WPS

WOMEN’S PRIMITIVE SKILLS

The History of Women’s Primitive Skills

The idea for Women’s Primitive Skills started back in 1996 when a group of women got together at a Black Powder Rendezvous and started playing with the idea of creating an event that would teach women about “Mountain Man” era skills. Many women at Rendezvous came initially because their men did. Being women, they got tired of the events being focused on the men’s interests, so they decided to expand their participation in all aspects of the Rendezvous. Other women started coming and they had many questions about how to be authentically “Primitive”. A few brilliant women decided that a “Woman’s Only” weekend could be fun and educational and further our skills to be able to participate as authentically as possible in re-creating the Mountain Man era.

The first Women’s Primitive Skills event was held in 1999 and had 37 women and 3 girls in attendance. In fact, the teachers outnumbered the students that first few years. Today however, the event hosts 100 women with about 40 of those being teachers. We have women who attend from all over the US and Canada. Early registration is advised since we fill up fast.

What is Woman’s Primitive Skills?

Women’s Primitive Skills is a weekend for women to share crafts, skills and conversation and to step back in time to the “Mountain Man” era. This was the time period between 1780 and 1840 in North America. We learn to do and make those things our ancestors used to survive in the primitive world of trappers and traders.

The classes change yearly but always some are at a beginner’s level, as well as intermediate and advanced, along with demos and lectures. You can help us by teaching a primitive skill you may have learned. The only requirement is that it be a skill or craft that was in use during the mountain man era and territory.