[MR] Fw: Re: Teachers, shields and history

[chagankhulan at clan-whitewing.org]

Sigh.... I have to chime in here and agree with Graidhne,
   There are cultures who have never had heraldry as it is perceived in
western Europe, which tends to give a number of our SCA hewralds the
hives. Primarily cultures like Mongolia, China, Japan, etc.  They had
standards, Mons, flags, Tughs, etc.  The Mongols had smokeholes in
their gers but no shield was hung from it. We can swing to the other
side of the world and see identifiers in the American Indian tribes but
it consisted of markings, tattoos, paint, symbols worked on clothing
and decoration....and no shields.  Last I heard family crests and
shield devices were held only by those of some note or nobility -
landed gentry in various form and rank.  The shield device was an
identifier. It did indeed represent aspects of the family but I wonder
at the description this teacher gives of what was represented on the
device.  I have pictures of a shield painted with a big fancy house, a
crown, a bucket of money and an axe in the helmet of the evil Baron Sir
Snarkybutt.   NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! And the rest has already been covered.
   We have taught heraldry classes at demos using modern trademarks as
examples of the use of heraldry.  In a primarily illiterate society the
use of pictures to identify yourself to not only the enemy but to your
own troops or serfs or whoever, makes a lot more sense than EVERY MAN
having his own shield with his hopes and dreams painted on it hanging
from his smokehole!
   Yes, a gentle education, using some equally gentle humor is probably
the ticket - along with some really painfully obvious resources that
include pictures.  Richard the Lionheart comes to mind or some very
basic heraldry books.  I suspect this teacher has not pursued a
teaching degree that includes history and I bet she's fairly young. 
Those of us with over 3 or 4 decades of life under our belts got at
least some sound, basic history in school.

   Find the humor in it - it will help maintain your sanity.

   Chagan



>
> From: Cecelia Hughes <hughescecelia at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [MR] Teachers, shields and history
> To: "Vivian V. Morgan" <vivianvaz at lairhaven.com>
> Date: Saturday, January 17, 2009, 9:55 PM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Her public speaking piece should be an explanation of what heraldry
> actually was.  Don't oppose the teacher; educate her.  Include a
> bibliography of heraldic resources as a hand-out at the end of the class. 
> Haul in the most period shield she can lay her hands on, complete with
> dents from battle, as a visual aid.  Do the venting at home.
>  
> Lodges?  Smokeholes?  Is she confusing the High Middle Ages with Swahili
> shields made of zebra skin or Iriquois wickiups?  Was world history never
> a requirement in her degree work?
>  
> Graidhne
> Affronted Teacher, who does not want that one representing the field of
> education...
>
> Cecelia Hughes
> Fredericksburg, VA 22405 
> hughescecelia @ yahoo.com
>
>
> Dwell in possibility.
> -- Emily Dickinson
>
> --- On Sat, 1/17/09, Vivian V. Morgan <vivianvaz at lairhaven.com> wrote:
>
> From: Vivian V. Morgan <vivianvaz at lairhaven.com>
> Subject: [MR] Teachers, shields and history
> To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> Date: Saturday, January 17, 2009, 3:53 PM
>
> Please bear with me as I vent a wee bit here, which will involve a longish
> quote.  My lovely Lady Magdalena LaRosa has returned to school (and doing
> well,
> I might add).  This semester, she is taking Public Speaking.  One of her
> first
> assignments, interestingly enough, is to create a personal coat of arms to
> represent herself to the class.  Here's the fun part.  Below is a quote
> directly from the assignment.  No lie.  Here goes:
>
> 	"In ages past, every person possessed a Coat of Arms of one kind or
> another.  One of the important points to understand about these shields is
> that
> they were never intended to give physical protection in battle.  Their
> purpose
> was not to turn away arrows or bullets or for people to hide behind.
> Usually
> they were too thin or fragile for this use."
>
> She goes on:
> 	"On the shields were symbols representing clan signs of the men who
> carried them.  These signs told who the man was, what he sought to be, and
> what
> his loves, fears, and dreams were.  Men carried these shields in order
> that
> anyone they met might know them.  Even when they rested in their lodges,
> their
> shields were always kept outside where all could see them.  They might be
> hung
> up by the lodge door or the smoke hole, but they were always kept outside
> where
> people might see and learn from them."
>
> Feel free to respond directly to me or to the list if you want an open
> discussion.  I would love to hear questions, comments, or opinions.  She
> showed
> this to me several days ago and I've been having hives ever since.  I have
> had no one yet to vent to except her and, patient as she is, I don't want
> to
> wear her out on this.  I mean, isn't an important part of public speaking
> to
> "check your facts?"  Can she really believe someone would lug a big
> piece of wood into battle just to show people a picture?  I can't imagine
> why she would think anyone would carry something they couldn't block or
> kill
> with.  Magdalena really wanted to oppose the teacher on this one but, as
> she had
> already disagreed with her vehemently on a previous point, she didn't want
> to push.  After all, it was the first class and she doesn't know, yet, if
> she is dealing with a vindictive personality.
>
> Thank you for letting me share and thank you in advance for any commentary
> you
> may have.
>
> In Service,
>   Lady Yenega de Santurce
>   CaerMear, Atlantia
>
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