History of English

Foresight

The Joe just loves Titanic jabs...

Anachronisms Ahoy!

I've recently finished watching all available episodes of the 1958-1959 series Northwest Passage. A quick Google search doesn't reveal much on the production of this show. Starring Keith Larsen as Major Roberts, the series purports to tell the exploits of the Rogers' Rangers during the French and Indian War (albeit a heavily fictionalized retelling. And when I say heavy...). 

Though Keith Larsen doesn't seem to have had much of a noticeable career following this role, I can't help but wonder when I read that he stared in something called Women of the Prehistoric Planet... His co-star in Northwest Passage was non other than Buddy Ebson of Beverly Hillbillies fame.

The series, like the movie that came out in 1940, is based on Kenneth Robert's book of the same title. Though I haven't personally read it yet, author Howard H. Peckham warns: "Kenneth Roberts account of [Robert Rogers] in Northwest Passage must be read with great caution." Peckham, Pontiac and the Indian Uprising, forward by John C. Dann, Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 1994 [1947], p. 58.

For anyone interested in learning more about Robert Rogers and his men, I strongly suggest Stephen Brumwell's excellent book White Savage: A True Story of War, Savagery And Vengeance in Colonial America. 

So, what do I have to say about this stinker? Northwest Passage is very much a product of the 1950's with its cheesy plot lines, cheesy jokes, and apparent total lack of remorse of its characters after they basically cause the small-scale genocide of a native village (Though to be fair, neither did they in real life when they wiped out the Abénaki village of St. Francis. However, I maintain that the audience was not meant to feel pity and in fact is meant to cheer for the "heroes" who are even shown slaying women and children. A very disturbing scene for today's standards when the whole affair is immediately downplayed by a cheesy joke to end the episode). 

The production value was great for the period, but little to no research was put into it. I am very much surprised that no one has yet tried to do a remake of Roger's life for the silver screen or even a TV series for the likes of HBO or Bravo... Then again, the man can hardly be considered an American Hero as Northwest Passage attempts to do. Rogers did, after all, end up siding with the British during the American Revolution. 

So in true snarktastic tradition, here is what I've learned from watching Northwest Passage*:

- Roger's Rangers tended to be just three guys in green buckskins with fringes.
- Natives wore funny looking wigs held on by a band.
- Speaking of which, natives looked suspiciously like white guys in bad skin makeup.
- French-Canadians all sounded like they were from Paris.
- People dressed like cowboys, Stetson hats and all (Despite being set in the 1750's!!!!).
- Contrary to his portraits, Amherst was a white-wig wearing old wrinkly guy.
- The French (Militia?) wore black coats with Scottish-looking bonnets.
- Montréal apparently had castles from Loire.
- The direct route to Québec from Montréal apparently went through Crown Point.
- Détroit was apparently the far western edge of New France.
- A bump on the knee would give you blood poisoning.
- A knife thrown into your shoulder-blade will kill you. Always.
- Canoes were very easy to sabotage: they were like tissue paper.
- Suspicious bird noises are always to be ignored (even when a character says: "Funny sounding bird! Hope it's not the enemy!")
- All women dressed like they were from Little House on the Prairie.
- The French army dressed like American Revolutionaries
- Robert Rogers was pretty chill unlike the period accounts of being a drunk badass.
- Using native medicine makes you a witch and earns you the scorn of little girls.
- Case in point, little girls are horrid little bitches.
- The prop department was too cheap to create wampum belts so they came up with "pledge sticks" (and even then they didn't bother to decorate these plain sticks...)
- The lake Champlain/Richelieu river system is apparently found on the edge of the Rockies.
- Bowie knifes were invented much, much earlier.
- Did I mention cowboy hats? Cowboy hats everywhere?
- An Indian with blue eyes automatically meant he was someone's captured son, not a métis.
- Crown point was made out of wood.
- Crown point was smaller than fort St-Frédéric.
- Musket shots sound like cannons.
- People were fragile back then: they got knocked out with barely a punch.
- Apparently period rowboats had motor hitches.
- Navajo blankets were all the rage.
- The St. Francis massacre apparently wasn't a big thing, having been only alluded to once.
- Memorable quote: "I need him alive, for hanging!"
- Montréal was apparently bombarded and destroyed like Québec.
- Most Frenchmen enjoyed being conquered.
- Today's citadelle in Québec existed in 1759.
- French-Canadians ate snails.
- French women wore pants.
- Native women all looked like skimpy Disney Pocahontases.
- Indian chiefs wore South-American headdresses.
- Each episode must end with a cheesy joke. No exception. Even after slaughtering a native village.
- Only white Indians are good Indians (aka white people raised as Indians).
- Again, cowboy hats... everywhere.

*A part of this review was first made by me on the IMDB message board linked to this series.

Histerical Perspective

I've often had discussions on this with colleagues. When does a tragedy stop being tragic and start being a social gag? At which point does society start looking at a unfortunate event in our history and start laughing at it like your neighbour getting accidentally sacked in the nuts? 

We never did come up with an appropriate answer, but it's apparently less than 100 years, according to this trailer: 

Governmental Blunder...

On One Hand, You Have Revisionism, On The Other... You Have This

What Do You Get When You Mix Nazis, Robots, and Dinosaurs?

This, apparently...

Titanic Mistake

April 2012 is almost over... so a few days ago I thought I should commemorate the sinking of the world's most famous ship by watching the 3D re-release of James Cameron's Titanic. So how was the 3D? Meh.  Though, I will give credit where it's due: it's hard getting accurate depth perception from a movie originally filmed in 2D. But I was interested to find this out about the new edition, courtesy of everyone's favourite astrophysicist:

Also, can't miss this gem from Memebase:

Laughing With Hitler

This has to be by far my favourite documentary on WWII, proving once more that not only can humour be crudely wielded for devastating effect, but can also be humanity's greatest weapon in troubled times. Indeed, humour is a social gage just like the fool in a king's court. Cue Hitler jokes.

Nazi Donald Duck?

I can't get enough of the Nostalgia Chick... I really should post her first review ever on Pocahontas...

Fantastic Animation

This is awesome! 'Nuf said.

Everything is Amazing!

It hit me the other day: I can't think of a better era to be alive in. Everything is amazing! This particular epiphany came to me while travelling between Québec city and Montréal the other day. There I was, working on my thesis, when BAM! My head snapped up and my synapses were pulsing: "Oh my God! Here I am, on a train, going 200 km/h, in Canada, researching through a library in freakin' France to read a 250 year old book I otherwise would not have physical access to unless I chose to cross the Atlantic... and as I'm writing, my fingers aren't sore from pushing a pencil nor do I have to freak over a temperamental typerwritter!" Boy, did we evolve from monks scribbling away, to Gutenberg's press, to sheer awesomeness! And yet everyone takes this for granted! ARG! People, listen to Louis C.K.:

And I don't care much for this cynicism:

Come on people, take five minutes to drool over your luck of having been that one spermatozoa to have conquered the odds and made it to 21st century Western civilization!

Reacting to Reenactors

Your average reenactor is not your average history buff. While other people will merely content themselves with reading up on the past, reenactors want to live it. In the past few years, I’ve been gently eased into the fun kooky world of reenacting. Though I steadfastly refuse to join any reenactment club on a permanent basis, I thoroughly enjoy speaking with them regularly. Don’t get me wrong, I love reenactors. But I keep reminding them that as a historian, I find my time better spent researching. After all, to do what they do, they need our help. Ironically, though, the reverse is not seen as the case by most historians and archaeologists. It is quite the paradox that despite needing public support, professionals in the field seem to distance themselves from reenactors, if not downright loathing them. True, I’ve met my share of compulsive-obsessive hobbyists that are so keen on authenticity that they end up oppressing their own peers (or obsessing over certain historians like crazed fans — trust me, these are most likely the reason most historians are turned off by reenactors). However, as a historian, I would like to reach out to my peers and say this: reenactors deserve much more credit than we normally give them. For example, if I was to be in a room next to a reenactor, a crowd would immediately mill around him, even if I’m the professional willing to answer its questions. In a way, a reenactor is a visual representative of the field. They’re easy to spot and their accoutrement breaks the ice between them and the general public. If you take time to talk to some reenactors, you quickly realize that even though they don’t have a degree in history or archaeology, they are just as obsessed with the past as we are. It’s not a matter of playing make-believe, as they are rather pejoratively known as doing. Rather, by emulating the past, they show it the ultimate sign of respect. These folks took the time to learn about the past and found the perfect way to apply their knowledge. Many amateur historians are created through this activity. And I’m not talking about medieval fairs where half of people are dressed as fairy tale creatures. These are fantasists. No, I’m talking about people who truly have a profound respect for history and will play according to its rules. Through reenacting, they find the perfect outlet to share their passion with people who, otherwise, never would have approached them or history to begin with.

Unfortunately, a lot of misconceptions about reenactors still exist. My favourite (worst) example is that of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Québec city. In 2009, a massive reenactment of the year-long siege of the city was supposed to take place. Thousands of reenactors from both Canada and the U.S. were supposed to converge onto the arena of one of the most decisive events in North American history. However, this event was never to be. Political pressure crushed the commemoration. To understand why, one must remember that ever since that mournful day of September 13th 1759 (and more specifically the official surrender of Canada at Montréal a year later), French Canadians have been under British rule and later included in the founding of Canada. Like Scotland in Great Britain or Catalonia in Spain, French Canadians (concretely the province of Québec, the only officially francophone province) have had an ambiguous relationship with English Canadians. French nationalism is strong and general knowledge of reenacting is weak. Hence, when it was proposed to recreate the events of 1759-1760, the general public was never made aware that this was more than a onetime event: no one was told what reenactment is. Therefore, the most radical factions of the independence movement mistook the event as a celebration of the war, instead of a commemoration. I distinctly remember having long polite arguments with nationalist friends and having to chip away at their preconceived notions of the event. Only after carefully laying out that reenactors were doing this out of love of history did they understand that this was not an “Anglo” plot to spit into the eye of the Francophone population of Canada. To this day, I maintain that, unfortunately, the Battlefield Park’s comity had blundered and grossly misrepresented the event, using imagery which led people to believe the 2009 planned reenactment was an attempt to whitewash history (such as the thousands of pamphlets representing the event with a smiling Montcalm and Wolfe amicably shaking hands as if nothing had happened, that neither had been victims of agonizing deaths). Luckily, reenactors understood the stakes involved and walked away politely. Ironically, none knew the history and the politics involved better than they did.

This brings me to my main argument in defense of reenactors. They are the vocal faction of the historical community at large. In many ways, they do a better job than most historians at communicating history to the general public. Had they let reenactors explain the situation to the public instead of the park's administrators, this fiasco would most probably have been avoided. I don't recall them asking historians for their opinion either. Suprisingly, many only spoke up after it was too late. Historians often get so wrapped up academic jargon and conferences among peers that they often lose touch with the wider general public. Reenactors are part of this public, and then some: they are the ambassadors of the public. Should we not be as diplomatic and share our knowledge with them as eagerly as they are to share theirs with the rest of the world? I’ve made many a wonderful discovery thanks to reenactors. If some historians scoff at their certain lack of rigor, they certainly can’t fault them for a lack of vigor. To the critics of reenactors, I answer this: I lay blame on historians and archaeologists who are scared to bridge the gap and offer their professional perspective to correct reenactors’ methods of research, writing, and interpretation. We complain constantly that history is not represented enough in society. I see reenactors as another tool to transmit it. Among concrete examples I offer the Open House at fort Saint-Joseph where archaeologists and reenactors share the spotlight each August during this public event. Both are enriched by each other’s presence, but none benefit as much as the public, now made aware of its past.

This is why I took the plunge to visit the yearly Living History Show in Kalamazoo in Michigan last March 17th and 18th. Sure enough, members of the Center for French Colonial Studies where there with me, mingling and mixing with the countless reenactors. We had a terrific time nerding out even beyond the show and back at my hotel room, watching Destination Nord’Ouest and drinking wine, all the while swapping knowledge.

And sure enough, I couldn’t resist buying a new wardrobe for this summer’s New France festival in Québec city. This leads me to recount a funny anecdote involving my reenacting friends. For years now, I’ve been patiently buying pieces of clothes to create my persona for the New France Festival. However, it seems that every time, I buy a piece that is slightly anachronistic or not typically French. Of course, I’m always informed of the fact days after I bought the item when presenting it proudly to my friends. I am regularly the butt of such comments as “Oh, your fleur-de-lys are misaligned and don’t match period patterns!” or “Your three-point hat is British, not French!”. As much as I can agree with them in the end, I am only human and a humble Seven Years War historian, not a fashion historian. As such, I keep reminding them that it could be much worst: I’ve seen true horrors at the New France Festival, such as a pseudo-native wearing a dream-catcher stapled to his back, or a guy decked out in full cardboard armor. And so, as much as I respect their knowledge, Andi’s in particular (oh yes Andi, I know you are reading this right now), whenever they nit-pick my honest efforts to reenact authentically, I shout out: “Cardboard armor!”

Then again, I smile as I think in the back of my mind how much I admire their knowledge and their passion. And most of all, I value their friendship.

Me (left) during my first reenactment back in 2007.  (God forbid I was wearing polyesther and had plastic buttons)

Photo credit: Rénald Lessard.

Unbeknownst to most, Jesuits love Triscuits...

Photo credit: Joseph Gagné

 Believe it or not, this is only one room at the Kalamazoo Living History Show!

Photo Credit: Joseph Gagné.

You're not "accurate" enough for Rick, here...

Photo credit: Joseph Gagné.

Get 'em while they're young!

Photo credit: Joseph Gagné

Ben Franklin on Beer

Fun fact, by the way: it seems Franklin never said the famous phrase "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." but rather said "Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine, a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy." (source)

A Purrrfect Read

Even my own kitty approves this book

Title: The Well-Read Cat (Originally titled: Des chats passant parmi les livres)

Author: Michèle Sacquin (Translated by Isabel Ollivier)

Publisher: Bibliothèque nationale de France and Officina Libraria

Published in: 2010, Paris

Pages: 207

As the corny yet inevitable title of this review states, I have just polished off a wonderful little book on cats through history. To be more precise, this book is a sampling of images of cats found in the collections of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Anyone who has visited the famed library (or at least its massive website at gallica.bnf.fr) knows that many treasures are to be found there. It was only a matter of time before a cat lover, incidentally the library’s curator, decided to fish out its feline photographs and imagery. Alongside the panoply of paper cats (as the book calls them), we have the pleasure of reading various quotes on these whiskered critters by famous authors. The main text is a brief exploration of the history of the perception of cats in folklore and popular culture. Thanks to the extensive holdings at the BnF, the author is able to present cats not only in a European context, but a Middle-Eastern and Asian one as well. One page might contain the photograph of an Egyptian cat carved in a regal pose, while another will illustrate a turn-of-the-century French milk ad. Speaking of which, it is good to be reminded that the book was previously published in French before being translated in English and Italian (Gatti di Biblioteca). Rightly so: the allure of this four-legged house-pet reaches beyond geography, as pictures of Japanese pussies will attest to. The reader of this book will also appreciate this last cheeky allusion as the author does not shy away from more explicit symbolism and representations of cats. Indeed, she reminds us that for the longest time, cats were not only linked to witchcraft (in fact, regardless of colour until a few centuries ago), but were equally a symbol of female sexuality. Our only qualm with this book is the numerous mentions of other artwork not reproduced within these pages. Then again, we must remind ourselves that the objective of the book is to highlight only pieces found at the BnF. All in all, even though this book is a relatively short read (easily accomplished in less than an afternoon as I have done, sitting next to the lion statues at the Art Institute of Chicago where I picked up my copy), one can spend hours looking at these wonderful representation of cats through the ages. Do not miss this one, especially if you have a feline companion of your own!

A new meaning to Persian cat...

One seriously creepy medieval puss...

A fine feline if ever there was.

H.G. Wells Meets Bruce Wayne

Weirdness at the Art Institute of Chicago

 Have I ever mentioned I love Van Gogh? *Nerdgasm!*

Whenever I have time to kill in Chicago while waiting for the train, I always make it a point to visit at least one new landmark. This time, a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago was in order. Standing at its present location since 1893, the institute boasts some of the best art in the world, spanning continents and centuries. Sure enough, I kept an eye out for weirdness! Here are a few gems I found (and keep in mind, a full afternoon’s visit wasn’t enough to see even half of their exhibits!)

Peruvian Stewie Griffin?

Description: Jar with Anthropomorphic Figure. Paracas. Ocucaje area, Ica Valley, south coast, Peru. 650/150 B.C. Ceramic with resinous postfire paint.

Lay off the Doritos, Chihuahua.

Description: Figure of a Dog. Colima. Colima, Mexico. A.D. 1/200. Ceramic and Pigment.

Speaking of dogs... the 15th century contender for the World’s Ugliest Dog contest...

Description: Netherlandish. Emperor Heraclius Denied Entry into Jerusalem, 1460/80. Oil on Panel.

Monkey orchestra! Words fail to describe how awesome this is... now, if you give enough instruments to enough simians, will they play Beethoven?

Description: Monkey Band, c. 1765. Germany, Meissen. Moderled after Johann Joachim Kändler (German, 1706-1775) or Peter Reinicke (German, active mid-18th century). Made by Meissen Porcelain Manufactory (founded 1710). Hard-Paste porcelain, polychrome enamels, and gilding.

Our Lady of the Not Impressed....

Description: South German. Triptych of the Virgin and Child with Saints, 1505/15. Oil on Panel.

I also have half a dozen other pictures I’ve decided to submit to Ugly Rennaissance Babies instead. Hopefully we’ll see them there soon!

Art Institute of Chicago. Worth the visit alright!

Photos: Joseph Gagné 2012

Yar... Here Be Pillagers...

It might sound strange to take a moment to rant on a humour-oriented blog, but sometimes the motion is called for. Reality TV showed us before that it can be about more than duck-faced oompa loompas from New Jersey with the likes of this acclaimed French-Canadian series, Destination Nor'Ouest:

But then the very worst rears its ugly head with this moronic atrocity, American Digger:

Behold the stereotypical "Ugly American": a fat tub of lard giggling away with his shovel and fucking backhoe (my apologies to my American colleagues and friends. Or more like my sincerest sympathies). But enough ad hominim attacks, just read these few gems from this polished turd, "We live and breathe the history, we're not out to rape and pillage the ground" (with a wonderful shot of him flinging dirt left and right like a mad animal). "We're historians" to which he adds: "But instead of reading about history [i.e. getting an education] we want to touch [i.e. rape] it". 

Spike TV's website describes the show thus:

Spike TV travels around the country uncovering hidden treasure found in the backyards of everyday Americans in “American Digger.” This new unscripted original series follows former professional wrestler turned modern day relic hunter Ric Savage, as he and his team from American Savage target areas such as battlefields and historic sites in the hopes of striking it rich and capitalizing on unearthing and selling bits of American history. The only thing standing in their way are the homeowners themselves, who Savage must convince to allow them to dig up their property using state-of-the-art metal detectors and heavy-duty excavation equipment. What artifacts they find, they sell for a substantial profit, but not before negotiating a deal to divide the revenue with the property owners. The team from American Savage is comprised of recovery expert Rue Shumate, battlefield historian Bob Buttafuso, Ric’s wife Rita who manages the business and their 25-year old son Giuseppe, who provides tech support and is the “muscle” of the operation. Series premieres, Wednesday, March 21 @ 10:00 PM, ET/PT

Folks, that is not how archaeology is practiced. This is how archaeology is done: http://youtu.be/RK4imdXWkMQ (my apologies for not embedding: seems there's a limit to the amount of clips shown per post). What is the problem you might ask? Real archaeologist will carefully sift through soil to find anything and everything they can. They don't stop at coins and bullets, they look for shards of glass, nails, lead seals, animal bones, hell- even microscopic particles like pollen and seeds. Assembled together with the proper collecting and cataloging methods, all of these finds have the potential to unlock a complex and fascinating history behind the area you are working on. For example, you can determine people's diets and if they lived through times of plenty or famine. Thanks to minuscule traces like beads or leftover fabric, you can establish trade routes and patterns. Etc. Etc. Etc. I could go on writing a book on how the real beauty of archaeology and history goes beyond finding coins and bullets, but plenty of people have done that already, both in print and on TV.  If you're new to your interest of history and archaeology, there is plenty of fine introductory material out there.
And don't get me wrong: metal detecting enthusiasts can be important to archaeology. They happen to stumble across interesting finds all the time. After all, it was thanks to such a hobbyist that Fort Saint-Joseph  in Michigan was found despite professional surveys in the area since the early 1900's. However, any such enthusiasts of metal detecting should be likewise as responsible and report any finds to their local historical society to prevent further degradation of the site of interest. There is a difference between such authentic passionate amateur historians, the pros they befriend and help out, and this...

Oh, and did I forget to mention: a fucking backhoe???

What can you do to stop this show? Boycott it: don't watch it. Studios are very twitchy when it comes to ratings and will drop any new show like a rock if it doesn't show any promise of future audience augmentation. Also, you can write to Spike TV to express your disgust. Finally, spread the news: archaeology is cool! Grab a friend, spend a few hours in a museum, especially if he or she has never set foot in one. The more people  are aware of the stakes involved in such nefarious activities, the more likely they are to boot such pirates off their property. 

Further reading: 

• Petition: Stop Spike TV from looting our collective past!
• American Digger: Show notes
• 'Diggers,' 'American Digger' TV Shows Said To Promote Looting Of Archaeological Sites
• Archaeologists Protest 'Glamorization' of Looting on TV
• Detroit preservationists oppose 'American Diggers' TV show
• Cable show host pleased with relics found in St. Augustine, scoffs at critics
• Facebook group: People against Spike TV's "American Digger"

Weird Walt Disney

Stumbled on this gem for anyone fascinated by museums and archives:

 

Read up on the creepy Mickey Mouse gas mask here: 

http://io9.com/5888018/behold-the-mickey-mouse-gas-mask-from-world-war-ii

Cats + History = Purrrfect

Looking for your next feline fix and your next historical high? How about turning to this cute blog called Historical Cats @ http://historicalcats.tumblr.com/

"Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
- Mark Twain Notebook, 1894

Fatolph Hitler

Is Squishy!

Check out the blasphamously ugly artwork at http://squishyjesus.blogspot.com/

Holy Typo, Batman!

In my last post, I noticed the artist wrote "Can me and Bobby...". My brain automatically screamed "Can Bobby and I..."! Which led to remembering this image:

Cowboys and White Guilt

Gotta love Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.

Sometimes History and Manga Shouldn't Mix... Part 2

Source: http://pictureisunrelated.memebase.com/

Fuck Yeah!

No, I'm not swearing: rather, I'm pointing out this awesome blog called "Fuck Yeah, History Major Heraldic Beast" to be found here: http://fyeahhistorymajorheraldicbeast.tumblr.com

Here's a taste of the funnies:

 And my favourite by far:

Champlain Meme

I just came back from the premier of the French dubbed documentary "Dead Reckoning - Champlain in North America" by Mountain Lake PBS. Despite its short 55 minute running time and slightly wooden animation, it's definitely worth a watch (you can purchase the dvd here: http://champlaininamerica.org/). 

Watching the movie, I was reminded of a painful event in the French explorer's life. Soon after I couldn't resist creating this pastiche of a currently popular meme (guess which one):

Original link: http://cheezburger.com/View/5744059392