Magickal Brain Tanning
This class will show you all of the steps to turn a raw meaty sheep or goat hide into strong, supple, velvety leather using only brains, smoke, and water. This methodology can easily be applied to any skin, including furs.
Reclaiming the ability to make our own clothing, bedding, rugs, and more is bigger than part of taking back our sovereignty. It is an act of remembrance, of love and devotion to these animals and to our ancestors who walked this path. It is a step towards creating a life that doesn’t rely on industrial resource extraction and slaves in other countries. It is a way to take responsibility for your needs without contributing to horrific amounts of pollution, destruction, global trade systems, and the Empire. AND it is completely pure- no chemicals, no formaldehyde, no nasty neurotoxins and EDC’s leaching into your skin poisoning our bodies and the land.
The history of brain/oil tanning is beautiful, and we will explore the depths of ethnographical evidence of this way of leather making from around the world, including our specific ancestral lineages. Many cultures employed animal skins for shapeshifting and other magicks, and we will delve into what we know of these occult practices.
As animists, we will share our unique ways of asking different plants, minerals, other animals, elementals, and more to help infuse our process with specific attributes and medicine, taking the traditional brain tanning method further by calling in more of the wild world.
Each person will take home a finished brain tan hide.
Buckskin isn’t only about creating a beautiful hide in the ways of old. It is about exploring our relationship to the animal world, what we have to offer them, and the alchemical transformations in ourselves and our practice that happens when we dedicate ourselves in this way. We will employ song and story to help traverse the mythic realms of sheep and goat, our ancestral connections and leathercraft, weaving webs of mystery and indebtedness across the ether of our being.
Harmony has been teaching brain tanning classes for about a decade, and has tanned almost everything from rats to buffalo. She has spent time travelling in Sweden, England, The Isle of Mann, and Ireland, researching the skincraft traditions of her ancestors in order to help heal the fracture of these skills. She is grateful to have studied and learned from many elder teachers and is excited to share the synthesis of her years of dedication with anyone willing to help keep these skills alive.
Class Includes:
3.5 days of hands-on instruction with Harmony Cronin
One dinner a day (lunch on Monday) will be provided by Sarah Bellum
On site rustic camping
Take home you finished hide!
Tuition - Sliding Scale $650-1500 (50.00 discount if you have your own hide from our slaughter class! 25.00 discount if you have your own hide from elsewhere)
A non-refundable deposit of 400.00 is required to hold your spot
Email us at gatheringwaysschool@gmail.com to register.