Putting together a wilderness survival tribe

[Dustin Cook]

hey im from binghamton ny and we are putting a tribe together and planning on moving into the wilderness someplace warm like hawaii or malaysia and over time getting rid of all technologies including clothes and just making our own clothes as well as everything else we need until we can eventually make everything(and i mean everything) that we use. We are looking for a couple more people to join us if your interested. We would be leaving in may and would maintain weekly communication in the meantime in which we would discuss things to be researched during the week to prepare for the trip.

 

[barefootinbabylon]

Oh, boy, oh boy... While I commend your efforts to do something along these lines (truly, it's awesome!), it is nowhere NEAR that easy, and you have a helll of a lot of things to research if you are indeed going to be doing this (although, of course, first-hand experience can never come close to interwebz research). First of all, let me just say something about location: if you plan on just moving to a foreign country, there's going to be a fair amount of issues involved, such as visas and the like - I wouldn't suggest telling them you are just planning on invading their country and living off the land, though Most countries have a maximum amount of time you can be in them; although there ARE ways to get around this (ask cardboard!!), if you don't obey allll the nit-picky little regulations about living abroad, you could be in a world of hurt. Hawaii's good, though; Hawaii is amazing, Hawaii is expensive as sin. I'm assuming you're going to be 'squatting' there; although some of the islands have VERY few inhabitants, and it is possible, the islands are just that - islands, and it's damn hard, even while existing in the 'wilderness,' to not be treading on somebody's toes, in terms of property rights, etc. Maybe I'm just in a negative, pessimistic mood, though, and it's alllllll ggooooooddd, man.

I don't even want to begin to address all the other issues, but I'll just ask you this: have you worked on farms/have experience growing food (and I mean, a fair amount of food), or is that not included in 'technologies,' and you'll be able to go to the grocery sto' to pick up supplies? Truly, it's possible; many tribes/cultures subsist on fish, tarot/cassava/breadfruit (or some other 'carbohydrate rich' staple), and fruit and vegetables. Fishing in Hawai'i is kinda crazy, though, often involving spear-fishers and massive lung capacities. Like I said, I don't wanna knock your dreams, but there's a whole HELL of a lot of people in this world who harbour these fantasies of just 'escaping into the wilderness' and living off the land. Unless you've already done it for a somewhat extended amount of time, I wouldn't suggest buying plane tickets to Malaysia quite yet.

But hey, you've got 2 months, and could have been planning this for years, for all I know. It just sounds a little... whimsical, at least to me. Try checking out the 'island squat' in CO, or visiting some other self-sufficient communities before you take the plunge, then you'll have some semblance of what you're in for.

 

[Agni Riniari]

Try checking out the 'island squat' in CO, or visiting some other self-sufficient communities before you take the plunge, then you'll have some semblance of what you're in for.

I sort of agree with barefoot. You should definitely have some experience in sustainable living before heading out and trying to do this, and, with the types of areas and depth that you want to do this, which is awesome because I would totally be down, you would need a shit ton of experience because you are going to be in a completely different climate with different natural flora, fauna, hazards, and diseases.

Like I said, I would totally do this as well, but I would really suggest not rushing into such a huge in-devour. Yet, do not give up, because it is great that you, as well as those who have already decided to come with you, are willing to do this.

- Agni

 

[dolittle]

The closes I ever got to living off the land was the small family farm I grew up on. It was a hella lot of work, even with 5 kids pitching in every spare moment. Seems like there weren't enough hrs in the day. I have to agree with the 2 above me. There ARE quite a few grupes doing this, I suggest you & your crew go check em out. There is even a magazine devoted to them. Also, a good way to "train" for your escape would be to pack as few esentials as you can get by with, leave your cash at home & go live a wk or 3 in your local forest. You & your crew could do this togeather as a trile run before committing to an over seas adventure. If you can survive a month or 2 in the back country with no cash & no modern comforts, you can survive a new comunaty.

 

[Dustin Cook]

Thank you both for the advise. I realize that in my original post i may not have sounded very prepared or knowledgeable because i was in a bit of a rush typing it. Just to give a bit of background on me, i have lived in the woods before in a colder climate area and i was also a boyscout for many years. To address concerns about living abroad, we are most likely going to make it the big island of Hawaii but there were expressed desires among other members to go to places like Malaysia or new guinea but due to the legal issues you spoke of we are probably going to keep it in the USA. As for my experience farming i only have knowledge of small scale farming and most food would be gathered where available as well as planted for the future. As for grocery stores, thats completely out of the question as our tribe would view this as a technology and anything that we don't make or obtain ourselves will not be allowed in the tribe (with the exception of certain tools and supplies in the beginning so we can get started). We plan on leaving mid may so we have about 3 months of planning in which we will be studying up on wildlife on the big island (assuming that is what we decide upon in Fridays discussion). I have already done a little research myself including research on edible mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, and wild animals and fish. I really appreciate and welcome the critique though because it gives me the questions so that i can research and make the right decisions, so thank you. If anyone is interested in taking this adventure with us into a better way of living you are more than welcome to. We would like at least 2 more people so we can have a strong tribe. I will give my phone number to those who are interested and you can join the weekly discussions and help us plan and research. I assign weekly "homework" that involves research and skill building exercises to ensure that everyone of us is ready. This weeks assignment was to research other possible places to live other than Hawaii to see if there were better options and to find 1 other person to join. I am thinking that next weeks assignment will be to research available woods in Hawaii and their flammable properties and to research ways (i already have my own preferred method) of starting fires from scratch.

 

[Dead horse]

It a fuck of a lot of work. You might want to spend some time in the bush you plan to live in first to get a feel. Theoretical knowledge and actual skill are 2 very different things. Some people can survive in these type of places merely because the have spend lifetimes learning from trial and error. I wish you all the best and I don't mean to be a dick about it but that is a good way to get yourself killed

 

[Dustin Cook]

People act like surviving in the wilderness is rocket science and its really not. I have spent months in the woods by myself surviving and this was in a cold weather climate. Also many people have done exactly what i am going to be doing but in harsher conditions. My tribe will be living in a place that is warm all year round, grows fruit all throughout the forest and on the beach, and has clean flowing water through the streams. It also has wild pig and fish to hunt. It just goes to show that most people really would just die if we no longer had technology. I don't mean to be a dick either dead horse but honestly i have done this in worse climates with no issues.

 

[Dead horse]

All the best to you then

 

[Dustin Cook]

thanks and we would love some company if anyone is interested. Obviously people with skills in wilderness survival are preferred but more than happy to teach

 

[Dead horse]

You wanna survive some winters in Canada with minus 40 temperatures and 8 foot snow drifts look me up

 

[Dustin Cook]

haha yea i could probably do it with the right preparations but the thing is i would never want to do it. I prefer the easier of survival living situations. Have you done that before? Is that where you live? Id love to know more if thats the case.

 

[Dead horse]

Yup. Criminal record kinda stops me from entering America so i'm left with Canada as my only playground. I've spent most of my life going into the back country wilderness. Biggest problem isn't what most people think, its water. Key thing up here most people don't think about is if its frozen you can't drink it and if it don't fall or its locked up in ice you can't get at it. Food is plentiful if you know where to look and have a strong stomach. Military surplus gear is nice to have but all one person has to do is look to the native inhabitants that were around long before anyone else for tips on survival

 

[Dustin Cook]

yea you can never eat enough snow to stay hydrated you have to melt a ton of it. thats hardcore though man and i commend you for that but im looking for a less harsh living.

 

[Dead horse]

Your actually not even supposed to eat snow, it damages membranes in the mouth, aid in dropping core temperature and actually helps to dehydrate you through the bodies use of energy to melt it and keep you warm. Of course in a survival walking scenario you can chose to take the gamble. If you do it right its not harsh at all, its actually quite comfortable living. I guess warmer climates are nice but I'm sure have their own obstacles to overcome for comfortable living. I did all my time in the bush for now I've made it up to myself to get down with society and see what I can achieve within it or to at least what I can stand before i once again return to the forests. Cheers

 

[Dustin Cook]

yea the forest always seems to call us back

 

[barefootinbabylon]

Big Island is the shhhiiiiiitttttt! Ahh, I miss that place; it will forever hold a piece of my heart. If you really do end up going there, it's another world... B.I. has something like 15 of 23 of the Earth's bioregions, all packed together on this ever-evolving chunk of lava rock in the middle of the ocean; so there are 'desert highlands,' tundra (minus the snow), lush, verdant rainforesty areas (and during the rainy season... WHOA!! It's a LOT of rain!!), and the arid, desolate area north of Kona. Ohhh, Big Island!! Damn, now you have me wanting to go back there, but that's been a constant state ever since I left, 5 looonnggg years ago. One thing that I've always kind of wondered about is how one would go about actually beginning to cultivate fruit and vegetables there, as there is truly no hummus-like soil there - it's all residual lava, which comes in a variety of forms. Given the luscious nature of the environ, and the island as a whole, I assume it all works out, and plants will readily adapt to their surrounding soil, but... hmm.. If I were a seedling, I would NOT be diggin' living in that poor-ass excuse for dirt. But things grow, and grow, and grow.... If I were to go back, though, it would be to hook back up with the 'cirkus farm' that I WWOOFed at, not necessarily to begin some tribal adventure. It's all good, though, and I'm glad you're considering all the possible logistics of this stuff

 

[Dustin Cook]

yea man ive been to hawaii and i love it