Braintan buckskin is the traditional leather of many indigenous cultures, including Native Americans. It has allowed anatomically modern humans to protect themselves from the elements and travel throughout the world.
Though buckskin shares many qualities with contemporary leather, such as beauty, function, durability, it is a vastly different product, neither damaging to the environment nor rigid (though it can be made stiff). Buckskin offers a method of creating strong fabric locally. It is completely natural and helps hunters and scavengers better utilize the animals they obtain (proper thankfulness is shown by not wasting valuable portions of the animal). Buckskin has a multitude of uses, from functional clothing that is quiet, blocks scent, and resistant to punctures, to quivers, bags, pouches, and cords.
Students will take a raw deer skin and turn it into buckskin, along the way learning the necessary skills and terms for understanding the tanning process. Several options exist for dressing (I recommend brains, but other dressings are available, so don't avoid this critical self-reliance skill for this reason).
Class duration will be variable and dependent on the student, weather, etc., but will likely take an average of three days for most people that are active and reasonably fit.
Scheduling will be arranged between the student and instructor and can be consecutive days or split into separate days. Camping is available for those wishing to stay on the premises. All the materials and tools can be provided by the instructor. Students will complete the class with a functional buckskin that they take back to their homes to learn the potential that traditional leather has to offer.
Sessions are arranged privately (i.e., you will not be joined by additional people unless you scheduled the class with them) and will fill on a first come first serve basis. Interested persons should contact Arthur Haines here.
Price for the class is $495.00 dollars. Registration can be done through the "Sign up!" below once session dates have been arranged with Arthur privately beforehand (note: please enter "Braintan Buckskin" in the Instructions to Merchant section).
Registration policies for classes offered exclusively through the Delta Institute of Natural History are found here.