Native Values

[BigKhanz]

Alaska has a connection with it's Natives that I have never seen anywhere else. The most intriguing thing to me has to do with their value systems. The one that gets me thinking the most are the "Athabaskan Tribal Values". All of the usual values, like community, courage and honesty, are present. The main difference is number one on the list, their most important value:

Self-Sufficency

Think about that. More important than being brave or trustworthy, one is expected to be able to survive on their own. Add that to the more traditional modern values, and you have a person of true character.

I bring this up as a reminder that there is more to take and learn from the Paleo Lifestyle than just nutrition and fitness.

[Falcon]

Awesome. A great reminder and  you're right; this should be about so much more than diet and fitness.

Off to plant to some vegetables now! 

[Alex Good]

 Modern self sufficiency or real self sufficiency? Because modern self sufficiency is bull *bleep*.

[BigKhanz]

modern self sufficiency is bull *bleep*.

When you insult my family's lifestyle, you insult me. I'm on here to share some of the experience and wisdom I've gained from living off the land in one of the most extreme places on the face of the earth. I'm here to share what I've gained as a person from interacting with and observing various native tribes. I'm here to share some of what I've learned traveling to 70 different countries on 6 continents. I'm not here to have the culmination of all of that dismissed as bull*bleep*. Please think before you speak.

With that out of the way, I would like to clarify my original point. When I talk about self-sufficency, I'm not talking about living off the land, I'm talking about a mindset. When someone gets a truck stuck here, they don't call a tow truck or a friend, they grab a shovel. It's about being able to rely on yourself no matter what the world throws at you, even if it would be easier just to get someone else to do it. It's about knowing survival isn't a right, but a privilege that must be earned every single day.

[manfromearth]

I agree with you that self sufficiency should be a core value for all human beings. I don't, however, think Alex meant any offense to you or your family. I agree with him though, compare modern self sufficiency to actually having to survive on a day to day basis back in the day. It's just not as extreme as before. Mind you, I'm not complaining.

And Khanz, I don't know you, but I respect you as I do everyone else, but I have to say, telling the world about how many countries you've been to on so and so many continents, kind of makes you seem like arrogant. This of course, is my opinion, so blast away if you feel you need to.

[BigKhanz]

And Khanz, I don't know you, but I respect you as I do everyone else, but I have to say, telling the world about how many countries you've been to on so and so many continents, kind of makes you seem like arrogant. This of course, is my opinion, so blast away if you feel you need to

Being accused of arrogance for the way I speak or act when angry is valid. Dismissing a lifestyle as bullshit isn't. Had it been phrased such as you did, it would have led to a discussion. Had it been called bullshit to my face, it would have led to a beating.

As to the modern vs primitive self sufficiency: That looks like it needs its own thread for a proper discussion. This one was about the values of the various native tribes I've spent time with around the world. And since my (well earned) arrogance was brought up, Ill move to the next native value on my list: Pride

In western civilization Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. It's something to shy from, be ashamed of. We aren't supposed to be proud of what we've done or who we are. We should be humble, we should be quite, we should be sheep. This isn't true for primal man. The Masai and the Zulu, the Pawnee and the Comanche, the Tongans, even the little tribe in Colombia whose name I couldn't ever quit get, were very proud peoples. All of them took pride in who they were, both as a People and as an Individual. Trophies of past kills were displayed openly. Personal and family histories were tattoed, burnt, and cut into the flesh of men. What you had accomplished determined your place in the tribe.

I think they were right. After all, I'd rather be a proud hunter than a humble farmer.

Appropriately Arrogant,
BigKhanz

[manfromearth]

I don't want to drag this conversation longer, but I must mention that there is a clear difference between pride and arrogance.

[BigKhanz]

Doesn't make my point less valid. And honestly, if you didn't want to continue the conversation, you wouldn't have.

[Alex Good]

modern self sufficiency is bull *bleep*.

When you insult my family's lifestyle, you insult me. I'm on here to share some of the experience and wisdom I've gained from living off the land in one of the most extreme places on the face of the earth. I'm here to share what I've gained as a person from interacting with and observing various native tribes. I'm here to share some of what I've learned traveling to 70 different countries on 6 continents. I'm not here to have the culmination of all of that dismissed as bull*bleep*. Please think before you speak.

With that out of the way, I would like to clarify my original point. When I talk about self-sufficency, I'm not talking about living off the land, I'm talking about a mindset. When someone gets a truck stuck here, they don't call a tow truck or a friend, they grab a shovel. It's about being able to rely on yourself no matter what the world throws at you, even if it would be easier just to get someone else to do it. It's about knowing survival isn't a right, but a privilege that must be earned every single day.

 You misunderstand. The modern self sufficiency I was insulting is made up of sitting at a desk, typing and driving to the store.

[Primal-Lioness]

You are right.  We westerners are no longer self-sufficient and the majority of Americans especially could never survive in the face of extreme adversity.   I know this much from just living on the East Coast and have hurricanes come through and knock people's power out. 

I remember being out of power for 18 days and everyone acted like the world was going to end.  We fired up the grill at 4am to cook bacon, eggs and pancakes for my husband before we went to work.......I was on Atkins low carb then and so I couldn't really keep veggies in a cooler so I ate meat, meat and more meat which actually helped me to lose faster and better.  At night we fired up the grill again to fix burgers mostly.

Everyone around us cried and complained about not being able to hardly eat or cook because they had no power...........these people in our neighborhood actually waited for the Red Cross meal truck to run through the neighborhood.  I shook my head and laughed. 

I, am by no means a survivalist, but I know I could adapt and improvise.  I still remember my Army training and could rely on it if need be. 

This post has inspired me to start being more self-sufficient.  It is in all of us, most people just take the easy way out.   

[BigKhanz]

Don't get me started on the hurricanes. I was in the Navy during Katrina, and worked rescue operations.  People turned into animals when the infastructure washed away with the floods.

[SidheDraoi]

Don't get me started on the hurricanes. I was in the Navy during Katrina, and worked rescue operations.  People turned into animals when the infastructure washed away with the floods.

reminds me of my signature quote, when you take civilization away from a man you get an entirely different animal.  something people lack in today's societies is self discipline, no one wants to put limits on their behavior because that'd mean they aren't entirely free as they wish to be, its sad to think that people would rather be blood crazed and immoral animals rather than self disciplined and self-sufficient.

I agree with the Alaskan tribes, and most tribal cultures at that. they seem to understand what the true purpose of life is and that is survival.