Have you ever thought about taking a trip into the past? If so, which era would you choose to land in first?
How about the days of Robin Hood with his merry men and the evil sherrif of Nottingham? You could find out for sure if there really was a Robin Hood. How about King Arthur and the knights of the round table with all the pretty maidens and Knights in shining armor jousting around and quaffing ale (or what ever they quaffed)? Again, you could settle the question for certain that King Arthur was a real guy and did have a fairly round table. Or maybe ride along with Marco Polo as he went traipsing across the world of his day. It would be fun, or at least very interesting.
Or how about this, for those who love the sea... Would you have shipped out with Columbus on one of those tiny boats into the unknown? Or wouldn't it have been great to have been on board one of Lord Nelson's war ships when they met the Spanish Armada? Maybe you could drop in on ole Dan'el Boone and go 'splorin' through early America, with only a flint lock rifle and a good knife fer pertection against Indians and barrs and stuff.
Or maybe you would like to step back into the middle 1800's and live on a plantation and go to a really fancy ball and possibly meet Scarlet O'Hara. Well, we can't do time travel yet, but we can come close at times.
That is the main motivation of reenactors of history. We can recreate, at least for a weekend, some of the atmosphere of a past era. We can let our imagination run wild and sometimes for just a few moments we can make ourselves believe we have actually turned the clock back. What a wonderful feeling that is even if it lasts just a few moments. We Confederate reenactors call this "a Confederate moment."
When one is surrounded with the sights and sounds and smells of that bygone day, it makes it come to life and it is nice while it lasts. Try it some time. If you have entertained thoughts of slipping the surly bonds of time you will find a wonderful kinship with those of us who participate in this hobby.
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Tales From a Texan
Dale Roberts
About Me
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- Dale Roberts
- Author of "Tales of Travis Hawkins McCleod," a novel set in the War Between the States. I am an old codger, native of Texas though I have lived all over the western part of the U.S. I have a wonderful wife and five grown children and ten grandchildren. Very definitely a family man.
3 comments:
Anyone who is a history buff should consider taking up reenacting, even if you only go to a couple each year. Hanging out all weekend with fellow enthusiasts in not only fun, but you learn something each time. Hands-on history is a great way to dig deeper into whatever interests you and a reenactment is very hands-on. I think that Dale's book is more authentic than most just because he has had the hands-on experience that reenacting has given him.
I've always wanted to travel in time back to the glory days of the British navy... comes from reading too much Horatio Hornblower, I expect. However, I suspect I would be seasick the entire time. So reenacting on terra firma is going to have to be my time travel fun, I guess!
It's so much fun to actually "live" history for a couple days. It brings the people and their times to life in ways that a boring old book just can't accomplish.
I'm not much into the adventuresome times in history. I want to step into Jane Austen's sheltered and refined world. I wonder if there are English Regency and Victorian period reenactments that focus on a more pastoral life. (I think I'll have to "google" that and see). Do reenactments require a specific historical event or just a time period?
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