Aneirin
Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006 From: Tamaris Status: offline
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Looking on the youtube for video material about renn fires, they look a whole lot of fun, the emphasis being on fun, not authenticity. Authenticity was the bugbear of British re-enactment societies, everything had to be correct and authentic to six feet, (this being the distance something should look ''correct'' at when being viewed by another). Other societies, one I started, back in my sad days, were authentic as near as is humanly possible, we learned the skills and recreated the kit, it looked good, but was looking back, kind of anal. At the time, it was about looking good for the English Heritage mob, so we could ensure future bookings, maybe even payment, or at least expenses, but it was all kind of boring in a way, we were more educators than people out to have fun. The only events which I feel might come somewhere near to the renn faire, is the pagan camps I used to attend, where it was fun, and fun with a capital ''F'', it being more a free for all with people, campers who were of the fringe set, not the general public. Stuff like multi period circle of treachery, some unclothed battling, getting pie eyed around camp fires drinking home brew wine, the musicians, playing what they brought, drums, lyres, whistles, (always a strong Irish flavour to the music) and then the dancers, wild and naked, dancing to drums and leaping the flames, always a good entertainment. It was in Battle Re-enactment I first came across the Gorean, and did think at the time, perhaps some people were taking things a little too seriously, myself not being aware of Gor at the time aside from a vague name on a book with a wonderous often Vallejo painted cover. But other things that went on at pagan camps, there I saw elements of such that I now know are included under the umbrella of BDSM. So, yep, I would say anything '' fringe'',, bdsm activity practioners, will be found, as it is those that are willing to devote their spare time to dressing up like a plum and living an alternative life, are free enough in themselves to be expressive of themselves and we all know freedom of expression is an indicator of a free'er person, and adults playing fantasy games is freedo of expression, and good for us.
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Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone
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