I thought the following would be of interest to those who are also into
historic interpretation.
John Martinson
The Journeyman Historic Interpretation Glossary
A dictionary of common-usage terms used in Historic Interpretation and
Living History
Compiled by David M. Grabitske
Accessibility: The degree to which an Interpretive Program is useable by all
elements of the public. For instance, no matter what challenge to learning,
each person will have the opportunity of a meaningful experience.
Accurate: A descriptive status denoting correctness, but of modern origin.
Ah-Ha Moment: The point at which a learner noticeably understands. The
moment most Interpreters strive for. Coined by Wendy Ellefson.
Authentic: A descriptive status denoting an artifact or antique.
Back then: An amorphous place and ambiguous time in which all history is
merged and confused.
Blocking: A detailed description of character-specific traits and motives.
See also "Persona."
Blue-Blazers: See "Docent."
Body Language: Physical queues from the visitor or learner that indicate a
need for change; from an Interpreter these queues are deliberate supportive
movements for the interpretation.
Buckskinner: A practitioner of Buckskinning.
Buckskinning: The act of replicating the lives and culture of Mountain Men
from the late nineteenth century in the Rocky Mountain area.
Buckwacker: Among serious interpreters, this is a derisive term for Mountain
Men or 'Buckskinners' who are present at inappropriate events.
Buttoncounter: A pejorative term for 'Hardcore' costumed interpreters for
undue attention to detail.
Campaigner: A type of costumed interpreter (usually military) that will only
bring that which was appropriate during an identified period, and that he
can carry.
Cavalry Stew: Pot of water for cleaning dishes and eating utensils at living
history events. So named for a legendary incident where after the infantry
cleaned its plates in a kettle, cavalry soldiers then ate the dishwater. I
have heard this in several places, but am not aware of its first occurrence.
Cloth-Jew: A tailor of historical costumes who is overly stingy with
period-appropriate cloth. Coined by Joe Albert Blunt,
Chattanooga-Chickamauga National Battlefield.
Costumed Interpreter: A practitioner of the art and mystery of historic
interpretation, who uses period-appropriate attire to illustrate or augment
interpretation, and who uses one or more interpretive strategies.
Digging holes: A clever action whereby an interpreter deliberately leaves
certain things unsaid in order to elicit comment or questions from the
public. The modus operendi is "Know All, Tell Some." See "Interpretive
Method" and "Hooks."
Docent: A person who acts as a liaison between a cultural institution and
its collections, usually employed to superintend galleries. Docents are not
necessarily practitioners of interpretation, but generally have excellent
customer service; sometimes indifferently referred to as "Blue-Blazers" or
"Polo People" by costumed interpreters.
Epochism: The distasteful or disrespectful belief, stereotype or assumption
by modern people about human ancestors or that progress is equal to
improvement, usually made under duress of ignorance or fear of the
unfamiliar. The premise is that if all our human ancestors were living, and
were stereotyped as "shorter, less sophisticated, less intelligent, etc."
this irrational behavior would rightly be called racism. Coined in 1996.
Farb: Slang for an uninformed person incorrectly portraying the past; a
strong term of derision among the reenactment community, and not to be used
lightly, or without documentary support. The origin of the word likely comes
from the spring of 1961 during a sewing session in Glen Echo Heights,
Maryland, from Gerry Rolph, a German instructor at the University of
Baltimore. "Farb" is German for color. It is also noted in the Camp Chase
Gazette (July 1986), "Reenacting, a retrospective," who attributed the word
to George Gorman of North Carolina in Summer 1961. Gorman said it was from
the phrase, "Far be it from me to criticize." Taken from "Who Was the
Founding Father of Farb?" by Jonah Begone (nom de plume of Wes Stone) in
Camp Chase Gazette (Sept. 1999).
Firper: Slang for any First Person interpretive strategy.
First Person: An interpretive strategy whereby the interpreter operates as
though living in a specific time period without regard for later
occurrences, and using the present tense to describe, convey and define the
past.
First Person Adapted: An interpretive strategy whereby the interpreter
assumes that first-person responses are desired until the public indicates
otherwise, and then easily transitions to another appropriate interpretive
method.
First Person Clairvoyant: Same as "My Time-Your Time."
First Person Flexible: An interpretive strategy whereby the interpreter
portrays someone from the past in the present time. Coined by Bonnie
Williams in 1996. See also Stream Interpretation.
First Person Pure or Strict: The practice of a strict first person
presentation without ever breaking character. This can be extremely
challenging for an interpreter not only for mastering the material, but to
keep the 'act' from becoming a deterrent in an educational setting.
Foodways: The study of historic foods in growth, preparation, and
presentation.
Hands-on: A demonstrational method of teaching through manual dexterity.
Hardcore: A type of costumed interpreter that is concerned about minutiae of
the impression. A hardcore interpreter will not use or disguise the use of
modern items. See also 'Living Historian.'
Hooks: same as "Digging holes," allusion to fishing.
Impression: The combination of period-appropriate associative objects,
mannerisms, and speech designed to evoke the past in the mind and senses of
an audience.
Interpretation: An effective, evocative, educational translation of the past
into a meaningful present through period-appropriate objects, first hand
accounts, manual experience, and media.
Interpreter: A practitioner of the art and mystery of interpretation.
Interpreters are usually the most receptive to public interaction, and are
willing to use compromises with the present for educational impact.
Interpretive Method: The clever strategy of interpretation designed to
engage inquisitive interaction; commonly referred to by interpreters as
"digging holes."
Interpretive Mission: The stated purpose for which any interpretation is
commissioned; usually it keeps the public good as its foremost objective
through education and recreation. The primary object ought never to be
"entertainment."
Interpretive Model: In Living History, a script of period-appropriate
language intended to provide substance for a character or focus to a skit;
for museum programs, a scripted tour.
Interpretive Plan: A detailed formal administrative document that contains a
broad general history of a selected era, a specific history for the locale,
a guide to period-appropriate objects, a guide to period-appropriate
activity, and serves as a resource to further reference. The plan will keep
the educational experience of the visitor as its primary mission.
Interpretive Planning: A process that identifies and describes significant
visitor experiences, and which results in a formal document that recommends
ways to provide, sustain, and facilitate educational experiences for the
visitor.
Interpretive Programming: Specific efforts to accomplish goals derived from
an interpretive plan.
Interpretive Specialist: A professional interpreter formally trained in the
art and mystery of interpretation, usually holding a degree from an
accredited program and employed by a museum or historic site to superintend
interpretive programming.
Interpretive Training: A formal educational process for Interpreters to
learn and practice the art and mystery of interpretation.
K-Mart: Slang for "Sutler's Row."
Lifeways: The study of an established pattern or daily routine in life.
Living Historian: A scholar of history engaged in experimental archaeology,
usually the most strict in terms of accuracy. Living Historians can be
overcome with minutiae to the distraction of the educational story. See also
'Hardcore.'
Living History: A pursuit of lifeways of an earlier time.
Minds-on: An inquiry-based version of hands-on demonstrational method,
sometimes utilizing the manual dexterity of the participants; combines
Object Interpretation with Hands-on.
My Time-Your Time: An interpretive strategy whereby the interpreter remains
in a specific time but has comparative clairvoyance to assist a learner's
understanding, using the present tense for both the past and present. This
method is a combination of both First and Third Person. Coined by Thomas
Sanders in 1990.
Object Interpretation: An interpretive method whereby a lesson is delivered
through an object, usually inquiry-based and disassociated with context or
story.
Olde-Tyme: Among interpreters, this is an adjective denoting something with
the appearance of accuracy, but which the uniformed believe to be accurate.
When applied to a Living History event, the adjective denotes fantasy.
Period-appropriate: A descriptive status where something is correct for a
time, place and user.
Persona: Biographical details, minutiae, and motives for a living history
character. See also "Blocking."
Polo People: Same as "Docent."
Powder Burn: A type of Living History event in which the main feature is the
opportunity for reenactors to discharge lots of black powder.
Reenactor: A person engaged in Living History for personal enjoyment.
Reenactors generally are the least receptive to public interaction, and are
the least concerned with minutiae.
Repop: Slang for "Reproduction."
Reproduction: An accurate object made in the present time to the
specifications of an artifact, designed to take the place of an artifact to
provide a manual or tactile experience.
Rubberhead Indians: A pejorative for costumed interpreters portraying
American Indians with shaven heads, but who seem to be from a 'tribe' of
non-Indians with unconvincing rubber scalps covering their normal hair. Seen
mostly among French & Indian War, American Revolution, War of 1812, and
Seminole War reenactors.
Skit: A designed interaction of one or more interpreters with the public
that conveys some educational idea or teaches some process.
Skit-killing: A deliberate act by an interpreter or audience member to
disrupt a skit.
Stitchnazi: A pejorative for a person who is concerned not only for the
right pattern and cloth, but also the number of stitches to the inch, type
of stitching, and correct thread; a person who values accuracy more than
education.
Stream Interpretation: An interpretive strategy whereby the interpreter
portrays someone from the past in the present time. Coined by Bonnie
Williams in 1996. See also First Person Flexible.
Sutler's Row: An area set aside at living history events for purveyors of
accurate reproductions, and other 'Olde-Tyme' goods.
Theatrical Vignette: An interpretive strategy whereby the interpreter(s)
enact an illustrative story or scene from the past without interaction with
the audience.
Third Person: An interpretive strategy whereby the interpreter remains in
the present and explains the historic process or idea using the past tense.
Thirper: Slang for any Third Person interpretive strategy.
Time Travel: An attempt to experience the past through Living History.
Tourists: Visitors to a museum or historic site, usually on vacation far
from home.
Tourons: A pejorative for tourists bent on not learning anything, or bent on
debunking the interpretation, or in general disrupting the interpretive
program; a derisive term not to be used lightly. Viz. Tourist and Moron.
Visitor: Person who attends events and programs offered by museums and
historic sites.
Wargasm: The ecstasy of visiting historic battlefields, as described in the
book Confederates in the Attic, by Tony Horowitz.
Yee-Haw-Bang: The thoughtless fun of discharging blank firearms. First
spoken by an Englishman observing 'redneck' Confederate reenactors in Texas,
courtesy of Christopher R. Fischer.
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