The senior Outdoor Education students are outside learning to not only survive, but thrive in the New Zealand back country!

The current focus is doing core wilderness skills well – navigating, building shelters, reading the weather, and fire lighting!

In particular, we’ve been learning how to build a self-sustaining fire in difficult conditions (damp or rain) – finding dry fuel, selecting a site, and keeping the fire contained and safe. Another focus has been connecting with matauranga Maori. There is a rich history of tangata whenua Maori using traditional friction fire, alongside myths and legends about the origin of these techniques.

The students are soaking up the new knowledge, and are gaining some awesome back country survival skills!