Greetings!
I found my way here via Wolf, who just recently joined the forum that
I most regularly frequent.
I am more a re-
creator than a reenactor, buit more often than not, they are one in the same, I think. I am a Member of the
Middle Earth Ranger Forum, and a staff writer for the Middle Earth Reenactment Society. We work to potray from as historical a viewpoint as possible, the cultures and races of Middle Earth. All of our gear is intended to be functional, from sharp blades to cooking gear. We build up working Ranger kits and trek in the wilds wherever we may be, and essentially do primitive backpacking trips in the backcountry as the Dunedain Rangers of the North. Everything is inspired by the books first, before we look to the movies for ideas, as we wish to maintain Tolkien authenticity through everything.
I am a student of Western Martial arts, my preferred fields of study being the tower fetbuch I.33 and the german system. I pride myself in having handmade everything in my kit apart from my blades and my current bow, though I
do make bows and other archery equipment. The only thing in my kit that
isn't functional is the maill shirt I made, which is butted. I wear it for the weight, but am in the middle of making flat-riveted mille from scratch, so hopefully that'll be replaced within the next decade. I hunt regularly in my Ranger kit, both with my bow as well as with my hawk, as I am a licensed Falconer. I make a mean jackrabbit stew, but can happily live on dried meats and cram.
It's all very much a learning experience; I get something new out of it every time I go out. Though I wouldn't call myself a knight, persay, as there is no evidence in Tolkien to suggest that there was a chivalric heirarchy within the exiled peoples of Numenor residing in the north of Eriador, the exiled numenoreans were very much of nobility, so I'd imagine that they all would be required to follow a form of code.
"All that is gold does not glitter...and I suppose that not all who are knights wear plate and ride warhorses.
So there you have it. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can't learn from you all! If anyone is interested in Middle Earth Reenactment, see the link above, and also feel free to look up the Middle Earth Reenactment Society, which covers all Races of Middle Earth, both on Facebook under that title and at the following blog:
http://thewildlotr.blogspot.com/ which is our online publication, featuring articles and discussion.
Cheers!
-Greg
