I am a blacksmith. I've been learning the craft for a number of years now and happily still consider myself a beginner. My interest in the work evolved out of other things. I'm at art school and my study of charcoal drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and photography and blending and melding with my deep interest in peoples, culture, nature and craft. The magic hunting societies of West Africa and the primitive hunting groups of the southeast all surround and closely tie into my work smithing knives, working with iron generally, woodwork, leather work you name it. So I find myself online researching spear hunters. I've made a spear, am familiar with atlatl hunters and their light spearlike darts, bow hunters and have made my own bow, black-powder and modern rifle hunters, but for whatever reason this day spear hunting is calling my name. Maybe it is the idea that some person today is sneaking up on animals like Buffalo, bear, fleet footed deer who seem to have a 6th sense about nearby humans, with a spear. Honestly killing an animal isn't my favorite part. I don't get the thrill. But the skill, precision, planning, the long time in nature, and the resultant knowledge about spirit, one's self and the mystic qualities of nature reported by African hunters has drawn me in. What does it take to make a spear that can kill an animal with a body and a power larger than your own? Does it take blending in with the environment, masking one's sent, quiet movement through the underbrush, quick reflexes in dealing with real danger? I'm watching videos and looking through websites and I come across Gene Morris. This guy's website posts some remarkable claims, but in journeying to his spear hunting museum... I saw some remarkable evidence. Here's my adventure, I'll post more thoughts on it later.
