Is reenactment beneficial to the Heritage Industry?

[dog green 1]

How's about looking at another angle which may generate many more pertinent and indeed relevant answers?

"Is the Heritage Industry beneficial to Re-enactment?"

Discuss...................

Yes. Some of its sites offer great back drops to events. Look at Levisham or Renishaw when it was on. Museums give us chance to use bits of kit for static diplays such as the East of England tank museum or Bovington and they can also advertise events and bring in people that might not have heard of WWII re-enactment before. Going to see a load of guys dressed up in a field might not be as appealing as seeing the same group of people in the grounds of a castle or Stately home. Again I'm looking at this from a punters and a re-enactors point of view as the wife has very little interest in my hobby. If theres an event somewhere that she and the kids might also find interesting we'll go, I'm sure its the same for other members of the paying public.

[wolfsangel]

Gents - I fully agree that our section of reenactment does edumacate - we've all learnt things we didnt know before. But what we as second world war German re-enactors pass on, hasnt really any commonality (aside from being the same time period) with the Key Stage system or even to that of degree level History. So when looking at the UK Education system - are we really benefitting it? I dont think we are...in which case, I feel it leaves us slightly open to 'accademic' attack. Having read some quite popular texts on Heritage recently, it would appear that the "authoritative" view is that enless your hitting Key Stage objectives/points, your a bunch of amateurs that run round giving off the wrong impression - which whilst I feel is certainly not the case, perhaps what our section of re-enactment needs is closer intergration with education, governing bodies and institutes (museums etc)? Nonetheless, I felt discussing this made a change to the normal threads - and certainly highlights issues which might stimulate further discussion?

Tom,

I think this raises two issues, firstly everything in the UK seems to have a relevant qualification these days, I know laods of machine drivers and builders who have done the job for years and know it inside out (time served as opposed to learnt from a book) but they have no official standing and so by the above could be classed as amateurs (I know a few that ought to be too)
Secondly would the same criteria apply to say Sport, whereby all the amateurs would be required to sign up to some kind of academy to ensure spectators don't get the wrong idea about how the sport ought to be played - this would kind of F up the olympics though

Matt x

[cartoss]

Generally speaking yes. However...................................................
Often/sometimes we are guilty of distorting history, either by intent or by organisers/venues/re-enactors turning serious events into themed fancy dress parties. (think that chestnut has been done to death).

[Gott Mit Uns]

How's about looking at another angle which may generate many more pertinent and indeed relevant answers?

"Is the Heritage Industry beneficial to Re-enactment?"

Discuss...................

Matt and Paul - both interesting posts.

I would say that the Heritage Industry is beneficial to re-enactment, after all, museums require alot of replica items these days, which stimulates industries which are connected to enactment amd reproduction. Whilst the Heritage Industry also promotes a further interest in history and understanding, which provides the stimulus for visitors to re-enactment events and potential reenactors themselves. However, I would say that closer links to museums and other heritage organisations would benefit the hobby, perhaps opening up the chance to work with artifacts, equipment and vehicles that would not normally be available. Nonetheless, with endorsment from Heritage organisations, it is likely that re-enactors would add another string to their bow, developing themselves into a further proffesional force. In turn creating better overall prospects for the re-enacting community.

Matt - I agree, people have varying degrees of knowledge, and just because they dont have a qualification in history, doesnt mean they are any less knowledgable on certain subjects than the accademics. However, the accademics tend to be the ones people go to - much like when I worked as a Groundworker. I could drive the forklift and dumper without any quals, but they employed a forklift/dumper driver anyway - because thats how the system works, and generally they tended to be able to do things that I couldnt. ANYHOO - the second point, I think what the heritage boffs were driving at, was that if there was some form of cross involvment between re-enactment, education and the Heritage Industry, that you would end up with what people would consider a better overall outcome of re-enactment. Proffesionalise it almost. Although with the current economic climate, Im pretty sure there isnt enough funding for that sort of thing.

[Reich Crispies]

Can we please get back on topic!

While I agree with some of the sentiments expressed may I ask that these are explored in thier own thread.
This is about benefits re-enactment gives to the heritage industry NOT what one group can/cannot give to the re-enactment scene.

[Gott Mit Uns]

Cheers mod.