This professionally produced video explores the world of the tribes of Northwestern California and teaches you how to replicate their weapons with utmost accuracy to the originals. The Hupa, Yurok and Karok tribes fashioned some of the most beautifully complex archery gear in North America. Their short, wide bows were powerfully built, backed with sinew, beautifully painted and often had a backwards bend when unstrung. Their arrows were a wonder of painstaking and unparalleled craftsmanship. For anyone interested in primitive archery, mastering the construction of a Northern California Paddle bow is the ultimate in bowmaking mastery. And this video will show you how to do it.
This video combines the expertise of master primitive archers Steve Allely and Billy Berger as they provide a very rare and privileged look at some original paddle bows and arrows that are held in a private collection. Then Billy and Steve journey into the Cascade Mountains to collect the very same yew wood the Northern California tribes used for their bows. Next they collect the very same syringa shoots that were used for arrows, and finally they venture into the high desert to collect the obsidian that was fashioned into razor sharp arrowheads. All aspects of construction are shown, from drying the wood, to shaping the bow, to applying the sinew and final tillering. Sinew bowstrings are also covered. Arrow making follows, with every detail covered from start to finish. And finally shooting the finished bows is shown, as well as the blind hunting tactics used by the Northern California tribes.
DVD or Streaming Versions available. Run time: 67 mins.
