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Tracking the last wild wolves of coastal British Columbia.

Holistic Naturalist &
Tracker Training

Shikari Logo.png
Kamana Logo.png
Connection Pathways is an official provider of the two original distance trainings designed by Arnaud's mentor Jon Young:  The Kamana Naturalist and Shikari Tracker Trainings

Kamana and Shikari

To this day, this remains the most powerful pathway we know to helping you reclaim your birthright of deep connection to the Earth. It is the path back to knowing the land and all the beings around us the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors did. We feel this knowledge and connection is essential to the physical and spiritual survival of human beings.

 

Whether you want to specialize in wildlife tracking and let the animals be your teachers, learn to read the concentric rings of nature through bird language, learn to gather the wild foods and medicines or learn survival skills and ancestral crafts, this method has been tested for decades and will lay a solid foundation for all of your naturalist endeavours. This path will also guide you towards a much deeper awareness and connection to life.

Coastal Wolf tracks, Wildcoast Trail, British Columbia
Grey Wolves remind us of an ancient time when people were a part of nature.

This is likely a good fit for you if...

  • You want deepen you knowledge of plants, trees, animals, birds, hazards, ecology and natural heritage

  • You want to know the land around you as well as you know your own bedroom

  • You feel a deep soul calling to be one with the natural world and feel a true sense of belonging to the Earth

  • You are ready to do your “dirt time” and put energy into your field time, journaling, mapping and research

  • You are open to exploring the spiritual side of deep nature connection

This is not likely a good fit for you if...

  • You are not interested in spending daily time in nature close to home

  • You are not willing to invest time into journaling, mapping and researching

  • You are looking for instant gratification

  • You think that only people from certain cultural backgrounds should connect with nature in this way

Kamana at a glance:

The Kamana Naturalist Training is divided into two trails: the Nature Awareness Trail and the Resource Trail. Each Kamana level is divided into a certain number of field packs you will upload for review by your mentor. Each field pack contains work from both trails and takes a minimum of 1 month to complete.

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The Nature Awareness Trail is centred around getting to know one place really well. You will be guided through an observation, journaling and mapping process that will skyrocket your knowledge of the place you live in. You will simultaneously be introduced to new core routines each month constantly expanding your awareness and deepen your connection.

 

The Resource Trail will introduce you to a journaling process that helps you see scientific research through the eyes of the hunter-gatherer and transform your nature field guides into wise elders always willing to teach you. You will learn to make book knowledge come alive through the eyes of the tracker.

 

Kamana 1 is an intro that takes a minimum of 14 days to complete, it is not required as a prerequisite to starting Kamana 2 if you know you're ready to commit to the routines. We recommend Kamana 1 if you want to try out this pathway to see if it's for you. Kamana 3 and 4 require the previous level as a pre-requisite. Kamana 2 is a pre-requisite for Shikari 1 though it is possible to work on both simultaneously in special cases.

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Learn more about the Kamana program and it's origins at Kamana.org

How It Works

This program was designed before the age of the internet. You get extensive course manuals in PDF format to print or view digitally. You'll receive more information upon registration.

 

The audio resources are in MP3 format. Once they we're CDs... and yes, before that, they were tapes! Do not let that fool you though, there is nothing out there in modern format that delivers what is delivered in these courses. The reason we've kept the old format is that these courses are so extensive that a reformat would be extremely time consuming. Also, there are still many people on this path who prefer this analog learning method!

 

All the mapping and journaling is done by hand though some of the journals can be typed if you choose. Back in the day, we would photocopy our journals and mail them in. Now, you will be scanning or taking photos of your work and uploading it to be viewed digitally.

 

Each bundle contains a certain number of field packs. Each time you complete one, you upload it. Arnaud then reviews your work and makes comments. When the review is done, you'll be notified and you book your mentoring call for that field pack.

Julia Tahiro, COLT director Strathcona Park Lodge and Kamana Student

Director of Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training at Strathcona Park Lodge, BC

Working through this process with Arnaud is providing me with a more embodied connection with the world around me. A quality that has really helped me as an outdoor educator in the way I show up for my students.

Mentoring Bundles

We offer Kamana with one on one mentoring support and online community. Though more expensive than the classic mail/email review, it is much more personalized and the completion rate is much higher. We offer payment plans to help spread out the investment for those who need it. Each mentoring bundle includes:

 

  • Digital Materials Download (You print and bind as you wish)

  • Audio Resources by Jon Young (digital download)

  • Field Pack reviews

  • 1 on 1 mentoring calls with Arnaud 

    • Booking Calendar is currently open on the following days (Pacific Time): Wednesdays 9am-2pm, Thursdays 6am-2pm, Saturdays 8am-1pm

  • A period of free access to the online community

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Each level of Kamana is also available without one on one mentoring calls. Though this is not the preferred option, it may be the only financial option for some. Click "learn more" for the program that interests you in the list below to see this pricing option. Shikari is only available with one on one mentoring.

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The mentoring services included in each bundle expire after a set period: 3 months for Kamana 1, 6 months for Kamana 2 and 1 year for Kamana 3/4 as well as Shikari 1. If you have haven't completed by the end of that period, you can extend your services by purchasing a membership to the Holistic Naturalist and Tracker Community. You can access the remainder of your field pack responses and one on one mentoring calls for an unlimited time beyond the expiry of your mentoring bundle as long as you remain a member of the community. The cost is low and the group mentoring has great value on it's own!

Shikari 1

The first part of shikari 1 is a series of exercises and teachings that will lay the foundation for your lifelong journey as holistic tracker. The second part is where you start to establish tracking routines, learn the journaling and mapping techniques and go on an epic treasure hunt to find the clear prints of 25 North American mammals. Shikari 1 focuses primarily on clear print ID. The holistic approach will also have you expand many other aspects of tracking and allows for you to grow, whatever your tracking experience is when you begin.

Much more lies beyond Shikari 1 and Kamana, you will discover this as you move through the journey.

The Holistic Naturalist & Tracker Online Community

There are two things we've identified that make the difference between completing Kamana/Shikari with all the powerful connections that get activated along the journey and letting binders collect dust on a shelf: Mentoring and Community.

 

The one on one mentoring provides deepening and further integration with the help of an experienced mentor. The online community offers a place to share stories, successes and blocks on the journey with other people on different stages of the journey. The online community includes:

 

  • 1 facilitated zoom call each month with people actively working on Kamana and Shikari on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 12pm Pacific Time

  • 1 facilitated zoom call each month with the whole Connection Pathways community on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 12pm Pacific Time

  • Access to our Naturalist/Tracker membership site which includes:

    • A peer mentoring group specific to Kamana and Shikari​

    • A group to share your nature stories with the greater community

    • Other bonus resources

 

You receive a free access period with each mentoring bundle. If you want to extend your membership beyond that period, this is the cost:

 

            $195 + HST Yearly

            $19.50 + HST Monthly

 

You must be engaged in Kamana or Shikari to join this community. You're also welcome to join if you had started Kamana through another organization. Contact us to join or renew.

Mikayla Kaminski, WOLF Kids instructor, Core Mentoring Student at Connection Pathways

Youth Nature Connection Mentor

I felt a real desire for longterm mentorship community and I am so happy I followed the call to join! The missions allow me to find and follow my authentic curiosities. I feel a sense of belonging to the community because we share common values, interests and the same delight in the wonders of life on Earth.

Still have questions about whether this is the right fit for you?

Kamana Statement of Intent

For those who know the recent history of the Kamana program or have concerns about cultural appropriation, please read this statement.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

By the end of the program you will have invested around $250 - $300 in field guides if you buy them all new. All field guides can be purchased online from any big distributor or you can support your local bookstore by ordering directly from them. Here's a list of field guides you need for each level:

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Field Guide Lists for North America

 

Kamana 1

 

  • Reader's Digest Guide to North American Wildlife

 

Kamana 2

 

  • Audubon's Society's Field Guide to Trees East or West (Peterson's is acceptable as well)

  • The Birder's Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds

  • Golden Guide to Insects (not needed if you have Peterson's)

  • Golden Guide to Pond Life

  • Golden Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians (not needed if you have Peterson's)

  • Peterson's Field Guide to Animal Track (not needed if you have Mark Elbroch's Mammal Tracks & Sign)

  • Sibley's Guide to Birds for your area (Peterson's is acceptable but Sibley's is better)

  • Peterson's Field Guide to Mammals

  • Peterson's Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants

  • Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers for your area (Not needed if you have a good local plant guide)

 

Kamana 3

 

  • A good local plant guide

  • Skeleton (An Eyewitness Book, if you can find it)

  • Peterson's Guide to Edible Plants or Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada (Lone Pine Editions)

  • Peterson's Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs East or West

  • Skulls and Bones by Searfross

  • A thorough College level Biology textbook if you can find one (The internet can also be a replacement for this)

 

Kamana 4

 

  • Stoke's Animal Tracking & Behaviour

  • Peterson's Reptiles and Amphibians for your region

  • Peterson's Guide to Forests for your region

  • American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits (Martin & Nelson)

 

Shikari 1

 

  • Mammal Tracks and Sign by Mark Elbroch

  • Peterson's Reference Guide to Behaviour of North American Mammals (Elbroch) – Optional but really helpful

 

Recommended Apps for all levels

 

  • Audubon Birds or Merlin Bird ID (both free)

  • Itrack Nature Pro by Jona Evans (about $20 one time fee)

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Thanks for your inquiry.  We be in touch within 1-2 business days.

CONTACT

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or require clarification.

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