About Gazza
Born and raised in Sussex, England, a former Forester, Firefighter, and Rescue Technician. I have always had green blood in my veins.
The journey is long, this basket is never full and there is always more to gather.
Hi folks, My name is Gazza Butcher.
Born and raised in Sussex, England, I have enjoyed many careers and life changes, as a forester, firefighter, rescue technician, teacher/trainer to name but a few.
Read on to find out more about my influences, travels and where this jounrey has taken me so far.
Throughout all of those years, I have always had green blood in my veins.
Homegrown Influences.
No matter what life has served up, Nature has always been there to hold me. My connection to the natural world is my deepest relationship. It is, and always has been my most treasured and trusted companion. From early childhood all my spare time has been spent in the verdant woodland of England, letting my natural curiosity to run wild.
Many years have passed in the UK with some of the most gifted men and women in the field of bushcraft and primitive living skills as I honed my foundational skillset.
This ‘dirt-time’ as we call it formed the foundation for more ambitious expeditions.
A Tracker’s Dream.
One highlight, back in 2019, was when I was invited to co-facilitate an expedition in the Kalahari Desert with the legendary Lynx Vilden and my good friend Casparo Brownbeard.
A full month in North Eastern Namibia with the Ju/’ Hoansi San Bushmen showed me the sacred fragility of our connection to water, food and so many of the things I take for granted in the UK.
It also afforded me a golden opportunity to hone my tracking skills with arguably some of the best trackers on the planet.
Up at 5am, tracking till sundown, an absolute dream let me tell you!
Living Down South.
From 2014 to 2021 I emigrated to Aotearoa, to give it it’s proper name (a place you will know as New Zealand).
The years spent in work and play with the Kiwi, Māori and Pasifika communities in Aotearoa / New Zealand brought home the deep significance of real connection to Land and Sea.
I am blessed to have been exposed to true food sovereignty, the power of reverential gratitude, and the treasure of fully connected community among many other treasures..
I am indebted to all these peoples for igniting in me the burning desire to truly understand my place in the world and my connection to the bones of the land I call home, back here in England.
“You need to know where you are from boy”, I was told in no uncertain terms.
Lifetime Learner.
My skillset includes:
- natural skin tanning using primitive technology, making buckskin, bark tan leather, rawhide, tanning fish skin and organ membranes;
- using the whole animal, butchery with no waste, a platform for reverence;
- foraging for wild food and medicinal plants;
- nature connection through movement, wild-craft, and play;
- tracking and trailing animal sign;
- primitive and modern archery;
- primitive tool making, flintknapping and making stone tools;
- crafting with bone and antler;
- wide variety of fire lighting and use;
- leather work and primitive blacksmithing;
- urban resiliency and emergency planning;
- and camp craft with minimal modern and improvised gear to name but a few.
Every Day is a Training Day!
This is a combination of the ancient and the modern, of ancestry and invention. Resiliency with Heart.
Over the many years I have taught classes, held events, co-lead expeditions and facilitated rites of passage for children and adults of all ages. Whatever gift I present, my goal is always to bring people back to the land, to deepen their connection to themselves, to each other, and to the land itself.
To truly live with the land in this place we call home.
Primal Trail is my expression of all these elements gathered on the long wandering path of my life so far.