Paleotechnics

Tamara Wilder started “Paleotechnics” to help us all return to our roots. Tamara teaches people the paleotechnologies that help distinguish us as human beings. She joined me for a podcast episode to explore her own role in the ancestral skills movement, and the ways she sees the movement evolving.

She has been an instructor and innovator for the last thirty years, bringing real life skills to people of all ages. I’m a huge fan girl for all the arts and crafts of yore, and Tamara has made it her life’s work to share this knowledge with as many people as possible. 

For years, a friend and I affectionately nicknamed her “Bucky” because she was often clad in buckskin that she had tanned and sewn herself. She taught me years ago that each creature has just the right about of brains to tan its own hide and I’ve been marveling over that bit of trivia ever since. 

Whenever I have a question about some ancestral living skill, I give Tamara Wilder a call, because I know that she will either know an answer or be able to point me in the right direction.

Last summer a rattlesnake died in my garden, and I immediately called her to ask about the safest method of processing the snake to honor its life. She gave me the essential steps, and I felt much more prepared for the task at hand.

Paleotechnics is a movement that inspires me. I hope that some day I will be able to attend several gatherings as an immersive experience over the course of a year, touring gathering to gathering. Although I have attended gatherings in the past, and have loved them, there is still so very much for me to learn.

Over the years, Tamara and I have happily run into each other at different events across the West Coast —enjoying each other’s company every time we get the chance. I always make a point to stop by her amazing Paleotechnology booth if I know she’ll be at a fair or festival.

And, I fondly recall a time when she came by Copperfield’s Books in Sebastopol, California when I was signing copies of my debut novel “Wildfire Weeds” to support the inception of my author career

When I went to Tamara’s place to record this podcast in the rolling hills of Northern California her partner Django greeted me and walked me over to their kitchen. Shortly thereafter, Tamara emerged from their garden bearing carrots and sun chokes that she proceeded to chop up for a soup while we chatted, catching up about our lives.

We discussed possible hiking adventures at her place or near mine, and enjoyed a beautiful day of sunshine in February while we conducted the interview. I hope that you’ll enjoy our sharing about paleotechnics for “The Positive Fantastic” podcast.

You can check out a short video that Tamara created about her school programs and how they help kids connect to paleotechnologies on my YouTube channel.