How does 'Coyote's Guide' work in a different cultural context? - A book review from Ireland.

Hi all from across the Atlantic!
I posted a review of 'Coyote's guide' over on your blog page (as well as my own -- http://ipna-landblog.blogspot.com/), and Ellen Haas invited me to mention it here.
In it I write about the difficulties of translating the Wilderness Awareness Approach into a European setting. Coyote Mentoring will work anywhere, but many of the tools need to be re-selected in the context we work in here.
Many of the elements that build momentum in the North American context (Survive like a Native in the Wilderness -- Spot the Predator -- Experience that Biodiversity) only work to a very limited extend in a landscape that does not carry the mystique of untamed wilderness and is essentially a cultivated landscape.
I am more than exited for my husband to bring Wilderness Awareness to Ireland, and it seems to strike a chord with some people here.
What exactly that is, we are not quite sure as we are only starting out.
Even we Europeans played Cowboys and Indians when we were young -- so maybe it's just that. Probably it's also a yearning to re-connect to Nature and to live more sustainably.
'Bushcraft' is big in the UK, as it has been popularized by two TV film makers (Ray Mears and Bear Grylls).
To bridge the gap of teaching Wilderness Awareness in a cultivated landscape, we introduce the principles of Permaculture.
To a smaller degree you in North America must come across the same difficulty, as real wilderness there is often not more than an ideal.
Which tools help you to practice Coyote Mentoring 'in the real world'?
Anna

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Permalink Reply by asaf ben david on April 29, 2009 at 6:10am: Hello anna
I am from Israel and I share the same difficulties as you do.
In Israel the biggest wilderness is as lond as a slow day walk, until you meet the next road.
Most of the open areas are used for agraculture or has a lot of tracks of agraculture that once was there.
When I try to adapt the methods and ideals of learning forn the local culture i.e the Indians in north America to the reality in here. I face the same difficulty that you face.
What I try to do is to take main idia whisch is sa I see it, learning from the local culturs the way of the earth.
I must say that in israel it is a hard idia for peaople to eccept beacose the local people culture here is the palestinian culture. It is a grate challenge to teach people to appretiate and learn the sources of knowllege of a diffrent culture in a conflict zone.
I also try to learn from the bible and the wisdom of Jewish immegrants
That in there home lands had lived close to nature.
looking for these connections between the local culturs and nature, is the main thing that I do today in order to be able to be a true coyote mentor (or should I say jackle) in Israel.
It will be interesting to hear if and what connction there is between the north Irland culture to nature
Asaf; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Helena Wu on June 15, 2009 at 7:01pm: I would think that way way back, all cultures were nature based. Rekindling that relationship is what it's all about. Look for clues in scriptures (as Asaf mentions), stories, poetry, common everyday things like "superstitions" or sayings, food, etc. Like tracking a culture backwards.
The native peoples here have such a direct relationship with Nature but I am sure people all over the world did too. It's in our blood, our genetic code. It's as close as that- the wilderness within. We cannot get away from it, though we have tried and to our and the Earth's detriment. We are meant to relate to the wild and something inside us stirs when presented with the possibility.
I think there is a wilderness of insects, fungi, lichens and microbes and other overlooked beings even in cities.; ▶ Reply to This