livinghistorynordicidentity-blog

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Update: Battle of Nations 2018

Update: Battle of Nations 2018

In early May 2018, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Castello di Santa Severa in Santa Severa, Roma, Italy for the ninth annual Battle of the Nations international competition. Being invited onto the support staff for this event was an honor and a privilege, but also afforded me opportunities to look to expanding my research for my project on Living History and Nordic Identity for my…

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Field Log: Connecting to Social Media

Field Log: Connecting to Social Media

Continued working on Website for LHNI project all day, created social media accounts and connected them to the blog so posts will automatically be shared. With luck this could help this project become a more collaborative effort than just me and Jason.

I have also created a YouTube account to post videos submitted to this project on as my server is moody about hosting large files and embedding…

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Field Log: Blog Started

Field Log: Blog Started

Started the creation of blog for LHNI project. Getting caught up to current may take some time, but, hopefully getting it up and running will be sufficient for Final Project Submission for my Nordic Identity class… it’s only the beginning steps for my capstone project really.

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Field Log: Chatting with Swedish fighters from BOTN

Field Log: Chatting with Swedish fighters from BOTN

Chatted online with Adam Laurila one of the leaders of the Swedish team. He is willing to do an interview over the internet sometime for me. Additionally, he has also invited me out to the Viking Village and longhouse he works with for a big feast they have every fall. He said if I can make it he will help arrange for many interviews and opportunities within his community while I am there… If…

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Field Log: Back in the USA

Field Log: Back in the USA

Received baggage back from Delta Airlines today; they broke a wine bottle inside my luggage. My handwritten notes are all destroyed… Beyond recovery… it was a giant spitball in my suitcase.

Next field notes book will be weatherproof!

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Last Day of competitions. I secured a good spot in stands with Australian friends; up front and center. Responsible for getting videos and pictures of Team USA fights for finals from this vantage point. Great opportunity for media gathering for my project.

Got a hand poked tattoo in the morning and recorded the process on video while interviewing the tattoo artist Anna Gulyas (Spelling?). Very interesting interview but not sure if it will fully connect to the project.

The USA did well overall. Was able to talk to some Dutch folks who offered to help with my project.

Interviewed David Rekr on video about his experiences with living history and Nordic identity. The interview went really well and gave me new insight into how we even identify what is “Nordic.” He is of Frisian descent; something often overlooked as “Nordic” in my Scandinavian Area Studies so far. Spoke of lie at home in the Netherlands as a Frisian descendant as well. Very intriguing interview.

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Field Notes: Day 4 Last Day of competitions. I secured a good spot in stands with Australian friends; up front and center.

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Field Notes: BOTN (day 3)

Field Notes: BOTN (day 3)

Busy with helping Team USA and new friends on Australian Team.

Have not been able to meet up with any other teams, will keep being sociable all around and hopefully I luck out.

Sam is much better today, we no longer suspect concussion but he is still not allowed to fight anymore.

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Field Log: BOTN Day 2

Field Log: BOTN Day 2

Day 2 of BOTN. So many people from so many countries here.  The focus is on Sam today. He is the first US Pro-fighter ever at BOTN.

Sam won first round because opponent never showed up, the second round was close but he lost by 3 points, the third fight he conceded due to a head injury.

Spent most of the day with Sam after he was released from medical; had to have US Paramedic Bryan and Team…

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First day of competitions. Very busy very intense.

Talked to a member of the Danish team’s support staff. He gave me his contact information which is in my handwritten field log.

Have seen teams from Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. No other Scandinavian countries that I can tell.

Very busy with duties on Team USA, but making friends with members of some of the Australians who are often nearby.

Sam is registered for pro fights tomorrow, will be very busy taking care of him tomorrow.

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Field Log: BOTN Day 1 First day of competitions. Very busy very intense. Talked to a member of the Danish team’s support staff.

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Field Log: BOTN Arrival

Field Log: BOTN Arrival

Arrived on site at Castello di Santa Severa in Santa Severa Italy for the 9th Annual Battle of the Nations. The competitions start tomorrow, but many preparations are happening now.

There are huge stands set up and multiple erics. This is a totally new type of medieval event for me so I am trying to pay attention to all around me and identify subjects to interview while here.

Sam and I are lucky,…

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Field Log: Camera Broke (part 2)

Field Log: Camera Broke (part 2)

Leaving for Rome tomorrow. Finishing up sewing more medieval clothing to wear at the event and doing final packing.

New camera came; it’s broken. Need to return camera. May buy a cheap one at Fred Meyers on the way to Sam’s house tonight.

Notes:

Buy secondary digital camera

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Field Log: Camera Broke

Field Log: Camera Broke

My good camera is broken. Ordered a new camera for rush delievery overnight from Amazon.

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Field Log: Honor War (day 2)

Field Log: Honor War (day 2)

War today. Took videos and pictures of activities. Was declined by individuals regarding interviews, put off by others.

Styrkarr Jarlsson will do an interview for the project at a future opportunity; as yet unidentified.

Missed part of the war due to my keys getting locked in my truck. Fortunately, AAA was able to come out.

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Field Log: Honor War (day 1)

Field Log: Honor War (day 1)

Driving out to Honor War in Clarkston, Washington tonight. This is a small war-type event in the Society for Creative Anachronism.

Arrived on site late, thank the gods for space and cots in Quaz’s Yurt.

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Field Log: Post Winter War Update

Field Log: Post Winter War Update

Decided I need to do more varied interviews and take more videos/photos of activities at events. Will try to do this more at upcoming living history events and while at Battle of the Nations in Italy.

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Interviewed Ryan during a slow period while the fighting was happening in the woods. He requested to not be shown on the video, so the video files are in the place of audio files given that I could not figure out how to record just audio.

Ryan provided interesting insight into the concept of Nordic identity which stretched my own definitions of the subject. The direction of the conversation frequently derailed from where I had planned, but eventually, the conversation did come back to the subject matter when we discussed his family and heritage a bit.

Notes:

I need more interview practice!

This is all harder than it looks.

Get an audio recorder separate from your phone.

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Field Log: Winter War (Day 2) Interviewed Ryan during a slow period while the fighting was happening in the woods. He requested to not be shown on the video, so the video files are in the place of audio files given that I could not figure out how to record just audio.

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Field Log: Winter War

Field Log: Winter War

When arrived onsite I ended up talking with Ryan Thune about my project and he offered to let me interview him for my project given his heritage and that his persona is Nordic. Given he is the current acting king of Ardesca, the local kingdom, this is a unique opportunity to take advantage of.