WHAT KIND OF REENACTOR ARE YOU? A QUIZ

“Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” Since childhood, how many times have we heard this? It is just as relevant in living history today. This is for all reenactors, not just Viking Age reenactors! At the end of the test, add up the points (or have a friend add them up for you…) and check your score!

When I sew a costume, I
Make what looks good. 0 points
Glance at a web page, especially Wikipedia. 1 point
Make modifications to a researched design. 2 points
Do extensive research and duplicate it exactly. 4 points
Wear whatever my SO puts on me. 0 point

At events, I camp in
A nylon pop-tent. 0 points
A canvas tent using polyester ropes. 2 points
A canvas tent using natural ropes. 3 points
A  flax or hemp linen or wool canvas tent that I wove, with sealskin ropes. 4 points
Camp? Spewww! 2 points

At events, My camp or day camp is filled with
My dad’s camping equipment. 0 points
A matching set of nylon camp chairs (mmmm, comfortable). 0 points
Most of my equipment is documented or at least primitive. 2 points
Equipment that is documented or at least primitive. 3 points
Only furniture and equipment that I can document. 4 points

At events, I wear
Funky Elton John sunglasses, maybe in my prescription. 0 points
Whatever sunglasses or spectacles I regularly use. 0 points
I never notice spectacles at all; I don’t know. 0 points
Nondescript glasses that don’t detract from my impression. 3 points
Period accurate spectacles or none at all. 4 points

At events, I speak
Like the Lucky Charms Leprechaun, Yosemite Sam or the Quaker Oats dude.. 0 points
Forsoothly. 0 points
Like a normal modern person, maybe sprinkling in some period idiom. 2 points
More formally than in modern life, maybe sprinkling in some period idiom. 3 points
In the proper language and dialect. 4 points

At events, I like to listen to
Stuff on my IPOD. 0 points
Stuff on my boom box. 0 points
Accurate Period Music on my boom box. 2 points
Accurate Period music on modern instruments. 3 points
Accurate period music on appropriate period instruments. 4 points

At events, I eat
Wing Dings and Snicker Doodles I got at that last gas station. 0 points
Whatever is available on site. 1 point
Modern foods cooked in a modern manner. 1 points
Accurate period foods cooked on my range at home. 3 points
Accurate period foods cooked in a period manner with period utensils. 4 points

At events, I like to talk about
Things I do in my modern life. 0 points
Things I do, whether they are historical or modern. 0 points
Things I do that relate to The Hobby. 2 points
Things I do that are historical. 3 points
Only period matters. 4 points

At events, I think cell phones
Ought to be used without anyone raising any eyebrows. 0 points
Ought to be used only for important matters. 1 point
Ought to be kept out of sight unless needed. 2 points
Ought to be kept out of sight and used only for emergencies. 3 points
Ought to be turned off and left in the car if not at home. 4 points

At events, tattoos and piercings
Are proudly displayed. Isn’t Taz with a horned helmet cool? 0 points
Are irrelevant. 0 points
Are hidden unless that is difficult. 2 points
Are hidden unless documentable. 4 points
I don’t have any. 2 points

I think cameras
Are a kick. How will anyone believe this otherwise? 0 points
Ought to be carried by everyone. 1 point
Ought to be hidden until they are used. 2 points
Ought to be hidden and brought out to be used only when no civilians are around. 3 points
Ought never to be used by costumed reenactors unless they are period appropriate and then only when the mechanism is period. 4 points

I prefer to portray
Any class whose clothing looks glitzy on me. 0 points
Exceptional high-class characters. 1 point
Famous characters. 1 point
Famous or important characters only when appropriate. 2 points
Ordinary everyday characters. 4 points

Living history is
Often too much like high school history classes. 0 points
An excuse to wear funny clothing, drink beer and get laid. 0 pointsA romantic lark. 1 point
A chance to kick back, relax and forget the modern world. 2 points
A mandate to educate spectators, participants and yourself. 4 points

Authenticists are
Repressed sexless Nazis with no senses of humor. 0 points
Misguided. 1 point
Sometimes nice folk if you don’t talk about living history. 2 points
Valuable if they keep their ideas to themselves unless I ask about them. 3 points
Essential to the integrity of The Hobby. 4 points

Documentation is
Irrelevant. 0 points
Okay if it’s not inconvenient. 0 points
Can be disregarded if the end result is uncomfortable. 1 point
Important. 3 points
Essential. 4 points

Scoring

0-5 Farby–You probably like to wear funny costumes, get drunk and have senseless fun. We’re not certain why you’re in reenactment, but remember that there is always a chance to improve!

6–14 Below Average–Although you like history—or at least the fantasy in history—but you’re not going to let that or any obligation to educate stand in the way of a good time!

15–26 Average–You like history, but you don’t think accurate historical representation is important enough for inconvenience or discomfort. You’ll be accurate if it’s not too difficult.

27–45 Excellent–You honor and respect history and want to make a very good presentation.

45–60 Old school…real old. You may stop at pulling out your modern dental filling. May…