I am not a Native American, but I greatly admire the ancients' ability to live off the land. They had no metal tools, and not only survived on what they could make, kill, or find, but prospered in every climate zone on this continent.
I'd like to add that most likely they did not walk away from home without equipment...
Making knives, rope and so on is tedious. You make that in your home and you remember to bring that precious minimum gear with you when you leave home. That is what I would expect skilled outdoor people to no matter when and where they live or lived. They would never be "naked in the woods" (without knife and so on).
I think the "naked in the woods" scenarios are useful because nowadays there are A LOT of people wandering off without any plan what so ever in the event they're forced to stay the night outside. Discussing that scenario you realize what difference just a minimum bit of equipment can make in that situation - you DO NOT want to be naked in the woods, and it does not really take a huge backpack to prevent it.
Primitive skills have their time and place - but I'm all for combining fire bow drill with carrying a lighter, cordage making with synthetic cord and so on.
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