In this episode I speak with ancestral skills practitioner and instructor, and participant on season 6 of the History Channel’s Alone show, Woniya Thibeault. In our discussion we talk about Woniya’s journey into Ancestral skills and the visceral familiarity and remembering that happens when we reconnect with those skills, and especially when we encounter and handle buckskin. Woniya expounds on the idea of nature connection as a survival skill, offering examples of the practical connection activities in which she engaged while on the Alone show. We talk at length about the importance of developing relationships with other beings and as part of our discussion on connection as a survival skill. We also talk about the effortless ability of kids to connect with other beings and the importance of recultivating that practice as adults. Woniya offers advice on multiple ways we can reconnect with the natural world and teaches us specifically about the practice of making offerings to ancestors. We talk about the current situation with the COVID-19 virus and the importance of fostering community for helping us overcome such situations as we are dealing with now, in contrast to the common “prepper” perspective of obtaining a great amount of materials then worrying about trying to keep them from others. Woniya then discusses her current focus with her company Buckskin Revolution and how the meaning of the name feeds into the mission of her work to reconnect humans with ancestral skills.
Woniya’s Coronavirus Resources Page (videos, links, etc.)

Contact Woniya:

Woniya’s Buckskin Revolution Website

Woniya’s Patreon

Woniya’s Facebook Pages

            Alone

            Buckskin Revolution

Alone Show Website

Woniya’s Buckskin Revolution YouTube Channel

Woniya’s Buckskin Revolution Instagram Page

Book Recommendations:

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Bushcraft: by Mors Kochanski

Buckskin Revolution (Volumes 1 & 2) – Stay Tuned for Woniya’s books in the near future