Why Mountain Man Reenacting?

I got my start as a Boy Scout. I loved camping, worked hard for my merit badges, and had great leaders. I eventually became a member of Order of the Arrow (OA). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_arrow

The Order's ceremonies and pledges are Native American themed. We made craft projects building Indian costumes to be used in OA events. My first project was a small medicine bag. It wasn't the pouch type you see so many reenactors wearing like mini purses around their necks. It was a small bundle of items that had personal significance. The items are wrapped in a piece of leather with a leather thong around the top holding it closed. Indians would wear items on their person that held power. They saw that nature had power that plants had power, and animals had power. By wearing these items they were able to capture a bit of that power which would strengthen their endeavors. This medicine bag did this for me. I do not believe in the same spiritualism the original Natives did, but, it led me to a lifelong interest and hobby.

Sometime during this time as an Arrowman I attended my first mountain man rendezvous. I was hooked. The smell of the smoke in the air, people dressed in period clothing, period lodges (tents) all created a time machine pulling me back to an era so easily romanticized. With the explosive growth of the Rocky Mountain fur trade in the 1800s, mountain men, who lived in the wilderness trapping and selling animal pelts, captured the American imagination. Years later I collected a few Items and began reenacting with my wife and kids. This time spent together is one of my greatest treasures.

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