Sep 06 2007
About Me
All my life I have been interested in history and living in the wilds. The natural symbiosis of the two of course being primitive skills. After to have tried the city life now for a few years, I am now looking forward to returning to the mountains I came from.
Skills wise I am a jack of all trades; good at most, excellent at none, the exception possibly being fishing.
Regards
Torjus Gaaren
Hello Torjus,
what an inspiring site!!! I am not even halfway reading all your topics and blogs and am allready incredibly inspired and enthousiastic.
To save you needless reading and time I’ll get to the point immediately -
I want to do what you describe, want to go somewhere in nature and live there for longer times. I strongly feel like being in nature, conencting with nature. Second I strongly feel I like to ‘re-learn’ skills I learned in my youth at scouting to survive basically on and with nature, apart and seperated from 21st century modern life, without fossile fuels, electiricity and all the mechanics that seem so normal in life these days.
Last but not least, I think that due to changes in environment and global warming fossile fuels are ending at soem point and we all (at least I) wnat to train myself in living from what nature brings and be independent from ‘modern life luxuries’.
I have no idea where there would be room to do this, train this and live safely.
Looking at your blogs and pictures it seems you do have such a place somewhere and therefor I’d like to inquire where that is and how to make that possible.
I sincerely hope you are willing to help me out here!
Best wishes and - again - compliments for teh site,
Marc
Thank you very much Marc.
I think that is possible to a degree pretty much throughout Scandinavia, parts of Canada and most of Siberia.
Which is closest to you?
Regards
Torjus
just saw your reply, just mailed you
thanks again Torjus,
hope we can talk some more soon
Marc
I gave you a mention on my blog roll
http://suburbanbushwacker.blogspot.com/2007/10/blog-roll-oct-07.html
hope you like it
SBW
Hi Torjus. I saw the your site on my website statistics, and that is how I found this. Thanks for the link, and best wishes on your blog. I will check your postings ocasionally.
-Erik Vosteen
Hey hey
Nice to see some pictures from Lofotr.
How are you, did you allready hunt some Ren and Elk?
We have allready some snow here in Germany and it is not nice to stay every day outside and walking around…
I wish you a good time
Greets Flurin
Thanks for your words all.
—–
Flurin
I’m fine thanks, going to spend a lot of time in the woods next year. Getting a reindeer license next year, so then I’ll hunt.
How are you? Where has the journey taken you? Where are you going now?
Yeah, snow here too, it’s great.
Happy travelling!
Regards
Torjus
You should seriously write a book. I am still in school and i am interested in living in the wild. I would love to go and do it some day when i get the time maybe this summer. I dunno. I am gonna read all of your categories on hear so i can do all of this stuff this summer.
Torgus,
Thanks for giving me access to your site. I will vist it often
Roger
Hello Bushcrafter
We are producing an A_Z of Bushcraft video series here in the UK for free distribution and wondered if you could review it or link from your blog.
We aim to finish the series in April 2008 but you can watch 15 episodes to date and more to come. I have given you the RSS link here.
http://feeds.visionontv.net/a-zofbushcraft
or
http://www.azbushcraft.com
Thanks for the support
Paulo
I was looking at the meat dring post, and I suggest trying this method - seperate the meat into individual muscles (fairly easy even with stone tools) then instead of slicing, pound the meat into a sheet of the proper thickness then dry normally. Dries faster, easier to eat than sliced, and less total work…
Hi Torjus,
I was referred to you by Robert Retallick of braintanned.com - who sends you his regards.
I am looking for a nicely tanned, full hair-on, large, deer hide for use as a cabin decoration. Robert can do something like this, but asked me to check with you - as it is a little tricker to keep the hair-on.
Could you be of help in getting me such a hide?
Thanks/GOEL
Hi Torjus
I was on your blog and thought you would be interested in this breaking news story
With the recent emergence of the photographs of uncontacted tribes in the Amazon, indigenous isolated tribes have been all over the news. What does the term “uncontacted” actually mean? What strategies are there to protect these people from developers? Answers to your all your burning questions as well as a photo gallery documenting the discovery of these tribes in recent history can all be found on nationalgeographic.com. Take a journey into this unknown world and learn more about these primitive tribes living in remote parts of the world!
Photo Gallery: Uncontacted and Isolated Tribes
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/gallery/tribe-gallery_uncontacted-tribe.html
News Article: Photos Spur Debate on Protecting “Uncontacted” Tribes
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080603-uncontacted-tribes.html
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best,
Rachel
Hi Torjus,
I’ve been reading your website on and off for over a year now, and its impressive and inspiring to see the progress you are making. I am interested in the possibility of doing something similar and wondered if it might be possible to visit you up in Sweden and see what the reality of living your way is. I was thinking perhaps sometime in the late summer/autumn. Whenever’s best for you, actually. I don’t want to get in the way. There is another issue I would like to discuss with you too, but I would rather do thet via email.
Good luck with everything!
Clive
[…] caveman makes bone tools Found the blog of a guy who’s living as primitively as possible (except, of course, that he’s taking […]
do you hunt for food or stock up canned food/water? how do u cook& avoid detection? how do u avoid coincidental visits by humans and preying animals? if the river and environment is contaminated does it mean checkmate for you? how do you cope with solidarity? how do you cope with infections, insect bites, injuries..?
Dont Stop Showing The World What Youve GotYou Can be very helpfull and see here
heisan Torjus artig og lese det du hadde skrivd hera inne… eg skjønnar atte du he vore travelt opptatt med naturen enda ja… hehe….. du ga deg ikkje med dette i 6klasse nei… va på leiteauksjon i notodden for stund sida med sivilforsvaret og da traff eg ein som va med og leita ette deg… han lurte veldig på kossen du hadde de nå…. men nå må eg ned og ta tak i veslejenta mi på 7mnd så me prekast seinare…. ha ein fantastisk vår og sommer mæ vænleg helsing Jan Tommy Breivik
Hi Torjus Gaaren,
Read your reply in Paleoplanet on a guy who collected cedar bark for cordage and quiver.
There you mentioned in the past you did build a bark canoe yourself.
Would it be posible ,if you have, to send me some photographs or article if exist of your canoe buildin proces.
Collecting all information on native canoe building for some while, I would be pleased
to put you amongst these, once again if this is not a problem for you.
Thaks already,
Johan Vanpee,
Belgium
It seems we have similar interests Torjus, I am passionate about 18th century settlement and survival in the New World. I follow this through my love of 18th century Living History and Historical Trekking. Like you I am very good at most skills but my forte is primitive fire lighting. We would make a good team you and I.
If you ever come to Australia let me know.
Regards, Le Loup.
Hi, great site!
From your experience, do you think it can be done by a family with small kids?
Thanks!
Hello,
Great site and its makers indeed!
Go ahead and good luck!
Olya
Hei. Jeg er 32 år og bor i Oslo. Tro det eller ei, men jeg har faktisk samme mål som deg, å overleve i villmarken i en lengre tidsperiode uten noe som helst medbrakt fra det moderne samfunnet(unntatt klærne jeg dro i). Jeg ble svært sent interessert i primitive living(30 år gammel) og har derfor ikke nådd noe høyt nivå. Men jeg lager shelter, kan friction fire, lager nesletau og vet litt hvilke planter man kan spise. Jeg har ofte tenkt at jeg må være den eneste i Norge som har som mål å overleve ute i villmarken og mange har ledd eller ristet på hodet når jeg har fortalt om det. Det er blitt til at jeg unngår å si det til folk. Jeg dro på kurs i Skottland til Patrick et eller annet for backwood survival som jeg har forstått at du kjenner.
Om du skulle føle for å ha en kamerat å ha med deg i villmarken så blir jeg gjerne med når jeg har tid. Jeg er villig til å lære mye mer og er ellers en hyggelig å grei fyr å ha med å gjøre. Jeg vil selvfølgelig la deg ta viktige avgjørelser siden du kan mest.
Hallo. Kommende sommer, 15. til 18. juli arrangeres KYSTENs landsstevne i Gratangen. Tema vi har valgt er samisk båtbyggertradisjon og selfangshistorie. Det skal bygges en naustgamme og kanskje får vi en skinnbåt fra Tana til utstilling.
Men vi har lyst til å bygge en curroch. Den som er bygget til Lofotr får vi låne til utstilling. Vil du ha mulighet for å påta deg oppgaven? Til hvilke pris?
Mvh
Sverre Nordmo
Really nice website. Keep doing in this way & good luck!
Hei
Jeg kan vel ikke mer enn de fleste om overlevelse i villmarken, men det er et emne som interesserer meg. Jeg er også veldig interessert i gammelt håndverk.
Siden jeg ikke kan bruke naturen til å dra på tur særlig mye, bruker jeg materialer jeg sanker inn selv til å lage ting. Derfor håper jeg at dere kan gi meg noen tips på ting man kan lage, og jeg vil gjerne få vite mer om å lage ting av neslefiber, siden jeg har masser av dem i nærheten.
mvh
Linda
“Looking at your blogs and pictures it seems you do have such a place somewhere and therefor I’d like to inquire where that is and how to make that possible.
I sincerely hope you are willing to help me out here!”
How about here in Australia Marc, plenty of room.
Regards, Le Loup.
Wow, I came across your site today and was instantly attached. I think I was 15 when I brain tanned my first deer hide (with my own made tools), made my own tipi and dress/outfit out of buckskin (including a turtle shell purse). I have dreamed forever of being able to do what you are doing. I never got married til I was 28, one year ago, when I found the man who will hopefully do this with me. I somehow naturally have this desire in my blood. My family thinks I’m crazy. Over the years some debt has piled up and it will be a little while before we can actully get close to living the earthway together but you inspired me to keep dreaming of that day. I am from Pennsylvania, USA and currently am working in bush Alaska where I hope to gather a lot more info and skills from the natives here. It doesn’t get cold enough to wear all the fur articles I have made but 2 days ago I was so excited. It was -40 degrees F and I had to walk 2 miles to the village store. I didn’t get cold at all! FUR IS MY FAVORITE THING!! Anywho, I just wanted to let you know that you inspired me to keep working toward my dream. Thank You!