Fire
“In the time before this one, there was great excitement in the Sky Country. It was the Day of Giving. All of the spirit people were to receive a gift from the Creator—whatever they desired.
There was much pushing and shoving (even some fighting) in the long line that led to the lodge of the Sky Father. As each spirit approached the Maker, they knelt and asked for a gift they believed would help them in the world below. Some wanted cunning; others asked for strength, keen eyes, or sharp ears. Some desired the ability to run fast, to fly high, or to dig deep. Some wished to live on the land, others under the water. To each one, a gift was given according to their need and the truth of their heart.
Finally, the last spirit entered the lodge and bowed low before the Maker.
‘Man,’ said the Creator, ‘what is it that you desire?’
‘Lord,’ answered Man, ‘I have thought so long about that question that I ended up last in line. I have decided that only you are wise enough to know what is best for me. I bow to your will.’
The Creator thought to Himself, ‘There may be hope for this one yet.’ He opened His nearly empty medicine bundle and found scraps of fur and cast-off scales. He gave these to Man as hair and nails. There were also blunt teeth and bits of color, which He placed in Man’s eyes and mouth. After a few other adjustments, He sat back and looked at what He had made.
‘Not too bad,’ He mused. ‘He looks a little like me—but he’s bound to starve or be eaten if he doesn’t have something more.’
He thought for a long moment and then said, ‘And the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.’ Taking up a stick from the ground, He plucked one of His own hairs and placed it upon the wood. It burst into a bright yellow flame.
Handing the torch to Man, the Creator said, ‘With this thing—fire—you may rule over the other animals and the world. You can make many wonderful things, keep warm in the cold, and see in the darkness. But be careful: if you do not use it wisely, it will destroy you and all of your kin.’
‘How do I use it wisely?’ Man asked.
‘That is for you to discover,’ replied God.
Whether this story is literally true does not matter. What is true is that of all the creatures on this planet, we are the only ones who possess fire. In a sense, it is our birthright. Fire is the only element we can truly create. We cannot make air, water, or even dirt—but fire, we can make.
Yet, as the story reminds us, fire is a dangerous servant. What warms can also burn. The same power that cooks your food can destroy a city. You are much like fire. The same talents and abilities within you can burn brightly like a flame or go dark like a dead coal. Only you can decide which.
We know that, once you leave here, you will likely never need to start a bow-drill fire again. So why do we ask you to make so many of them?
Primitive cultures survived because they could create, use, and control fire. They relied on it for light, warmth, and cooking—just as we still do today. Without modern conveniences like matches or lighters, they depended on primitive fire-making skills. Through trial and error, they learned to craft tools from their surroundings and to learn from failure.
Survival in society is not so different. It depends on the skills and tools you develop and apply. Making your first fire can be both a metaphor and a symbol for many areas of your life. What you learn through this experience can be applied to family relationships, work, hobbies, and beyond.
There are six methods of primitive fire-making that we teach here:
The bow drill and hand drill are the primary techniques. After you have mastered them, you may ask your instructor to teach you other methods if they interest you.”
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