BENJAMIN ‘RAVEN’ PRESSLEY

Fletcher, NC

(Asheville/Hendersonville Area)

E-Mail: raven@wayoftheraven.net

Website: WayoftheRaven.net

SUMMARY

Versatile, innovative, experienced educator in primitive, survival and wilderness living skills. Experienced teacher in hands-on skills and living history and pre-history. Creative, resourceful and able to teach all ages. A ‘people person’.

 EXPERIENCE

• Founder and Director of the world-wide organization, TRIBE. A non-profit dedicated to preservation and instruction of primitive, survival and wilderness living skills. 1991-1994
• Founder, Director and Instructor for Windsong Primitives. My own privately run school of primitive, survival and wilderness living skills. 1986-2003.
• Field Editor of Wilderness Way magazine. 1990.
• Member and instructor in National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camps. 1991-1994.
• Active member and instructor for Backcountry Lifeways, Schiele, Museum, NC. 1986-1994.
• Instructor doing children’s programs at the Museum of the Waxhaws, Waxhaw, NC.
• Founder and instructor of Way of the Raven and EARTHTEK School of Survival Skills. 2010-Present.
• Presently (2014-present) teaching outdoor survival skills for Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, NC. Contact: M.C. Gaylord 828-694-1779
• Author. Can You Survive? As well as other books.
• I have experience and I am able to teach the following skills as well as many other skills:

Frontier Living Skills–Native American Lifeways and Skills–Wilderness Tool Making—Firecraft Making fire without matches)—Ropecraft—Tanning Animal Hides — Survival Skills – Textiles (baskets, weaving, cordage, etc.) — Traps & Snares — Primitive & Survival Hunting — Primitive & Survival Fishing –Orienteering — Wilderness Cooking — Leather Craft –Medicinal and Edible Plants –Learn which plants to use for food and medicine –Games & Recreation From The Past — Earth Appreciation & Awareness – Survival Shelter Building –Team Building  

• Teacher of survival skills at Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, NC

 EDUCATION AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING

    Mostly I am self taught which doesn’t necessarily mean I taught everything to myself without any  help. Primitive, survival and wilderness living skills is something you mostly have to do and most of what you learn is from your research accomplished from educated experimentation.

     I have learned much from Aboriginal Studies Program, Steve Watts, Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, NC. I also learned from many other excellent teachers and acquaintances in this field almost too numerous to list. I will gladly furnish more references in this area upon request.

FORMAL EDUCATION:

• West Mecklenburg High School. Tuckaseegee Rd., Charlotte, NC. Diploma
• ECPI College of Technology, Charlotte, NC. Degree in Computer Technology

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

I have been or am presently affiliated with following organizations:

• National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camps
• Society of Primitive Technology

 REFERENCES

Magazines Written For:

• Backwoodsman,Charlie Richie Richie\Publisher, Westcliffe, CO
• American Survival Guide, Jim Benson\Editor, Placentia, CA
• Outdoor Guides News, Rick Farren\Editor, Tallahassee, FL
• Wilderness Way Magazine, Steve Hulsey\ Editor, Lufkin, TX

Other References:

• Obediah’s Okefenok, Waycross, GA. Billy Brantley\Owner, Tina Rowell\Manager. Museum and historical area. Benjamin did a series of programs on Native American living and built a permanent exhibit of a pre-1750’s Seminole hunting camp complete with ‘chickee’ type shelter.
• Schiele Museum of Natural History, Gastonia, NC, Steve Watts\Program Specialist. Museum and Backcountry Lifeways Farm (1750-1790 era), Center for Aboriginal Studies (Aboriginal Programs on aboriginal skills worldwide.) Author, Master of primitive skills.
• Museum of the Waxhaws, Waxhaw, NC. Jaiy Geno\Museum Director. Museum and living history (Prehistoric, Revolutionary War, Civil War era.)
• Bob Spencer (Eagle’s Brother) Apache friend and elder. Artist.
• Marsha Johnson, Organizes Pow-Wows in Tennessee
• Tom Mancke. Long time friend, student, organizer of Early Technology Week, Hammond School, Columbia, SC. An event for 5-6 grade that I have taught at for over 20 years.
• James Parker, Huntworthy Productions. Master flintknapper and bowyer.
• Hawk Hurst. Native American storyteller and musician.
• Scott Jones. Archaeologist, Author, Master of primitive skills and prehistory.

—MORE ENDORSEMENTS, REFERENCES, CONTACT INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON REQUEST—