Fire By Friction is a classic Guelph Outdoor School Workshop – equal parts practical and magical.
At a practical level, this workshop offers an important foundation for knowing your options for getting a fire started beyond a match or lighter. Participants can expect to engage a wide range of fire making tools and techniques, from how to train our eyes for the good tinder, to the best fire making songs, to flint & steel, charcloth, and hand-drill, with time spent on cultural context, demonstration, and Q&A with GOS instructors. The session features plenty of opportunity to practice & troubleshoot in a hands-on kind of way, in the company of supportive instructors and other adult learners.
The magic part of the session is about reconnecting with fire as something ancient: a element to evoke, not switch on. From building a tinder bundle to striking your first spark, Fire By Friction is an invitation into the craft of tending fire as your ancestors might have done.
Fire by Friction is led by Chris Green and Tamara Anderson, and rooted in their appreciation of fire both as a teacher of patience and humility, and a window into mentoring relationships with children and youth.
Session price: $75 + HST. If cost is a barrier, please see our Economics for a Changing World page for sliding-scale and mutual aid options.
Ages 16+. Good coffee & tea, and big celebrations for every coal. Hope to see you out there!
