Defining the Ballpark

David Wescott, 2015-2025

 

    With our contemporary renaissance of interest in traditional camping skills comes an attempt for leaders in the field to define what is that they do. This is done to inform customers, focus their vision, to attach oneself through historic context, or to benefit from the momentum of an already existing sub-field. We did this when we were trying to get a grip on how to bring Primitive “Survival” Skills to the public. Some were already calling them Earthskills or Ancestral Skills. For others they were Aboriginal Living Skills or Wilderness Living Skills. It was when a few of us agreed on the use of “Primitive Technology” that things started coming together. The word “primitive” was an embattled term that came with lots of baggage. But, by defining and defending it, there is now a common ground where all of us who share an interest in this level of skill may gather. Prior to 1990 “primitive technology” was a rarely used term. Now it is a rallying point. Professionally, we need to do the same for Traditional/Classic/ Heritage camping skills – may I suggest we reclaim the use of “Woodcraft” as our common ground.

     How do we define campcraft, woodcraft, woodslore, bushcraft or any of the other terms used today to describe traditional camping skills and lore? What exactly are camping and woodcraft, and how do they relate to one another? The words are often used interchangeably, but they have very distinct meanings.

     The focus of the website is camping…but what does it have to do with woodcraft, woodslore and the other terms listed above? You will find that trying to come to consensus about how best to describe them is a “chicken and egg” quandary and some may find it as a purely academic exercise that doesn’t matter at all. But, in order to learn woodcraft, one must spend time outdoors, - in order to spend extended periods of time outdoors comfortably, one must learn to camp well – and in order to camp well, one must have a working knowledge of the vast field of woodslore that affects the campers experience....and so it goes.

     This may be a ridiculous exercise but right now a variety of complementary and contrasting terms are used to describe one topic. Personally, I’d like a bit more precision to the topic. As a body of enthusiasts, we need to create a common language. So - here we go.

 

Mastering tradition is honorableIf you don’t keep up with changing times,

you can’t maintain tradition.

Japanese Saying

 

Turn around and take a giant step forward.

David Brower

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     For the purposes of our discussion, craft will be defined here as a “skill or ability in something.” When one dissects and studies its parts, it could become a science. And when one applies skills that go beyond simple function, it becomes an artform.

     One might also include trailcraft in this section. The distinction would be that some skills are used when getting to camp and others are used once you decide to stay put for a while. Navigation, route-finding, observation, or skills related to your choice of travel – canoe, horse, bicycle or foot - may be defined as trail skills – Trailcraft. Campsite and shelters, hearth management and cooking, health and sanitation – skills that pertain to managing your home in the woods – may be called camp skills – Campcraft. Then there are the many skills - first aid, ropecraft, weather, toolcraft – that are used in camp and on the trail, so that the line of demarcation between the two is anything but clear.

     In general, campcraft is the catch-all term because it implies a broader perspective. It also crosses disciplines – backpacking, canoe camping, horse packing, etc – the skills needed to live comfortably and safely in the woods are collectively known as Campcraft.