"Take a look at us, take your time…

this may be what you have been looking for".

Good day,

Check us out, look us over. We have no “agenda”, other than fulfilling our primary purpose of getting out on the ground under open skies like our ancestors did. There are other fine organizations dedicated to the same purpose. We all want to shine, but the North American Frontiersmen are determined not to take ourselves so seriously that internal conflicts overshadow the basic human satisfaction of getting close to mother nature. We are embarked on a bold enterprise, to see if a fellowship’s affairs can be so regulated as to eliminate controversy and antagonism, thus allowing members to remain active on the basis of actual interest rather than monetary payment. We have created a basic set of standards that we hope will endure, but our intention is to reach for excellence rather than create commandments. Our leaders exist only to serve the Association, not to rule. By remaining focused on our primary purpose, we believe we can operate our Association using our mutual efforts and co-operation, allowing each to contribute according to their ability, relying only on sign-up fees to cover our minimal expenses. Only time will tell if we can avoid the problems experienced by other groups, but we are going to see how far we can journey based on good will and mutual respect.

If you have read our other statements, you will know that we are not reenactors or festival-goers, but a survival minded association dealing with today's situations in our own way - the 1750 to 1843 time periods.

Several of the “old guard” whose founding efforts launched existing associations, organizations and clubs have reappeared and are in the process of starting anew, with every hope of learning from their prior experiences. Many of us feel a renewed interest that we thought had been eaten away. If you want to join us in our journey, read on. We see ourselves as yet another means to enjoy the best that primitive recreation can offer; we encourage memberships in multiple groups and the resulting cross-pollination of good ideas.

Like other such organizations, we have created “Requirements” that define the abilities expected at various membership levels. We have tried to shape these requirements to reflect actual experience, whether gained within our ranks or in prior activities. We have created a Council of Elders whose sole purpose is to judge a prospect on their demonstrated abilities. In many cases, members of other Associations will find that their skills allow them to enter the NAF at a similar level. Others, especially those newer to our activities, will benefit from the same close sponsorship and guidance that has worked in other organizations. Our levels of membership are shown below, and described in the Bylaws.

Give it some thought after looking us over. If you know others of like mind that would be interested, please pass the word. All are welcome, no matter what your expertise level is -- we all had to take a first step to start on this journey.

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North American Frontiersmen

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