Once upon a time people
couldn't go into Kmart and come out with various bits of technology
essential to comfortable living. I'm not only talking about the latest labour-saving kitchen
gadget, no. Just imagine life without needles, buttons, knives,
hairpins, string, sewing thread, fish hooks, woven fabric, combs . . .
I've just spent a very
enjoyable weekend with Iris and Rita, a pair of enthusiastic young students of
traditional crafts who are currently in Tasmania teaching a series
of workshops in ancient skills. This weekend was Working
with Bone. Vegans and those of delicate sensibilities might like to
go off and read something else at this point.
Ten eager participants
turned up at the studio clutching standard workshop safety gear –
ear, eye and breathing protection – and an assortment of
lethal-looking knives. Our tutors had tracked down an abattoir that
processes venison, and a pile of dismembered deer legs
was laid out on the table when we arrived.
Our first task was to
skin them, separating out the main sinews, peg out the skins for
drying and clean the bones. Having cut up and otherwise processed a
variety of livestock over the years, I had no problems at all with
this phase. Neither did any of the other workshop participants –
all of whom were mature, no-nonsense women from various different
craft backgrounds.
Work in progress: a couple of pieces of skin,
bone ready for trimming and cleaning, pieces of sinew to be used
later as sewing thread, hooves that can be cleaned and used for a
variety of decorative purposes, a few pieces of bone trimmed to
length and the tools I used. Converting that entire table-full of
deer-bits into craft materials took all the first day.
We returned next
morning and set to with fretsaws, hacksaws, files, drills and sanders
to create little masterpieces. These are some of the things our
tutors had made as examples and inspiration. I made a whistle similar
to these from a mutton bone many years ago; it didn't work very well, but I thought it was OK for a first try. Now I know how to do it, I'll tackle some more
bits and pieces just for fun in between all my other busy-nesses.
Meanwhile, I made the
little knife at the top of the page; it might not look much, but it
took a lot of work scraping, filing and sanding to get a nice shape
and a satisfyingly sharp edge to it. And I had modern tools. What if
I'd had to start out by chipping a few good, sharp bits of flint to
work with before I even started? Not to mention having to go out and
hunt my beast . . . Hooray for Bunnings, say I.
By the way, if you think you'd like to do one of these workshops, you can contact Nanna at Studio Zona: nanna@nannabayer.com or phone 047 591 8259.
By the way, if you think you'd like to do one of these workshops, you can contact Nanna at Studio Zona: nanna@nannabayer.com or phone 047 591 8259.
