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Origins

 

Listservers Sunday Feb 13 2000

Origins
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Re: The Faire. Back in 1969 when my high school drama teacher, Peg Long, told us about this wonderful, creative event over at China Camp in Marin, she said, basicly as artists we should see this event for inspiration. She had clearly been inspired.
The SCA was still involved as the only organized outside group, visitors on horseback got in free and people stayed overnight because it was convenient, not to party, that was just a byproduct of unwinding as all our energy went into the days' activties. We were not into historical accuracy, we were trying to gain a perspective on own confusing times.

It may sound trite, but the war in Viet Nam, the draft, the Kennedy and King assasinations were the issues which drove us, we were looking for perspective not escape. Escape was a happy byproduct. I first volunteered in first aide, then worked with Peg and her then boyfriend, Wayne Ward in their spinning booth and later sold jewelry.

It took many years and a long absence or two before I tried to act onstage there. Back in the late 60's early 70's we did lots of teaching and enlightening, it was not so much living history, which was a later concept, as opening up new worlds for others and ourselves; broadening horizons, showing people their forgotten past.

The sixties was a time when ART became accessable to the people, not just the viewing, but the doing. We felt we were doing art, not history. The Faire's success came because it struck a chord in people, one's person's idea or artistic expression resonated and inspired others who in turn produced their own contribution.

Again, it may sound trite, but we really felt we were in a new renaissance, the parallels were numerous. With all this talk about historical accuracy, no one has mentioned how resistent everyone was in the early 80's when the whole Chipping-Under-Oakwood thing came in. People hated it! Everyone complained that their "art" was being infringed upon. Not only that, we had to study and go to workshops and find our hamlet on a giant map when we had been content and successful living in the ether.

All this is just a way of saying that the Faire is or was special to all of us. I loved the point that everyone around the campfire has a unique and valid view of the same suject.

Personally, I am done and gone from the Faire, have been since my kids were toddlers and they hated it. I loved it, learned at it, met my wife there 20 years ago there; I got to develop my art, pratice it and get paid for it. I have many fast friends from there. I experienced the village aspect friends, partners, aquaintances have grown up, had kids, died. What a place for one's coming-of-age experience.

I am shocked the Faire lasted as long as it has, in any form.

Jim Letchworth

Jim Letchworth