Reflections on our first 6 years

Setting aside the very sad loss of one of our members, 2007 was, for many reasons, the best year the Association had been through since the early ‘honeymoon’ days when we were the toast of the re-enacting circuit.

When first set up we were conscious of the fact that we had very little equipment. With most commercial items lacking in appropriate levels of authenticity and our own research being very much in its infancy, we were unsuited to the traditional re-enactment display that essentially involved us doing our thing and the public ‘peering in’ to the past. So we made a decision. Break that invisible barrier between us and the public, actively engage them in conversation and hope they would not notice the limited kit we had!

It worked, far better than we could have anticipated. Most visitors to re-enactment shows want to share in the experience. They see historical representations on the TV and films and see events very much like a real life film experience. Which is not a bad thing at all.

As an example of this, just a few years ago whilst setting things up for an event the day before it began, we were asked to do a bit of mock combat and pieces to camera to support a show we were attending. It subsequently went out on the local, evening news and the next day, surrounded by the public, one of the hoplites noticed a chap at the back who had been standing, watching the display and discussions quietly for some considerable time.

Reacting to out motto – if it has a pulse, talk to it – the chap was asked if there was anything he would like to know or look at. “No”, he said, “I’m fine thank you….. I saw you on the TV last night….…you are the reason I am here… never been to anything like this before… it’s great isn’t it!”

That same chap re-appeared at the same event the following year and popped over to say hello.

Why the story, well we have a lot of people who pop back to say hello. They feel comfy talking with us, they clearly enjoy the experience and there is an element of belonging and, dare it be said, friendship that makes a lot of what we do worth while. Believe it or not, we also remember the vast majority of the faces as well and to see them return leaves an equally good feeling with us too.

At Military Odyssey, the largest multi period event in the world, from 5 events attended we won the cup for Best Public Interaction 3 times. No mean feat when you consider the quality of many of the groups out there. That is a visual sign of the level of quality and professionalism members strive to achieve and brings us back to 2007. So why was it so good?

Well we have addressed the shortfall in equipment and our levels of authenticity continue to improve. Not perfect, we never expect it to be, but certainly above average and climbing. We have ended the year in three books in one shape or form, the latter having illustrations that have, unquestionably, used the Association members as source models for the illustrations. That, in itself, is another tribute.

Our living history display has developed exponentially. Against a total lack of evidence for the shape and style of ancient Greek tents we have fallen back on ‘creative interpretism’ – you need tents for re-enacting in the UK! But that has paid dividends as it has been done carefully and with sympathy for the period. We don’t claim provenance or accuracy, but we have enhanced the feel of the time and that, after all, is at the heart of creative archaeology.

2007 has also seen, for the first time in a while, a large increase in membership enquiries. At every outing we received enquiries and subsequent members…even our AGM! Hopefully, we will start to see the benefit of that in 2008.

Who are you calling a Scythian dog???