Rain Hall stands in front of a green hill, wearing a buckskin outfit they crafted

Why do Earthskills Matter? An Interview with Rain Hall

Meet Rain Hall, a Firefly Gathering instructor and buckskin expert. Discover their journey, passion for earthskills, and why Firefly Gathering holds a special place in their heart.

“Practice living your life with kindness and firmness, move through the world with love and gratitude in your heart.”

Meet Rain Hall, a well seasoned Firefly instructor and close friend to the earthskills community. Rain has been teaching Firefly Perennial Workshops for the past 5 years, and sharing their hide tanning experience and flare for creating beautiful, practical, everyday-use items at Firefly for over 8 years.

Rain just hosted this year’s Buckskin Sewing: Tiny Treasures Bag Perennial Workshop, so we spent some time with Rain to learn more about why they feel that continuing the tradition of teaching earthskills is important and how to get into earthskills if you’re interested in exploring the culture. Check out what Rain had to say in the conversation below.

If you missed the Buckskin Workshop and you’re interested in meeting and learning from Rain, join us at the Annual Firefly Gathering from July 8 – 13th in Green Mountain. 

 Read on for the interview with Rain Hall!

What skills do you primarily teach, and how long have you been teaching them?

I mostly teach brain tan style buckskin hide tanning as well as how to sew and craft with buckskin, leather and furry creature hides. I craft projects for classes ranging from small buckskin bags, belt pouches, fanny packs, and moccasins. My buckskin sewing class always includes basic patterning skills, use of proper hide tanning and buckskin tools, understanding the nature of hide materials, and a few different stitches and how to apply them. Students leave with their own project, made with their own hands. In addition, I also offer consultations and guidance on sewing, pattering, and adjusting buckskin clothing and more!

How did you first become interested in skinning hides, tanning and crafting with buckskin?

I was about 11 years old, at my family’s fish camp outside of Nome, Alaska, when I found a dead beaver floating in our pond. Some trouble-making youth had shot it and just left it there. I asked my Grandpa if I could skin it. He gave me a knife and a bit of guidance and left me to it. That was the first animal I ever skinned. I think seeing the waste, even at a young age, inspired and positively affected my future self.

What draws you to teach hide tanning and buckskin crafting?

There are many things in life that can bring you connection with your ancestors and the natural world around us. In hide tanning, I feel that connection deeply. Although I never got the chance to learn directly from my family, I’m only a few generations away from sewing walrus skin boats. I know that there must have been some really great hide tanners and sewers in my family line, and I am proud to honor them with my skills and share them with the community. Hide Tanning and how to craft with hides is an art that is becoming lost in the modern culture of life. Working with a raw animal skin and seeing it transform to a soft luxurious material really brings animal processing full circle and brings honor to the spirit of the animal and connection for all.

A crowd of people at an outdoor festival gather around a plant as an elderly man teaches them about the plant

Why is it important for people to do Earthskills? Why should someone do this skill?

Earthskills are life skills. The basic life skills we were never taught. It’s not too late to learn!

I consider Hide Tanning and sewing to be one of the core skills. Humans have been doing this for sooooo long in so many cultures spread so far and wide, that you can find a method of preserving and using hides on every populated continent from a very early time. Did I mention it is a great way to connect with those that came before us and the animals and spirits still among us? I encourage everyone to try hide tanning.


How did you first come to/hear about Firefly?

Piedmont Earthskills used to take place 12 miles down the road from me. I was very skeptical, not sure if it was for me, so I stopped in one night to see what it was like. I was sold immediately on these earthskills gatherings and the people, the community, the skills. From there, I heard about the Firefly Gathering and was determined to go. The following Firefly was my very first gathering. I did a work trade in the kitchen. This was over 10 years ago.

What does The Firefly Gathering in particular mean to you?

I really really appreciate the direction of growth The Firefly Gathering has taken over the years. I see the care they project and the effort they put into decolonizing earthskills and building of systems for things like cultural appropriation, emphasis and awareness on using pronouns, creating safer spaces for the global majority folks in attendance, and overall striving for inclusivity. These things included in earthskills gatherings really stand out to me. FireFly Gathering holds a soft place in my heart.

What is it about teaching that compels you? Why that skill, in particular?

My grandmother and father were both public school teachers and my teachers in high school thought I would make a great teacher. It’s funny thinking back to find myself influenced by them and now teaching skills that I identify with and love so much. Buckskin Hide Tanning, sewing and crafting have become my specialty; I’ve been doing it since I was a kid so I have skills and the confidence to show up as an Indigenous Female Hide Tanner.

How long have you been living this lifestyle? Was there an “Ah-ha” moment for you? Or was your upbringing a lot like your life now?

I have been living this homestead/camp subsistence lifestyle for over a decade, maybe 12 or 13 years now. My upbringing reflects this lifestyle in many ways. From growing up with Inupiaq culture and elders to traveling across the country camping with my family, I was exposed to alternative lifestyles from an early age. When I was 14, my birthday present was a campsite in my backyard. Yeah I think this lifestyle suits me and maybe always has.

Why is the earthskills movement and Earthskills Gatherings important to you now?

When I first got into this earthskills community, I found my people. Seeing all these highly skilled humans and all the folks ready to learn was life changing and inspiring. That there were even so many folks with shared interests to connect with blew my mind. This still holds true to this day. The earthskills movement and Gatherings are important to me because they represent the lifestyle and change and reconnection back to the roots that I strive for in my life and would like to see in the world.

My favorite memory of every Annual Firefly in the past few years is the feeling of being honored, supported, lifted up, and recognized for my skills and as a human.

What are some upcoming classes or events that you’d like us to highlight:

I will be teaching a few beginners buckskin sewing classes and one intermediate bring your own buckskin project class for guidance at Florida Earthskills this Feb.

Interested in hide tanning? Take a class with my friend Mel!

Florida Earthskills, O’brien, Florida Feb 18-23

9

WRITTEN BY

Firefly Gathering

Share This Post

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email

MORE FROM OUR BLOG

Stay Connected

Subscribe to our Newsletter for updates on all things Firefly, such as Perennial Workshops, Book Nook, and Annual Gathering News.

Stay Connected

Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on all things Firefly, including Perennial Workshops, Firefly's Book Nook, and Annual Gathering News.

Lily Harlin

Bookkeeper

Lily is an artist, creator, and dreamer. Since a very young age, she has been immersed in the natural world and draws heavy inspiration from the wild. Though her medium changes frequently, Lily’s art and expression always incorporate an element of the organic and unpredictable. She got her associate in fine arts in 2023, and now volunteers at her school as a ceramic studio monitor. She hopes to open a studio of her own one day to have a place to teach and inspire others. In addition to doing commission work, Lily has been creating many graphics for The Firefly Gathering since 2019. Lily grew up in the Earthskills community from the time she was eight years old, so having the opportunity to grow and give back in so many ways has been incredibly fulfilling. No matter where she ends up, this group of people and ideas will always hold a special place in her heart.