Historical interpreters' thread

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Note the buckle! 

Minus the war hat, you could fit in with the Dark Prince movie of Vlad. Walachia isn't that far away....

Might have to ditch the "thunder" stick though......

[Poldugarian Warrior]

Yeah, that's one of my favorite pieces because I not only wear it at faire, but when I go out on the weekends. I usually wear glasses, I just took them off this time since I wanted a more period photo. I carry the bow/ "thunder" stick because believe it or not the Hungarians were some of the best archers from horseback and on the ground. I had an article that told of the English actually paying Hungarian mercenary archers to fight battles in France. And the war hat is typical of archers. I had a teenager at Pyramid leather ask me if I was a Byzantine Archer, I took that as a compliment and told him he was pretty close and told him that he had studied his history well. But, I'm a Hungarian Archer. Then we got to talking about the history and what not, and other people listened and it was great. His girlfriend was even impressed, saying to him "See how smart you are" so I guess I might've helped him (clears throat) get some that day. We're not going to get into what "some" his here, that's for John's Inn, but you see history at faire should be shared more often than not and in a more assembly like setting. Just a last question, why do they call it a "thunder" stick? Most bows are quiet. Or did you think it was a wizard staff. which would make total sense because most wizards cast lightning bolts.

[groomporter]

I too have always had a positive experience though because like you I go in garb and know the history. The only thing is I don't want to explain too long if I'am boring them with facts they don't really care about, or hold up their time from doing something else. Just I think the majority of people there are there not to learn, which is a shame because there is much history to be learned, just by talking to the craftsmen/women, performers, and evryone in garb usually knows a little bit or can point the way to someone who does. So all in all, it's great, but I don't see a large group of people going to faire to learn history.

I think we're in agreement here. That's exactly why I started this thread -to have a place to discuss the techniques used by interpreters at living history museums that help bring history to life rather than being boring book reading and memorizing dates.

As I said in the first post of this thread I know Renfairs are not historic sites, and they don't need to be, but there is a niche for educational aspects at most fairs and it's worth talking about how to best fill that niche, and sharing the existing techniques and terminology that can be borrowed from historic sites.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

My apologies GP, I thought we were alluding to the possibilities of being something like "Nomadic History Monks" in a sea of the unknowing. 

PDH-Warrior; I was referring to the firearm on your hip.

[Poldugarian Warrior]

Oh, I get it. It's a wheel-lock so it's period. And did you know that by the 1500's The Polish and Hungarian were carrying large pistols in holsters on their saddles. I too thought pistols weren't period until the late 1600's to 1700's-present. Most soldiers in those armies were well paid, or the king was willing to shell out the gold for his army to be equipped with pistols. So that's why I started to carry it for that reason so somebody at faire would ask and I could tell them. And they always ask.

I say they need to set up a large stage with tables lined with all various weapons, tools, and clothing of the renaissance, and they would be secured to the table so that they could be viewed and the person(s) standing behind the table as opposed to trying to sell these items would explain each one's design, and how it was used to effectiveness and what nationality used it and in what years. So not only does the patron come into faire and see the items they now know what they are called, who uses them,and what years they were used in. They could even set up a small or large depending on the faire's pocket book a living history setup with live animals to exhibit how wool is made, the daily meals, beer,wine,mead,cheese,. And the blacksmith  and an armorer. and carpenter. Maybe like a museum dedicated to the renaissance that can give a good summary of what life was like back then. On-site. And with so much innovation now you could allow food and drink in the museum and that would be more appealing to patrons as well and it could be air-conditioned a good respite from a hot day at faire. And architecture is so good now they could make the building look renaissance so there would be no reason to move it away from the sight of patrons at faire where some would loose the period feeling if the museum looked otherwise. And it could be open all year round so that the faire can make money for the big summer faire season.
That's just a few of my ideas on how to get renaissance history out to the masses at faire.

[groomporter]

My apologies GP, I thought we were alluding to the possibilities of being something like "Nomadic History Monks" in a sea of the unknowing. 

No problem.
To let you know where I'm coming from, I started out at MNRF with a Scottish living history group ( http://clanntartan.org ) that was founded by people who were interpreters at a local historic site, so we always had a heavy educational focus to what we did, and I've held on to the belief that Renfairs are primarily entertainment, but can include some educational bits and do have some room to be a bit more historically accurate without losing their entertainment/party atmosphere

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

I say they need to set up a large stage with tables lined with all various weapons, tools, and clothing of the renaissance, and they would be secured to the table so that they could be viewed and the person(s) standing behind the table as opposed to trying to sell these items would explain each one's design, and how it was used to effectiveness and what nationality used it and in what years. So not only does the patron come into faire and see the items they now know what they are called, who uses them,and what years they were used in. They could even set up a small or large depending on the faire's pocket book a living history setup with live animals to exhibit how wool is made, the daily meals, beer,wine,mead,cheese,. And the blacksmith  and an armorer. and carpenter. Maybe like a museum dedicated to the renaissance that can give a good summary of what life was like back then. On-site. And with so much innovation now you could allow food and drink in the museum and that would be more appealing to patrons as well and it could be air-conditioned a good respite from a hot day at faire. And architecture is so good now they could make the building look renaissance so there would be no reason to move it away from the sight of patrons at faire where some would loose the period feeling if the museum looked otherwise. And it could be open all year round so that the faire can make money for the big summer faire season.
That's just a few of my ideas on how to get renaissance history out to the masses at faire.

Great idea, but I think that might only work at large established faires with the room available. I saw at the SoCal faire they had booths like that for Iron smiths, but nothing of the sort in GA. Smaller faires I believe have SCA groups that occasionally show up for this sort of work.  

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

No problem.
To let you know where I'm coming from, I started out at MNRF with a Scottish living history group ( http://clanntartan.org ) that was founded by people who were interpreters at a local historic site, so we always had a heavy educational focus to what we did, and I've held on to the belief that Renfairs are primarily entertainment, but can include some educational bits and do have some room to be a bit more historically accurate without losing their entertainment/party atmosphere

Got it! And I do agree. 

[Poldugarian Warrior]

Thanks Warrior. groomporter is right though, even though renfairs are setup for entertainment. Some educational shows should be included. Sort of like, remember the show ConQuest on the History channel, well if they did that sort of weapons demonstration at faire. I think alot of people would be entertained and educated even though they wouldn't know it. Here at MiRF they have a Viking/medieval re-enactment group show up which is good, but not renaissance. What they really need to do in this country is build a large re-enactment center of the renaissance period like they have  supposedly going up in Colorado. They already have Williamsburg and Greenfield Village,but those only show the living of people in the 17-19th centuries. And as we all know live in the renaissance was entirely different than life in the 17th century. Well, I have nothing more to add this day. I must be off to sleep have work tonight.

[groomporter]

They could even set up a small or large depending on the faire's pocket book a living history setup with live animals to exhibit how wool is made, the daily meals, beer,wine,mead,cheese,. And the blacksmith  and an armorer. and carpenter.

That's kind of what my old Scottish group does. We would market ourselves as "a portable historic site." but we kind of out-grew MNRF both in our membership size and the fest's willingness to pay for "environmental stages"/living history displays.

In discussing similar ideas people have brought up a concern that having an accurate living history area on a fair site has the potential to be divisive among the cast in terms of potential things holier-than-thou attitudes and cliques ("we're 'historians' and better than you performers" versus "all you do is sit in your area all day and don't really entertain people" attitudes).

[groomporter]

Off to get some work done for a change, a pleasure discussing it
TTFN

[AnyuBoo]

Wow, I go off to get a bit of housework done and come back to nearly a page of more comments.     Thanks for posting that pic, and I'm going to check and see if the library has or can get those books.  I only have a few books that deal with Hungarian history, and they only really offer a summary, they don't go in-depth.

I have been to MIRF, it's our "home faire".  We'll be there again this year, so I'll check out Pyramid Leather.  I've never really seen the old Magyars' armour...I'm more familiar with the more ordinary clothing they wore, and with the more modern warriors, the Hussars.   

[Poldugarian Warrior]

Yes, evryone knows about the Hussars, which most were from Germany, but Poland and Hungary had them too, also the Cossacks if you've heard of them also existed in these countries. Magyar armor is quite fancy, but very functional since it's light and offers the wearer much more movement. of course, it's leather so not very good against rapiers and bows/crossbows, but broads swords and the like the leather holds up quite well. You'll also notice as you do more research that towards the renaissance the style of clothign worn by lords was a lot like middle eastern by having a large robe and pants not tights, and the hair was cut short not long like in Northern and western Europe. And the armor and clothing is very fancy and well adorned, unless used regularly in combat or evry day wear.

A movie to watch for research about Hungarians/Turks is Taras Bulba with Tony Curtis and Yule Brenner, it's not all that bad for a period movie made during I think was the late 50's early 60's.

[groomporter]

Not so much historical interpreting , but here's a look at street acting and improv at Renfairs
http://www.renfaire.com/Acting/index.html

[sealion]

I wish the faires/festivals in my area would put more effort in to historical demonstrations. Viking encampments and gypsy belly dancer camps don't cut it. What I enjoyed most about my first visit to Bristol this summer were the presentations on period medicine, weaponry, and fashions (of the middle class as well as the nobles). I go to faires to have fun but learning is fun too!