Primitive Archery
You may have heard about primitive archery, but do you know how this sport came to be? As with most things in life the history behind this pastime is fascinating.
After the American Civil War had ended, those that were part of the Confederate army were not allowed to own guns. This left many of those soldiers alone in the wild unable to defend for themselves or shoot their own food. Two ex-soldiers by the names of Maurice and Will Thompson were left stranded in the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia once the war had ended. The two Thompson brothers ran into a former slave by the name of Thomas Williams who helped the brothers to learn how to shoot using a bow. This is where primitive archery (as we know it) began.
Williams knew how to fashion a longbow, and he knew how to use that bow to shoot wild animals. The brothers survived the swamp long enough for Maurice to pen a book entitled “The Witchery of Archery,” which turned out to be a best seller. This was enough to turn people on to the sport once again. Around 1879 the National Archery Association sprung up, though the public soon forgot all about the sport once the hype was over with. Then, in 1911, one of the last of the Yahi Indian tribe came out of hiding.
This man went by the name of Ishi, though he would not live long (Ishi died of tuberculosis in 1916 after spending most of his life at the University of California as a part of a study). However, the man that took care of Ishi, Dr. Pope, learned the sport from the Native American, and he went on to develop it extensively, From this point on, primitive archery was well known throughout the country.
Once man has grasped this sport again, there was no turning back. From that day forward, this sport was one that many people enjoyed extensively. Thanks to the freed slave by the name of Thomas Williams and the Native American Ishi, this sport is alive and well.
Today, primitive archery is still practiced throughout the nation. In fact, there are many magazines and websites devoted to this sport. Those that go through these ancient movements are extremely dedicated to how things once were, which is why this sport is something of a living monument.