Living History

We’ve all seen things that take us right out of the moment when witnessing Living History, this week we talk about some of our pet peeves, those items that, for us, are real show stoppers, including:
• Modern clothes, shoes and jewelry
• Modern piercings, tattoos and hair colors/styles
• Actions and words, politicizing, talking about your personal life,  smoking a cigarette
• Furniture and items like coolers, sleeping bags, toiletries, vehicles, porta-a-potties, ATMs, cameras, cellphones
• Food containers like beverage containers, plastic bags and wrappers, and vendor purchased items

Musical Interlude: Tribe of the Lost Road by Ensemble Davuli off their album The Wandering Drum

Download: Show Stoppers

This week, episode 33, Alena and Stephen follow up the episode on Minutiae with by talking about reenacting and interacting the larger objects. They tackle big topics like:
•    Shelter: from Houses and environments to tents and other portable homes
•    Furniture: camp furniture, common furniture and a reading from Home by Witold Rybczynski
•    Storage: humans collect stuff, and have found myriad ways through the years of storing it all
•    Vehicles: both historical and modern transport concerns
•    Animals: adding animals to a portrayal, working with heritage breeds, dealing with the public.

Musical Interlude: Greensleeves performed by Renaissonics

Download: The Big Stuff

Thanks to all of you out there listening to the Living History Podcast and giving us feedback! In this week’s episode, number 31, we address some of the questions and comments we’ve received since we started the podcast including:

• What has been most surprising about doing the podcast?
• Providing more details as a part of our podcasts
• There is no such thing as a stupid tourist question
• Great tips for event survival
• Some unique living history terminology
• Is the human race loosing valuable skills to the detriment of us all?
• School Event restrictions
• Reenacting military life as a family, specifically gender disparities in more modern military reenactments
• How does the Renaissance Faire relate to Living History?
• What is our list of small items we still want (including an update on our chamber pot situation)
• Reenacting in order to show respect for those who lived in the time we are representing.

Musical Interlude: Jamie Raeburn’s Farewell by Tourdion

Download: Listener Feedback
Listen here  

Rachel in the offices of Skirmish Magazine

Stephen had a chance this week to speak via Skype with Rachel Evans of Skirmish Magazine from her office in the UK. Despite some occasional sound issues, they worked through it all to discuss, amongst other things:
- How Rachel got involved in Living History
- Skirmish Magazine – producing a publication for all areas of the LH community
- Public versus Private events
- Battlefield preservation
- Other magazines with a historical focus that Rachel edits
This episode is a little longer, but we felt worth presenting straight through.

Musical Interlude – Solveig performed by Saor Patrol,  off the CD: Skirmish Presents All in Tune with History

Download: Interview with Rachel Evans

Rachel looking all Historical

This week we finish up Alena’s interview with Kelsey Freeman, blogger and female reenactor in a male dominated reenacting world. In this the second half of  their interview they discuss:
• Kelsey’s impression of reenactors and the reenacting community
• Her Ural motorcycle
• Packing light, reenacting with less stuff
• Women in reenacting

Musical Interlude: In the Blindage
Download: Interview with Kelsey Freeman, pt 2
Listen here