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Did the American Indians Have it Right?, by MMJ
In these trying times when civilizations are at the brink of disaster and
many people are already in personal collapse, we should look back through history
to find out how to salvage what we have and how to survive what is to come. [Minor
rant snipped.] It seems that economic collapse is imminent and that at some
point in the near future it is going to be every man for
himself. As we watch countries collapse, global economies fail and people
across the world starve and die, I ask myself has any culture or civilization
in history gotten it right?
The nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle led by the American Indians may be the
way that many in the future may need to survive. The thought of a
survival retreat is nice, but what if a toxic gas cloud is coming your way?
Or a band of starving armed men and women discover your location and decide
that you have what they want? Are you equipped for a small arms battle? Lets
face it, most of us are not. Many of us still need to live in an urban environment
to make a living (while we still have the need) and having a stocked retreat
is just not feasible. When the sh*t hits the fan you have to ask yourself,
will you have enough time or even be able to get to your survival retreat?
For most of us the answer is simply no. So how can we prepare
for the impending collapse that most certainly awaits all of us? Thinking like
an Indian may
be the answer to your concerns. Mobility can be the key to survival. Having
a plan of escape for several different scenarios and banding together with
other like-minded people and loved ones who have also planned ahead to deal
with the inevitable collapse of our society. Going where you can survive for
short periods of time comfortably and being able to use the natural resources
available to you wherever you may end up, can be the answer to survival for
you and your loved ones.
The Indians moved with the food, with the climate in small tribes, which was
best suited to their survival. They learned to use what was provided by nature
to live, wild edibles and medicinal uses of plants, as well as some amount
of farming and of course hunting. But they also learned to take only what they
needed so that when they were to return they would have what they needed again.
This is a lesson that most of us in modern society have long since forgotten.
We have for so long here in America lived the life of gluttony (which has probably
led to collapse of more societies than we realize) that when the end comes
most of us will not know what to do or how to survive, which will not end pleasantly
for those of us stuck in the urban areas. Those of us who plan ahead and have
the ability to survive on the go while getting out of the way of the sh*t storm
that will be left behind in most urban areas after the end comes. We will be
the ones that will thrive in the face of adversity. We will be the ones left
to create a better way--a way that works.
As I contemplate the future happenings I know with utmost certainty that the
plan that I have derived will keep my loved ones and me safe and out of harm's
way. For I have thought and planned like an Indian would, made preparations
to survive on the go with a minimal amount of supplies but with the knowledge
required to get what I need from what nature has to offer. But you may ask
what if nature is damaged beyond repair, then how will you survive? Well my
answer is simple, at that point nobody will survive and mankind will cease
to exist. A gloomy thought but still one worthy of contemplation.
The reality
is there is no right or wrong answer or single philosophy that is the definite
end all to be all correct way to do it for any situation. Survival is fluid
and every situation has to be dealt with accordingly. Creativity as well as
preparation will see you through. Remember that nature taught the Indians
how to survive, they didn’t have books, schools, survival manuals or
hospitals etc… and they did just fine until the European man came with
their gluttony and took from them what was theirs, to exploit it for their
gain
and greed.
As I end my letter, I leave you with this:
“Prepare yourself with the knowledge that you hope you never
have to use, and you and yours will be just fine.” - MMJ
JWR
Adds: I will append MMJ's article with the caveat that based on
studies
of skeletal remains, the average life expectancy for pre-Columbian
Native Americans was only 18.6 years. That was
before white men brought with them European diseases. As Hobbes
put it so succinctly: "...the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish,
and
short."
A pampered sedentary lifestyle may be bad for one's cholesterol numbers,
but a hunter-gatherer nomadic lifestyles is no picnic.
At this juncture, for the sake of balance I'll also re-post something that
I originally posted to SurvivalBlog back in September of 2005:
You should discard any fantasies that you might have had about strapping
on a backpack and disappearing into nearby National Forest to “live
off the land.” IMHO,
that is an invitation to disaster. Too many things can go wrong: You will
lack
sufficient
shelter. You will not be able to carry enough food reserves. Your one rifle
and your one pistol, and your one axe, once lost or broken
will leave you vulnerable and unable to provide for your sustenance or self
defense. Any
illness or injury
could be life threatening. Even just a dunking in a stream in mid-winter
could cost you your life. Also, consider how many thousands of urbanites
will probably
try to do the same thing. Even if you manage to avoid encounters with them,
those legions of people foraging simultaneously will quickly deplete the
available wild game in many regions. Furthermore, on your own you won’t
be able to maintain sufficient security. (You must sleep, after all!) For
countless
reasons, playing “Batman in the Boondocks” just won’t work.
So forget about the "one pack" solution, other than as a last resort--for
example, in the event that your retreat is overrun.
Any of you that do not live at your intended retreat location year
round should
have a “Get out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.)
pack ready at all times. Keep it in the trunk of your car in case circumstances
force you to hike all or part of the way to your retreat. (A sub-optimal
situation, as described in my novel "Patriots".)
Be sure to inspect your G.O.O.D. pack regularly and rotate any first aid
supplies, chemical light sticks, jerky, dried fruit, or other perishables.
While MMJ's planned approach of traveling in a group is preferable to a solo “Batman
in the Boondocks”, I still have my doubts about its viability, especially
in harsh climates.
