed for the storage of food long before agriculture. And this included drying and crushing meat as well (pemmican). Without cooking.
@arthurdhaines Have you ever experimented with crushed shell for temper? The Virginia Algonkians in my area used mostly shell 400 years ago. how does the performance compare? why the shift away from sand? I'd love an opinion from someone who makes and uses traditional ceramic cooking pots. I'm not sure whether it's rude to make this suggestion, but I'd love to see a video on pottery from start to finish or just more videos in general for that matter.
@jazzplayer9 I'm glad you enjoyed the video. More on this topic to come. After all, once a problem is identified, it is useful to strategize a solution. That solution (a path in life) will be the focus. Best wishes.
Yes, I'm aware of his writing. I didn't really start reading it intently until just recently (i.e., I came to a similar conclusion without reading any of his books). I feel he has some real philosophical insights. I see many people discussing the merits of hunter/gatherer lifestyles, but I don't see many of those same people actually trying to incorporate aspects of this lifestyle into their daily living. This is one avenue I hope to be different from other writers (actually doing). Best.
Excellent thoughts and clearly given, i too have been thinking of the differences from this New Dominant Culture that just emerged compared to the previous long standing culture that acutely understood the myriad relationships and cycles of life this culture is severely lacking.. to think people actually write books on how to live/survive/feed yourself on our own planet, its preposterous yet easily understood with the current paradigm as the agriculture mindset has spread to shelter, fire etc
@mryellow123 As the indigenous state: awareness creates grief. Reading your post, you seem overwhelmed by grief. It is massive, no doubt. I believe we prove our worth by remaining hopeful and never giving up. Think of what individuals and cultures have accomplished in the face of insurmountable odds. We have to succeed. Your current state of emotion will not allow you to move forward. You need to be around positive people. Let me be blunt and ask you: what are you doing about this issue?
I agree, crushing was not used for all foods but neither was cooking. However, crushing is safer than cooking, and less destructive of the food (no charring). Shorter arms coincides with the lengthening of the legs, allowing us to run at a quicker and quicker pace.
@arthurdhaines Somewhat positive take on "awareness creates grief" Bougainville one of the largest open-pit mines right in the middle of the rivers the people had used for centuries, they kicked out the miners by force and had a civil war over it.... One of the elders (paraphrased) "I don't blame the white man, they experienced the exact same thing, they too have been removed from their natural inheritance, just for them it was so long ago they don't even remember."
Anyone interested in this topic should check out the the work of Weston A. Price. In response to changes he saw in his dental patients in his own lifetime, he spend years traveling the world, seeking indigenous peoples who still lived & ate much as they had for generations. These people were significantly healtier than 'modern' city dwellers, but so were Price's patients prior to the industrialization of agriculture & industrial pollution.
@arthurdhaines and also could you recommend a book on the subject of harvesting clays and making pottery after the abo fashion? she's getting me the bowyer's bible and i think it would be a great reciprocal gift.
@DrChrisBiomed I'm wearing a hand sewn moccasin/boot made in New England by a gentleman called Arrow Moccasin Company (Hudson, MA). He calls it the Mukluk. Fantastic product, locally made, hand-sewn, and made to order.
The idea that fire allowed us a transition away from tree sleeping is an interesting one. I have not seen any evidence of this. On the contrary, fire was not well under control until the transition to ground sleeping was "normal". I would argue that tools, in the form of spears or long sticks, enabled us to keep predators at bay. Just look at the habits of herdsman who still practice the "old" ways. They do not use fire to protect their flocks. It is just too dangerous and risky.
@MrCrunchybizzle I have used crushed, fired shell for temper. I've had mixed results. Many failures, some later with use (the pots begin to come apart in layers). I've also had some success. I've used this temper to little to understand all the nuances around its effective use. I've used grog and sand, with the latter being my most used and most successful temper. I'll definitely work more clay pot videos in this summer! It is such as great skill and certainly fun to use.
AllergicHobbit, crushing food was an important part of processing, but not all foods were processed in this way. Further, it does not explain all facets of hominid evolution (such as the shortening of arms seen in the branches leading to modern humans). Fire allowed a transition away from tree sleeping (to be safe from predators), and also denatured proteins and gelatinized starches (through cooking), leading to a shortened digestive system. Crushing was used, but not for all foods.
@HandsomeSasquatch I don't feel we can run away and live on a patch of secluded land, because the actions of civilization affect our well-being (e.g., long-distant transport of pollution). Therefore, we need to remain connected, on some level, to the "dominant culture" and learn to affect change there. Unfortunately, many skills and some personal attributes that make us thrive in civiliation aren't the same skills/attributes that create competency/health in the wild. Big topic!
1. The new path is pretty clear for me at least, it isn't a return to "connection", maybe pessimistic but realistic. We will continue to exploit resources one by one as each collapses. This will force us to reclaim more resources previously discarded as waste. We will not reach resources in space before depleting the resources needed to do so.
Thank you for the comment. People are, on average, physically weaker today than in the past. This can be seen in the archeological remains. Connective tissues attach to bones at various ridges and points. The stronger the musculature, the larger than ridges and points need to be to handle the stresses applied to bones by the muscles. Analysis of skeletons shows past hunter-gatherers to have had the musculature of modern, high-level athletes. Best wishes.
Sorry to seem negative, but everything I have learnt about humans tells me we don't stop resource exploitation until the area is completely depleted before moving on. That said, we have made big steps towards realising we live on a finite earth. However at each turn our efforts to live more sustainably or reduce our impact are exploited as we ourselves seek to profit and support those of us with the most greedy of motives to this end.
@pedalpusher101 I prefer not to get into such questions (in depth) here. This is an intimate question that perhaps we can discuss in person at some time. I do believe in a creator, but I don't feel that creator needs to be a person. Certainly some creative force has given everything we see in front of us. Having gratitude (in some form) for creation is a must for me. Best wishes.
Arthur, Thank You! Have you ever read Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan? One of thee best books I've ever read. If your ever in need of a RainbowNinjaWarriorChagaHunterForestGathererGoddess let me know ;)
Though raw animals foods have always been part of our diet, that is not what really changed our brain size. Our bodies can only committ so much resources to our digestive systems and brains, both have incredible amounts of sensory cells. Our enteric nervous system (controls the physical and chemical conditions of our GI tract) is costly to produce. We shortened our GI tracts through cooking food (easier to digest), which freed up resources for increased brain development.
@treverbettis he left out a few things, back in those days, there were no fences or land boundries, no lawyers, no"NO Tresspassing Signs", people for the most part were honest and honerable and wold help each other.
I disagree with your point (6:40) that people were not exploited in pre agricultural societies, and their were no hierarchy, there is plenty of proof that stone age societies did both.
@LivingHistorySchool While your point of contention is minor to the overall presentation it is only partially accurate. Between clans and tribes during times of need and over areas of hunting and foraging richness, like any apex predator, there was of course agression. You are neglecting to mention the active cultural tools in place to curb this tendency, such as Matriarchal Socieites, Clans, and Medicine Societies that allowed for folks to find their own "voice" within the tribe and clan.
@squathacker If you would, define what you mean by "anarcho-primitivist". This word has been used recently by people that don't fully understand its background and origin. I need to understand your use of this title (if you would, please).
@arthurdhaines This may sound petty, but i know people who insist that indigenous style clay pots will crack when exposed to flame and that they can only be heated by coals that produce no flame. Do you find there is any truth to this? I am quick to argue that when made properly they can be placed in direct flame. I notice your pot was in the flames. do you think my colleagues' claims are superstition as i do? I think they use commercial clay. Might this be the reason?
@treverbettis Gaining your strenght and motivation back don't happen overnight. Start slow and get outside, push yourself as much as you can. You'll find your motivation again. Don't give in to domestication. Best wishes.
Im a bit skeptical of what you say. The massai's traditional diet is roasted meat along with raw dairy and raw blood. Take the roasted meat out of their diet and replace it with raw meat and they theoretically decrease their brain size over generations according to your logic? Maybe they roasted their meat because they liked the taste created by the maillard reaction. Raw meat is more nutritious so wouldnt they become more healthy? Or do you think roasting their meat makes it more digestable?
@arthurdhaines "exploit members of our own family", on what level? family unit, village, tribe, I guess you may need to give me an example? I will give you an example from the Northwest Coast, were slave trade was practiced among a number of tribes, even up until the 1830's here in the Oregon territory. There are both pro and cons to living in the past or the present from an exploitation point of view, I guess it all depends were you are?
@MrCrunchybizzle The clay pots made from wild-harvested clay are extremely durable to temperature and flame. I've used the same pots for years with no damage to them (unless dropped or kicked over). They can be set in flames, the main issue here is that carbon accumulates on them and makes everything "sooty". I've even let them sit outside in the winter after use to see if freezing damages them (it does not, it only worsens existing cracks). In summary, I do not find truth to their claims.
AllergicHobit, fire has been used even recently by modern indigenous to keep large predators at bay. This practice goes back a very long time (look into the anthropology of the area). Animal foods alone does not explain all aspects of the digestive system changes in human evolution. Dogs (example carnivore) hold foods twice as long as humans, cats thrice as long. It was cooked foods that allowed both shortening of GI tract and more rapid transit of foods ("predigested" by cooking).
Thank you for this video. It was well done and well said. I agree with everything except I would add that another possibly explanation as to why it became safe to come out of the tree may be in homo-sapien's ability to work together in a group and to communicate. Many of our hardwired behavior patterns make little sense from the perspective of the individual but make perfect evolutionary sense from the perspective of the collective. For instance, loneliness is a behavioral trait that seems to cause us a great deal of suffering unless we find others to be with. This trait brings individuals together to form a group. Without loneliness, there would be no motivation for individuals to stick together with a group. Dogs get really anxious if they are alone. So do we. Loneliness probably pre-dates our species by quite a bit. Another trait like this is self doubt and the need to defer to the will of the group. If a small tribe of individuals were all arrogant and self shure, then groups would have failed to stay together due to internal conflict. Loyalty, compassion, love, are potentially all traits that benefit group dynamics. Lots of traits seem to be in place due to the advantages of being in groups. One of the advantages of groups is that when you have 20 dogs in a pack they are much more formidable of a force than only one because they will have loyalty for each other and will protect each other. Because there is much benefit of collective living we didn't need to be as strong. Many women are smaller and weaker than men, yet from an evolutionary perspective there doesn't seem to be an advantage to that. However, if you add loyalty, and love to that, then their frailty would become an advantage for them because it would cause other members of the group to work even harder to keep them safe. This is all really interesting speculations. I don't really know, I am just offering what seem to me like educated guesses as to why we are the way we are. Its fun to think about though. On a side note, I have been working on re-wilding for several years and would highly recommend that path to everyone because not only is it a much better path to peace and happiness than the "American dream", if Dr Joseph Tainter is right, our whole interconnected, highly complex system we call the modern world will collapse under its own weight as many complex societies have in the past. I say, re-wild now so you can beat the rush later.
@LivingHistorySchool Let me respond with a question (please): from an exploitation perspective, which culture would you choose to live in? In today's world, we exploit our own kind, sometimes members of our own family. And certainly the scale to which it occurs now is deplorable. Though it certainly existed (as did murder, rape, theft, etc.), I find little evidence of it in myresearch. One doesn't have to look far today, unfortunately. Most people don't work for a common beneficial goal.
The old ways are the new ways. A powerful agenda. We can do as much as circs permit eg learning our wild landscape and how to prepare and preserve wild foods. Spending more time outside. A more direct and intimate relationship with nature is the missing link in our mental health equation imo. Reconnect.
@WoodmanFlorida Its really important you understand that we can't become nomads (at least most of us). As I mentioned in the video, this isn't possible. But that doesn't mean we have to continue on the current path. It doesn't mean we can't get active about making better choices (through our votes, purchases, etc.). Any movement that demands a catastrophy isn't one I want to follow (though that may ultimately occur). Friend, you need to maintain hope. Othewise, you've already lost.
never heard of epigenetics but I do know from recent readings that we acquire 300 new DNA mutations per person per generation, so extinction at some point is considered inevitable. All I want to learn to do is how to eat more naturally and eliminate all processed foods from my diet,and everything else will take care of itself physiologically speaking of course.I am also trying to learn primitive/aboriginal living skills as well.Sorry for being snippy about the evolution thing.
Very good intentions but insufficient research. I agree with the general premise that humans are continually evolving, perhaps at an accelerated rate, but not in the manner you suggest. It is true that we are increasingly sedentary but we are not growing weaker physically or mentally. Natural selection for us is still deeply rooted in sexual attraction (of the fittest) and has been for a long time.
@arthurdhaines Enjoying it while it lasts, if I'm to be a member of the last generations to have a natural world around them then I'm just going to soak it up. What I'm doing, voting with my skills, refusing any jobs for things like Coal Seam Gas or consumption for consumptions sake, while working on science conservation/monitoring skills/qualifications. You're right, insurmountable odds is the trigger, what I'm seeing however is we only find a new way once the old way is beyond redemption.
Please consider statistics like these: 1 in 5 highschool children have suicidal thoughts, 1 in 10 highschool children attempt (or succeed) in taking their life. One in three children borne after 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. 30% of Americans are taking two or more prescription drugs. This can go on (and on). I'm not claiming hunter-gatherer lifestyles represent utopia, only that they did not generate depression, disease, pollution of the very resources we depend on, etc.
@primitiveskills How much discussion of such things do think can be made in a ten-minute video? Friend, it seems you are seeking to find things wrong and make comments on them. That's ok, but not my preference. Let's work together to make a more concrete vision of the present and future. I think you may like the coming videos where I lay out what aspects of the new path (the new aboriginal) have worked for me and my partner. Be patient. Best wishes.
@LivingHistorySchool Again, you're missing the statements made in the video. We can't live as we did in the past, that is why I'm suggesting a new path (one that hasn't been walked before). I'm not a hobbyist, I'm not playing in the past. Wild food and medcine, braintanned buckskin, wooden bows, hand-made crafts (and others) are all a large part of my life, but so are modern technologies. You're making statements without ever visiting my home and walking with me. Perhaps you should do so.
With respect, your assumption that raw meat is more healthy is not necessarily true. Raw food in general is not always more nutritious because the nutrients can be locked up in a way that our bodies cannot access through digestion alone. Some nutrients are destroyed by heat, others are liberated. I cannot say what would happen if the if the Massai ate only raw meat, but we do know what happened to Homo sapiens as a result of eating cooked meat. Cooked food liberates calories as well.
@teb0atoz Unfortunately, this may be the fate of many for various reasons (infection, war, malnutrition). But it is not my vision and not my wish. Everyone has a choice as to how they will interact with this planet and the human and non-human persons will live with. Modern technologies require a type of power that is difficult to replicate without other forms of power (fossil fuel, electricity, etc.). Even natural disasters (i.e., nothing intentional) will interupt these technologies.
Glad to see more videos from you, primitive skills are a big challenge when you apply them in reality especially only with stone tools. Is that some buckskin pants you're wearing? They are very cool, I made some buckskin gloves in a similar fashion. Watch this vid if you haven't yet, I think you'll find it very interresting: watch?v=7a7IaS3ml4g&feature=related Best regards
@primitiveskills I guess I don't get an example of exploitation from your first statement. Good video but in reality you are not living as your past ancestors did but merely a hobbyist playing in the past.
You are taking too literally the "evolutionary" information I presented. I'm not trying to attack your beliefs. I don't think you understand how physical and physiological degeneration occurs from one generation to the next based on poor diet, exposure to pollutants, etc. We are changed in that we experience many chronic diseases (e.g, diabetes, heart disease) that were rare or non-existant. I refer to this change as evolution, not in a science vs. christian sense. Learn about epigenetics.
Ignorance is not bliss. Perhaps the presence of more apex predators would motivate you to extract the valuable information presented in this video. Look at the trend in every species that is malnourished and/or has grown beyond the carrying capacity of their landscape, including ours, throughout history. Famine, disease, conflict, & canabalism are played out ad nauseum. Even closed minded individuals bloated w/ corn syrup have something to contribute to the efficient systems of our ecology.
