Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 9, 2013

5

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

 Mountain Views News Saturday, February 9, 2013 


MEET PAUL CAMPBELL, AUTHOR 
OF SURVIVOR SKILLS OF NATIVE 
CALIFORNIA By Christopher Nyerges

[Nyerges is the author of “How to Survive Anywhere,” “Self-Sufficient Home,” and other 
books. He leads self-sufficiency classes, and does a weekly podcast at Preparedness Radio 
Network. He can be reached at School of Self-reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041 or 
www.ChristopherNyerges.com]

“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt


HOW THE 2010 CALIFORNIA STATE 
HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT

WILL BENEFIT LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS

 At the February 5th Monrovia City Council Meeting, the Council approved the 
purchase of Urban Search and Rescue Equipment from Allstar Fire Equipment, 
Inc. in the amount of $29,282.94, and from LN Curtis and Sons in the amount of 
$28,819.60 for a total expenditure of $58.103.54.

 Monrovia Fire Chief Christopher Donovan shared his report submitted to the 
City Council prior to the meeting. The objective of this appropriation is to 
“utilize Homeland Security grant funds to replace needed Urban Search and Rescue equipment that 
will enhance the Fire Department’s ability to perform search and rescue operations during fire and life 
safety emergencies.”

 Chief Donovan said the equipment purchase is in support of the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs’ 
project to maintain regional Urban Search and Rescue Teams in which Monrovia Fire Department 
is included. The equipment purchase will be used for local, area and regional natural and man-made 
disaster responses, inclusive of earthquakes, mud-slides, building collapse and terrorism events. He 
feels “coupled with the training that fire department receives, the equipment will enhance the ability to 
provide fire and life safety services.”

 Since the grant has no match, there will be no funds required from the City. The entire purchase is 
part of the California State Homeland Security Grant Program and is completely reimbursable to the 
City.

 As the Monrovia City Council approved this purchase of the Urban Search and Rescue Equipment 
for its Fire Department, its neighboring Arcadia City Council was doing the same! The Arcadia City 
Council approved a supplemental appropriation not to exceed $29,100 for the upfront purchase of 
Urban Search and Rescue equipment for the Arcadia Fire Department that will be reimbursed through 
the 2010 State Homeland Security Grant Program. 

 This is great news for both Cities, their Fire Departments and ultimately the residents who will greatly 
benefit when an emergency arises and the best equipment is available!

 
Do you all know 
Paul Campbell? 
Paul Campbell, 
local resident, is the 
author of “Survival 
Skills of Native California.” He has a lifelong 
interest in the outdoors, and a particular interest 
in the American Indians who lived here in 
Southern California. 

 Paul has also authored “Earth Pigments and 
Paint of the California Indians.”

 What a fantastic book! Here is a treasure 
trove of original research whose scope goes far 
beyond the seemingly-limited title. Campbell 
begins with his quest for a blood-red ochre. He 
shares where all the colors used by Southwestern 
tribes came from, the binders they used to make 
pigments into paint, and the storage containers of 
these pigments. With color photos throughout, 
Campbell gives examples of pigments in rock 
art, body paint, face decorations, bow and 
arrow paint, and more. The book also includes a 
portfolio of late 1880s photos of mostly Mohave 
Indians showing face and body paint. 

 A must-have addition to any library focused on 
anthropology, native skills, and art. 

 “The local Indians were so in tuned with 
nature,” says Campbell, as he shows me the simple 
bird trap he made based on local native designs.

 “They lived here for at least 10,000 years, and it 
seemed to me that after they lived here that long 
using simple technologies, they figured out the 
best ways to live in this environment. If I wanted 
to be in tune with this environment,” he adds, “I 
realized that I should at least begin where they 
left off.”

 So, about 10 years ago, Campbell decided to 
begin actually practicing some of the skills and 
making the tools that were used by aboriginal 
peoples here for millenia.

 “What I read in most books was insufficient,” 
explains Campbell, and he began his quest with 
extensive research that included trips to Mexico 
where he studied with the Indians who still lived 
and practiced many of the old skills.

 “When my research reached what I call a 
critical mass, I’d go out and make these tools, like 
bows, and traps, and rabbit sticks, and I found 
that they worked well. The more I practiced 
under difficult conditions, the better I got. I 
improved by experience and I was able to refine 
certain subtleties in these skills and tools.”

 Campbell showed me a lightweight willow bow 
he made using stone tools. The stones were first 
collected within a few yards of where the willows 
grew. He’d whack 
the stones together 
to create sharp edges 
and he used those 
sharpened rocks 
to cut the willow, 
split the willow, and 
shape the willow 
into a bow. He used 
smooth rocks to 
sand and smooth 
the bow. 

 “Each rock tool 
is slightly different, 
designed to perform 
a separate function,” 
says Campbell. “My 
purpose in dong this 
was to demonstrate 
the usefulness of 
the universal tool 
kit composed of shattered rocks,” he explained as 
he showed me a river rock with an edge that was 
nearly as sharp as a metal knife.

 Campbell explained that a simple bow became 
the universal weapon, though the bow probably 
did not come into California until the 3rd or 4th 
Century A.D. “The bow was one of the most 
important weapons of all the primitive weapons. 
It was used to hunt game at a short distance,” says 
Campbell.

 Campbell showed me both a small boy’s bow, 
about 4 ½ feet long, which he made in about eight 
hours with stone rasps and stone scrapers. Large 
game bows would be about 6 feet long and take a 
bit longer to make. Campbell explained that the 
bow was and is a fairly accurate weapon in the 
hands of even a novice. Hunting in the old days 
involved stalking, and then calling-in the game so 
that they could be hunted at close range.

 Campbell also showed me some simple arrows 
that he made from the shafts of the mulefat stems. 
There was no arrowhead, but just a sharpened, 
fire-hardened point. And there were no feathers, 
just a nock cut into the end where it met the 
bowstring. Campbell explained that these simple 
arrows were used for short distance hunting.

 Campbell continues to pursue his research 
for both the historical and survival value, and he 
teaches at such annual events as RabbitStick and 
Dirttime.

Campbell’s books can be obtained at the Store at 
www.ChristopherNyerges.com, Amazon, and 
quality bookstores.

paper
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

7:00pm – 8:30pm

The Monrovia Arcadia Duarte Town Council cordially 
invites you to attend our upcoming meetings scheduled 
on the 3rd Wednesday of every month.

Please join us and meet your Town Council members 
and learn more about the resources and information available in our community.

Representatives from the following offices will be available to provide reports and 
answer your questions:

. Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich
. Temple Sheriff’s Station
. Live Oak Public Library
. Monrovia Unified School District Board Members & Superintendent


We look forward to seeing you!

Wednesday February 20th 7:00pm

All Nations SDA Church

1948 Peck Road

Monrovia, at spanner

Please join us on Facebook

www.facebook.com/MADTownCouncil

P.O. Box 893 / Monrovia, CA 91017


ENJOY AN AFTERNOON OF MUSIC, WINE, AND HORS 
D’OEUVRES IN AN HISTORIC ALTADENA HOME

Chamber Music Fundraiser 
Benefits Pasadena 
Community Orchestra

PASADENA, CA – January 
28, 2013 -- On Sunday, 
February 24th, from 2:00 
to 5:00 p.m., the Pasadena 
Community Orchestra presents 
an afternoon of music, wine 
and hors d’oeuvres for its 
2nd Annual Chamber Music 
Benefit and 30th Anniversary 
Gala Celebration. Los Angeles 
Philharmonic violinist Paul 
Stein, cellist Christopher Ahn, 
and pianist Mark Robson 
will perform Beethoven’s 
“Archuke” Trio in B Flat Major 
in an historic Altadena home. 
Admission is $50 per person; all 
proceeds benefit the Pasadena 
Community Orchestra. 

The “Archduke” Trio is regarded 
as the greatest of all works 
for piano trio. The crowning 
masterpiece of Beethoven’s cycle 
of piano trios, it is the most 
expansive, lyrical, and deeply 
felt of all his works for this 
combination of instruments. 
The Archduke Rudolph of 
Austria was one of Beethoven’s 
truest friends (and benefactor 
and also, for a time, his pupil), 
and Beethoven dedicated not 
only this trio but also nine other 
major works to him.

A member of the Los Angeles 
Philharmonic for over 30 years, 
Paul Stein is also an active 
performer and supporter of 
chamber music. He created 
the Chamber Music Express 
ensemble in 1985 to introduce 
classical music to audiences 
at schools and libraries. Stein 
is also the director of the 
chamber music series at the 
Arcadia Public Library and at 
the Pasadena Jewish Temple 
and Center. In addition to 
being a soloist with Pasadena 
Community Orchestra in two 
concerts, he has performed 
solos with the Los Angeles 
Philharmonic, the Glendale 
College Community Orchestra, 
and the Rio Hondo Symphony. 
Stein teaches violin and viola 
privately, and is on the faculties 
of Pasadena City College and 
Glendale College.

Mark Robson has been hailed 
by the Los Angeles Times as a 
pianist with great technique and 
“an inquiring mind,” and his 
multi-faceted career includes 
work as a soloist, chamber 
artist, composer, conductor, and 
teacher. Mr. Robson is equally 
comfortable in styles ranging 
from early music played on 
the harpsichord to Romantic 
and contemporary works for 
the piano and organ. One of 
his most formidable musical 
projects was the performance 
of the complete piano sonatas 
of Beethoven. After obtaining 
degrees from USC and Oberlin 
College, Robson studied 
extensively in Paris. He has 
been on the music staff of the 
Los Angeles Opera since 1991 
(as an assistant conductor and 
coach), and has taught at USC, 
Chapman University, and 
CalArts.

Paul Stein personally selected 
cellist Christopher Anh for this 
performance. Ahn, a native 
of Los Angeles, maintains an 
extremely active performance 
schedule while pursuing 
his Doctor of Musical Arts 
degree at UCLA. He most 
recently appeared as soloist 
with Pasadena Community 
Orchestra, performing the 
Schumann Cello Concerto 
in A Minor on January 25th. 
He has appeared in solo, 
chamber music, and orchestral 
performances across the U.S. 
and on four other continents. 
He has also studied and 
performed with some of the 
world’s finest string quartets 
and cello soloists.

Seating for this event is 
limited: RSVP by Wednesday, 
February 20th. For additional 
details, and to RSVP, please 
contact pcopublicity@gmail.
com, pcoemails@gmail.com, 
or 626.445.6708. This event is 
sponsored in part by Old Town 
Music, Julienne Fine Foods, 
Green Street Restaurant, Whole 
Foods & other local businesses.