As members of the Society for Creative Anachronism we tend to revere history; after all, we are recreating the past. Without knowing the past, we cannot learn from it, be inspired by it, or recreate it.
But what about the history more close to home; the history of the group we play in? Do you know the history? Do you remember?
When we preserve our local history we immortalize great deeds, teach important lessons, help others form spectacular ideas, and remember those that are no longer with us.
Preserving your local history can be a challenge but it can also be a wonderful experience as well. The key to making it happen is to knowing how to start; specifically by knowing what you are looking for and where to find it.
What You Are Looking For
Photographs. The saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words" is very apt; photographs are a singular historical item that conveys a lot of information about an event or activity such as what was going on and who was there. Additionally, photographs help nudge the memories of others in ways that written words cannot. Therefore, finding pictures from events becomes one of the best types of historical data for your group.
With the advent of the affordable digital camera; photographs are much easier to come by than they were in the past. With that being said; the further back you research your group the less likely you are to find photographs of people or events.
Event Copies and Reports. These two textual documents are vital in your search for history, and one of them is more rare than the other. The event copy gives you dates, activities that were planned to happen, why they are happening, and who the autocrat was. This is the basic information needed when creating a historical account of an event.
The rare and elusive event report, usually crafted by the autocrat at the conclusion of an event, has even more information and could be considered far more valuable in you quest to preserve history. The event report usually tells exactly what happened, what awards were given out and their recipients, and other tidbits of information that can be used to fill out a historical entry.
Officer Reports. Some officer reports contain a wealth of information and it is important to know which ones can be more helpful than others. The key reports you should be looking for are from the Baron and Baroness, the Herald, and to some extent the Chatelaine. In all reality, all officer reports are useful; but those listed tend to have information that can be utilized easily.
Another type of officer report is the notes from the group's business meetings which can contain a wealth of information should you find them.
Reports provide information on awards that have been given, new people who came into the group, new law changes, projects worked on and completed, and a wide variety of other useful information needed to complete a historical record.
Some officer reports may not have exact information that you need. In that case, they will give you clues as to what happened at events; but you will have to extrapolate the information and determine where else to find what you are looking for.
People's Memories. The hardest item to get, but the most valuable of all; even trumping the value of photographs. Memories are considered gold to a historian; providing details and filling in gaps that are usually found in vast sections of any history. Collecting memories can prove extremely difficult and may not be a completely accurate account of events; but when coupled with other data and factual information can be an amazing resource.
Where To Find the Information
Your Local Newsletter. Believe it or not, your newsletter is the first place you should look for historical data. The newsletter will have, if nothing else, event copies that can get you started. If you are lucky you may even find pictures and event reports that will help you out even more.
Your newsletter may or may not be easy to find. In some cases digital copies exist. You will want to contact the current Chronicler for your group to find the newsletters. Additionally, your group's newsletters may have been archived with the Society Archivist who may be able to assist you in finding a missing edition.
Your E-mail Group and Facebook. Searching the two most often used communication avenues for a group can be daunting, and in all honesty, it can be difficult. However, people tend to put a wealth of information on both Facebook and the e-mail groups that is just waiting to be found with a little bit of time and effort.
Your Kingdom's History Page. Many Kingdoms have websites that contain the history of the kingdom and the subgroups associated with it. These sites can have basic information on events, listings of pictures of events and people, and basic recorded history of the different groups.
Kingdom-level history pages are wonderful in certain aspects. Usually, the information provided for your local group is basic; sometimes it can be nonexistent. The Kingdom Historians rely on people submitting information rather than finding it in most cases; and as such, those accounts may not have all the information you are looking for, but is a great place to look nonetheless.
The Internet. Some websites or SCA news aggregates; such as SCAtoday, have an amazing amount of information if you are willing to spend some time looking. These websites can be as simple as a small event copy from last month, to an extravagant back story (complete with resources and photographs) about an event that happened fifteen years ago. You never know what you will find until you start looking.
Other People. Asking others about past events or activities can be extremely helpful and works better than you might think. A lot of people remember bits and pieces about events; your task is to help them remember and record it. Talk with them at events, after business meetings, or even schedule an appointment with them to collect their memories.
When it comes to asking people about borrowing their film photographs you have to take into account that many people cherish these memories and may not let you borrow them even if they trust you. If possible, you may want to take a portable scanner along with you when you go to events or when you go visit the person for an interview. Additionally, using a digital camera to take a picture of photographs may be your only alternative.
Getting Started
Actually starting to collect the history of your local group is the hard part; but once you get started it becomes easier. It is important to remember several things when jumping into a project like this: develop a plan, start small, and make sure to ask for help.
Detail what information you want and develop a way to keep track of what you are looking for and what you already have. For example, you can create an Excel spreadsheet that lists past events and significant happenings and mark them accordingly when you have the information collected. Keep the actual information organized into folders so that it is easy to find when you need it.
Make sure to notate where you found the information and any important notes attached to items; this helps with the next part of the process. Photographs should always be referenced as to who took the photograph and who contributed it (if different).
Start off small; collecting history is best done in manageable portions. You may want to focus on one or two historical events at a time; which helps prevent you from getting overwhelmed. Let other people know what you are doing and ask for help. You can garner interest in your project if you talk about it or you may find out that somebody is working on collecting history as well. Set up a Facebook page or an e-mail group and invite those you think would be interested in helping. Set up regular group meetings or start a guild. Talk to people, get them excited and see what happens!
What to do with the Information
You now have a lot of historical data; photographs, event copies, event reports, and the like--gathering dust in your file cabinet or taking up valuable space on your computer. You have it, but what do you do with it?
Sharing the information you collected is the next step; George Macaulay Trevelyan said that "history is the open Bible: we historians are not priests to expound it infallibly: our function is to teach people to read it and to reflect upon it for themselves."
Preserving your local group history encompasses not only the curation of history but the dissemination of it as well. By sharing the information that you have collected, you ensure that your collection of past grandeur and activities is preserved for future generations.
There are several ways to go about doing this: ranging from the easy to the difficult, the modern to the Medieval. No one idea is the "right one" and all are viable dependent on your skill level and the amount of time you wish to invest in the project.
An Internet Collection
The Internet is a modern way to present the collected history of your group. There are a couple of different options available to you. These ways include creating a website, using a photo sharing website, or even utilizing Facebook or other social media.
A Website. If you or somebody you know has the technical knowhow to create a website, this is a fantastic way to display the historical data you have already collected. The website can be a personal website or even attached to your local group's website.
When posting photographs and information, you have the ability to add whatever you desire with your own website as there is no limit to what you can add. This becomes a bonus when presenting the history of your group.
Photo Sharing. Websites like Flickr and Tumblr are great ways to collect the history especially if you do not have the ability to create a website. These options are free for the most part, and offer an opportunity to present your historical data. With both of these options, even if people do not have an account with the website, they can still view what you have posted.
Social Media. Another way to share data is to use social media, especially Facebook. You can set up a page that is specifically set for collecting and displaying historical data. Text, documents, and photographs can be displayed easily this way.
It is important to note that not everybody uses social media and you may end up not reaching as many people because of this simple fact.
Submit to Kingdom Level Historians
Since the kingdom-level history sites are already in place, you may find it easier to simply submit information directly to them. You will find that many historians are genuinely excited to receive submissions and are more than happy to work with you to get them posted.
It is important to know what the guidelines are for sending photographs or other items so you will want to find and read the submission guidelines before you start. Additionally, asking the person in charge of the project can give you a better idea of what they are looking for and how they prefer submissions.
Bardic Arts
From rhymes and fanciful tales to songs and performances, dramatically sharing the history of your group can be an exciting and memorable way to present what you have collected. It is also the most period way of presenting history.
Some of us feel we do not have the talent for bardics, but you shouldn't let that stop you. There are alternatives available for those that feel that the bardic arts are not for them. For example, you can provide a bard with information and ask for a tale or song be made from it, or you might even be able find people willing to act out a bit of history from the past in a play or interpretive dance.
Written Accounts
Writing out the history of your group can be both fun and difficult; depending on how you want to do it. However, the end result can be impressive, especially if it is done in a period style. There are several resources online where groups have taken it upon themselves to chronicle their groups history, producing a chronicle that is well received by the populace.
However, nothing says that the written account needs to be lettered in Uncial and hand illuminated. Using your favorite word processor you can create a beautiful document that can be published for future generations.
The project can be done as a series of chronicles that cover different time periods, a yearly publication, or even one massive accord.
Historically Inspired Event or Activity
Holding an event that celebrates the history of your group can be quite easy to accomplish with a little bit of effort and knowhow. Instead of running an event you can also sponsor tournaments or battles commemorating something that happened in your group. You could also bring or sponsor activities that used to be played back in the day to events as well.
Another addition you can add to any event is a series of history display boards that tell the tale of your group. Utilizing photographs and text, the boards are a great asset in describing your local history in manageable chunks of information. It is important to add both photographs and text, as many people will not stop to read an entire wall of text.
Teach a Class
Classes are a way to share information; and can be considered a wonderful way to share your collection of historical data. Classes are unique in that thepeople attending are willing to learn about the subject; so discussing history with the group is much easier and much more appreciated.
It is important to note that classes do not have to be just at Collegium; they can be inserted into regular events as well. Contact the autocrat or event steward of the event to ensure that your class can be scheduled at the event and make sure that people know what you will be teaching.
Combining Strategies
In reality, combining these different options offers a way to reach the most amount of people with the least amount of effort. You can have a local history website up and running and still teach classes. Alternatively, you can use Facebook and have a bard create prose and rhyme to share at bardics. It all depends on what you feel comfortable doing and what your end goals are.
History doesn’t stop just because you've collected all the information you have access to. History is unrelenting, never stopping for a moment, and you will always have more events around the corner to collect information from. Curating history is a very long and extensive project; just when you think you have it all under control another event happens or somebody finds a stack of old photographs and they hand them to you at an event.
Is there a way to ensure that this type of project is not a full time job? Let's face it; we have plenty to do in the medieval and mundane world without adding yet another project.
There are two options to make sure that your history project is worked on and that you have time for your own tasks and dreams. You can either start a group that will focus its efforts on the collecting the history of your local group or you can do it all on your own.
Start A Group or Guild
Finding a group of like-minded individuals to help with the curation of your local history is a good idea but requires some effort. Getting a group or guild together not only shares your passion of history with others, but it also helps to spread the workload of the project as well.
Starting such a group or guild can be as easy as setting up a virtual group through social media or email list, or can be as extensive as planning a meeting on a regular schedule at someone's house. Whichever the way you choose there is no right or wrong way about it. The important part is finding a way to communicate with each other.
Having a group of people allows the workload to be evenly distributed; for many hands make lighter work. You should have specific tasks for people to work on; to focus their attention. For example, you can have several people that take photographs at events, a person that collects memories from other individuals, a person that sifts through e-mails for information, and a person or two that helps develop a way to present the history.
You will want to ensure that everybody knows what they are doing; however, making sure that your group stays excited about collecting history is vital. When people stop becoming excited about anything they will lose interest and move on to something else.
Showing off your group's efforts, be it a website, a newsletter, or even a portable museum, encourages the team and builds enthusiasm. Their enthusiasm , coupled with yours, will help keep the project moving forward.
However, it should be noted that leading a group of people can be a chore in of itself. People have different thoughts about how things should be done and it can be a lot of effort to make sure that that the group runs smoothly. Successfully tackling these problems requires effort, but you shouldn’t be afraid to take on the title of 'Project Manager.' In the end, the benefits are worth the time and patience.
The Solo Historian
In some cases is not feasible to set up a group or guild, or the very thought of doing so is a little frightening to you. The only option then becomes to work on collecting and curation of your group's history by yourself.
Your first step is to develop a schedule. You could spend hours upon hours every day until the project is 'completed,' with your side projects being put off to the side for quite some time. Developing a schedule helps to complete the collection of the history items without you getting burned out in the process.
For example, you can spend one day a week collecting information and presenting it. For those of us who are gluttons for punishment, alternatively you can spend an hour or two every day working on the curation process. The schedule is up to you and what you feel comfortable doing.
Decide on a personal goal; it will help keep you focused and will give you a feeling of accomplishing something. An example of a goal would be updating something new to the history website once a month or writing a segment of the group history for your local newsletter on a regular basis. Again, the goal is your choice in the matter and can be anything you determine to be a step forward.
Find somebody to bounce ideas around with or to talk to when you get frustrated with the project. The person doesn’t have to be involved with the project, just somebody that can tell you the honest truth about your plans and thoughts or is a willing ear to hear you out when you complain about having to scan hundred of photographs one at a time.
If you are working alone collecting your group's history, it is important to remind yourself why you are doing it. With a group of historians it is much easier, but when you are working on the project by yourself, make sure to refresh your memory on the reasoning behind the madness.
Make sure to tell other people what you are doing. Not only is it a good way to get historical information from people, but it helps determine if there is somebody else out there working on the same project you are. In that case, you may want to inquire as to what they are working on so that you are not duplicating the efforts of other historians. On the same note, if another historian comes to you to see what you are working on; let them know.
In most cases, however, if the history has not been compiled and presented yet or you haven't heard of such a project, you are probably good to go in becoming your group's historian, official or otherwise.
Conclusion
We have taken the time to see what we, as historians, should be looking for when it comes to collecting history. Additionally, we have looked at what we should do with that information and how to go about collecting it without making it a full time job. In the end, these are merely recommendations and thoughts from one historian to another.
No matter how you preserve your local history, no matter who works on it, no matter how you present it; know that your efforts echo into the future. Be faithful to the truth, but have some common sense when recording it as well; nobody needs to know what color underwear somebody wore to an event ten years ago or that one notable person was also the largest gossip in the history of the Barony.
Take some time to smell the proverbial roses…you are looking at great deeds and historic moments from the past. Enjoy them, treasure them, but more importantly, share them.
I will leave you with this quote that hopefully inspires you on your quest, a statement that is both simple and profound. It was Miguel De Cervantes, one of the best known authors from the late 16th Century that said it best:
"For historians ought to be precise, truthful, and quite unprejudiced, and neither interest nor fear, hatred nor affection, should cause them to swerve from the path of truth, whose mother is history, the rival of time, the depository of great actions, the witness of what is past, the example and instruction of the present, the monitor of the future."
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