The Wake - Issue 12 - Spring 2023 - Bizzaro

YE OLDE WAKE fortnightly student magazine

volume 22 – issue 12

56724 ART 42765 2

Art by Natalie Williams

SPRING BIZARRO

©2022 The Wake Student Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

Established in 2002, The Wake is a fortnightly independent magazine and registered student

Fortnightly Student Magazine

organization produced by and for students at the University of Minnesota. The Wake was founded by Chrin Ruen and James DeLong.

Disclaimer: The purpose of The Wake is to provide a forum in which students can voice their

Volume 22 Spring Bizarro

�ditor��l

opinions. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as a whole. To join the conversation email eic@wakemag.org.

Prod�ctio�

Editor-in-Chief

Srihita Raju

Executive Director

Marie Ronnander

Managing Editor

Sophia Goetz

Creative Director

Laura Kuchar

Cities Editor

Vishalli Alagappan

Finance Manager

Maggie Huang

Voices Editor

Carter Starkey

PR/Ad Manager

Gracie Kibort

Online Editor

Quinn McClurg

Social Media Manager

Makayla Hillukka

Copy Editor

Abby Vela

Art Director

Natalie Williams

Music Reviews Editor

Peter Nomeland

Web Manager

Brennan Neuser

Multimedia Producer

Ben Villnow

Distribution Manager

Selam Gerezgiher

Multimedia Editors

Natalie Aue

Designers

Makenna Larson

Kailee Baumann

Mallory Paul Kat Regas

Cities Interns: Sydney Peshon Voices Interns: Devna Panda, Goamaar Paul

PR/Ad Interns: Cheyney McKinney, Jacob Nelson

Features Interns: Maddie Roth, Joshua Kloss

Social Media Intern: Caroline Ray

Online Interns: Bianca Llerena

Art Interns: Sana Ikramuddin, Alex Kozak, Brooke Lambrecht

Copy Editors: Vern Nowakowski, Hana Handzija Music Reviews Interns: Shanna Sivakumar

Th�s Iss�e Writers

Art

Gracie Kibort, Quinn McClurg, Shanna Sivakumar, Cheyney

1 Marie Ronnander 2 Brooke Lambrecht, 3 Sana Ikramuddin, 4

McKinney, Vishalli Alagappan, Sophia Goetz, Joshua Kloss,

Alex Kozak, 5 Natalie Williams, 6 Laura Kuchar

Marie Ronnander, Peter Nomeland, Srihita Raju, Vern Cover and Feature Art: Natalie Williams

Nowakowski, Natalie Williams

Feature Spread Design: Mallory Paul Creative Submissions Natalie Williams, Laura Kuchar, Valerie Paul

Featured art from Professor Jennifer Awes Q&A and our Wink!

One Page Magazine are from original sources.

Pinterest

Facebook

@thewakemagazine

@The Wake Magazine

TikTok

Twitter

@thewakemagazine

@the_wake

Instagram

Web

@thewakemagazine

wakemag.org

YE OLDE WAKE

The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455

3

Sibli��s, Fr�e��s, Lovers?

Taketh a behold at these couples (ignore the titles lol) and decideth for yourself...kin, friends, or lovers?

wink! one page magazine

3

1

5

2 1.

2.

3.

4.

45.

Luxuria, Amiens, West Portal, 13th C. Herman, Paul and Jean de Limbourg, January, from Les Trees Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, 1413-16.

Saints Sergius and Bacchus, 7th C. Georges Trubert, ~1480-1490.

Uncredited.

4

SPRING BIZARRO

UPCOMING EVENTS INSIDE

Jun 3, 1166 Bible Study

8

Listen Up, Peasants!

Log of a Resident Plague Doctor

9

Guitar for Peasants

10

Medieval Torture over College

11

13

16

Can You Spot the Difference Between a Medieval Serf and a College Grad?

Crusades and Capital Riots: Where White Supremacy and Medieval History Intersect Our Lady of Grace

Round up the heathen young’uns and bring them over to the St. Paul’s cathedral. Snacks and board games available only after hymn recitation.

St. Paul Cathedral

Nov 23, 1256 Bard Concert Take a break from toiling your Lord’s lands and come listen to Arnaut Daniel’s lyrical masterpieces about love and adventure!

The Bonfire

Jan 21, 1338 Justice Will Be Served Pirate hanging! Arrive precisely at noon to enjoy the state-sanctioned murder of enemy privateers! BYOT(Bring your own tomatoes).

The Gallows

17

Nerdy Obsessions

18

@jesuslover3000 Vogue of th’ Year of Our Lord, Henry V, in th’ Vicinity of th’ 15th Century

19

20 22

President of the Black Death Fan Club

May 30, 1472 Arthurian Tales Attend the memorial honoring King Arthur on the 930th anniversary of his death. Come and hear the Arthurian legend by the one and only Thomas Mallory. Ale and bread provided until supplies last.

Ye Olde Festival Center

Ye Olde Grande Inquest o’ th’ Ages

Oct 12, 1532

The Stocks

Harvest Festival

Professor Jennifer AwesFreeman Q&A

Come one and come all to the Harvest festival where you can sell and buy vegetables, fruits, livestock, exotic trinkets and more!

Towne Center

YE OLDE WAKE

5

Le�er �ro� ��e �ditor I cannot believe I’m already writing this.

(Before we get into that, shoutout to Ian Knoll for being one of our most notorious Wake alumni, but also for coming up with this Bizarro theme all those months ago.)

With this letter, I will be finishing out my year as Editor-in-Chief. I’ve been with this magazine since Fall 2020, from my first week of my freshman year.

Earlier today, I was walking home and mentally preparing all of the things I need to get done this week, specifically everything I need for this Friday, which will be my 21st birthday. At one point I realized my mind, amidst all the chaos, slipped from cups, attendee numbers and “BYOB” reminders to the realization: damn, I’m here. To be honest, around that first week of college when I learned about The Wake, I didn’t know if I was going to make it to 21.

18 year old me had no idea about the way college would change her life. She didn’t think any of it was possible. She didn’t think she would be standing here, and she especially didn’t think she was going to be doing it happily. 18-year-old Srihita would be shocked at the number of friends I’ve made, the things I’ve worked on, the things I’ve accomplished, and the ways I’ve grown. To others, it may not be a lot, but to 18-year old Srihita, none of it was even a possibility.

And I attribute so, so much of that to The Wake.

The Wake staff members when I first joined were some of the first people I ever met (and virtually met) in college, and they were the kindest souls I had ever had the pleasure of speaking with. They made me feel so genuinely wanted at pitch meetings, even when I would never unmute my mic.

They made me realize that I could write and be taken seriously for my writing, even when I didn’t think I deserved it.

Over the past few years, as staff members join and leave, one thing has remained constant: The Wake has the hardest working, kindest, most talented, genuine, brilliant, and welcoming people on campus.

Being a student-run magazine can be complicated and, honestly, exhausting at times, but in the end, we are always able to look at the work that we’ve done together and feel a sense of accomplishment and joy. That is why I’ve chosen to continuously be a part of The Wake for the past three years and I’m sure the rest of the current staff as well as our former staff can relate.

One of the other things that makes The Wake so special is we’ve found a way to be a part of something larger than just ourselves. In the twenty years since our founding, we’ve become a part of this community on campus of artists, activists, writers, and, more generally, empathetic and passionate students. Everyday we are so grateful that we have this opportunity to be a safe space for anyone who wants to exercise their artistic voice here on campus. The Wake is who we are because of all of your support, so once again, on behalf of our staff past, present, and future, thank you.

I want to end with one thing I said in my first “Letter from the Editor” this school year: I hope you find people and places that make you feel at home and help you grow into who you never knew you could be. And if you haven’t yet, please remember, you always have a seat at The Wake.

Earnestly & With Love (& Goodbye!),

Srihita Raju Editor-In-Chief

6

SPRING BIZARRO

56724 ART 42765

YE OLDE WAKE

Art by Laur� K�c�ar

7

56724 BOROUGHS 42765

L�s�� �p, Pe�s�nts!

The medieval tea is pipping hot!

by Gr�cie Kibort

H

ey, my gothic girlies and antiquated peeps!

I’m giving my own State of the Union address — medieval style. These are the trends any nobles who are noble will be following this season. Listen up, peasants, for what I say goes. Disclaimer: Just my humble opinion, no need for the scold’s bridle.

Sign up for my fortnightly letter to keep up on the village ins and outs.

The In’s - for my dames, biddies, and dowagers alike: • Italian fashion • Flat hats • Harlot era • Silly hats of all kinds • Animal court • Dressing pigs up in human clothes only • Men’s Fashion • You know what they say about the length of a man’s shoe, right?

• The tighter the tight…

• Consensual shotgun weddings • Divorce by combat!!

• Gorgeous death • Velvet matching sets • Ovens • Deurbanization • Beer • Bliaut dresses • Let those legs breathe!

• Anvils • Wine

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Literacy Unicorns Spices and cloves as perfume Chivalry • I want to be wowed Strumpet vibes Shinty Fermentations of all sorts Jesters Cassian and Isolde’s relationship manifesting The merchant class Linen (medieval ina garten aspirations) Hammer throwing Cheese Witches Shakespeare era Eels as currency Combs feudalism Baby Names: Philomena, Desislava, Edme, Sigrid Class Constraints

The outs - need I say more?: • The Catholic Church • Same old, same old • Wench era • Burning at the stake • Gluten • Shoes • Animal court • Stop killing animals

Log o� � Res��ent P��g�e Doctor

2

• • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Washing your hands Ring Around the Rosie Cathedral cities Bleaching skin with acid, mercury, and lead • Just poison your husband already!

Germs Rodent fur eyebrows Cabbage Good posture • Sloping shoulders are all the rage bb!

Brunhilda - I know what you did girl The Great Fire of London Jewish persecution Opal necklaces for blondes • Brunettes are in Hairless faces • Let’s get hairy Tic-Tac-Toe Wool everything Bathing • Hygiene in general Population growth Winemaking Baby names: Groa, Hildegund, Berenice, Henry The anniversary of the football ban (April 13, 1314) • Let’s bring it back!

Weekly Ed. 12 Aprill, 1657 - 16 Aprill, 1657

by Quin� McClurg

D

ATE: Break of Day, 12 Aprill.

PATIENT: Clementia Hertcombe, fair and young lady of Westbrook SYMPTOMS: Chills, faint adenitis, and darkening of the extremities; unusual bleeding.

DIAGNOSIS: Initial phases of developing pestilence.

TREATMENT: Leeches placed upon bubos and gangrenous tissue to consume phlegm and necrosis.

NOTES: Treatment surprisingly ineffectual; last will and testament taken. More herbs and aromatic items to be purchased. Rest of the day’s schedule to be cleared.

8

DATE: Mid-Day, 14 Aprill.

PATIENT: The miller’s son, Maurice Fitzwilliyam SYMPTOMS: Digestive complications (i.e. vomiting, diarrhea), fever, and malnourished appearance; still full of youthful exuberance and good nature yet.

DIAGNOSIS: Likely roundworm or some other unwelcome parasyte.

TREATMENT: Wormwood and gentian flower are to be taken orally until fever (and turbulence from herbs) relieves.

NOTES: Maurice appears well, hearty, and in full health, ever-exuberant since the ridding of his wyrm.

DATE: Dusk, 15 Aprill.

NOTES: Slow workday: watered the leeches and performed autopsy of Angrebod Seger, victim and succumber to plague. Patched a slight break in my beak’d mask with paste and poultice. Wellprovisioned for yonder day.

DATE: Eve, 16 Aprill.

PATIENT: Benedict Brougham, tax collector and money lender of local residence.

SYMPTOMS: Described “sundering cranium ache,” resulting from the lack of financial retribution from borrowers of his patronage (myself included).

DIAGNOSIS: Excess of blood in head, wherein evil spirits and ill wills coalesce.

TREATMENT: Scalp lacerated and opened; humor allowed to flow freely until Brougham ceased grumbling and appeared sufficiently pallid.

NOTES: Sent him back to his estate in an ebony carriage. Has not returned to demand his sums.

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Business is well, with the maladies and humors of the townsfolk balanced and improv’d! Of extraneous note: I’ve contracted chills early this dawn. On the morrow, I shall purchase more herbs and flowers to distract this miasma; I pray this shall pass quickly. I’ve yet work to do (and have developed quite the register of ailing patrons), and my eager glov’d hands itch for more work!

SPRING BIZARRO

& other instruments to play in the Medieval Ages 3

H

ave you ever wondered what instrument you would play during the Medieval Ages?

More importantly, have you ever wondered where you would fall socioeconomically during that time period? I have. And I’m here to tell you how these two things— where you belong in the 1500s and what you’ll be playing— intersect. My credentials include the guitar, the violin, and the piano but only with my right hand because using both hands at the same time wrinkles my brain a little too hard.

Nobles — Violin The violin requires an intense amount of time and training, and let’s be honest, only nobles have that luxury. As an extremely rip-your-hairout frustrating instrument, the violin is far too taxing for a peasant to play when they’ve got other, more pressing matters to attend to (like learning the guitar instead— see below). Not only is the instrument time-consuming, but it’s also incredibly difficult to play correctly. Even the slightest shift of your fingers on the fingerboard could mean a wrong note. It’s genuinely an instrument for the small, dainty, rich fingers of the bourgeoisie.

Knights — Saxophone I feel like knights would love listening to some smooth jazz in the late evenings after a long day of fighting, or guarding the castle walls, or trying to pull a sword out of a stone and failing.

The saxophone is the main character of jazz, with its velvet tone and ability to get the ladies (and gentlemen!) swooning. When you first begin playing, it sounds like a ship leaving port, but it’s a gorgeous instrument once you’ve mastered it. I’d also love to see someone in full knight armor playing a saxophone. They’d look like a Transformer.

Clergy — Piano People in church playing the piano? It’s more likely than you think. Large, unmovable, hauntingly beautiful, and difficult. Sounds like God. This makes the piano— and by extension, the organ— the obvious instrumental choice for clergy during the Medieval period. The piano takes a lot of patience to learn, as does

YE OLDE WAKE

2

by S�an�� Sivakumar

56724 BOROUGHS 42765

Guitar �or Pe�s�nts

reading the Bible. It’s also a reliable instrument, requiring nothing but a pianist to start the music. No picks, reeds, or a five minute assembly and tuning period. The piano is a staple in every church and similarly is at the center of classical music.

Tradesmen — Flute Can’t you just imagine a silly little tradesman playing a flute and dancing a jig while he makes his way to the market? And then he’ll try to sell the now-used flute for the price of a new one? The flute is for ordinary people who believe they’re better than everyone else, and tradesmen fit that description quite well. A flute can sometimes be a little high-pitched and annoying, but melodious and beautiful at other times. It’s an instrument that gives you range.

Comparable to the pestering attitude yet natural charisma of a tradesman.

Townspeople — Trumpet Something about the boogie woogie bugle boy from Company B tells me he would’ve been a townsperson during the medieval ages, just hanging around after school and being annoying with his bugle. The trumpet is a criminally underrated instrument, and a lot harder to play than it looks. With only three valves for your fingers, the brunt work of the trumpet comes from the mouth— just like townspeople when they gossip about the local town wench. And while jazz music wasn’t created until the 1800s, the trumpet is known for its improvisational qualities, and townspeople love making things up for their own benefit.

Peasants — Guitar Cheap, versatile, and impressive to play— a wonderful combination for peasants wanting to play music on a budget. I got my first guitar for $50 at an estate sale. I still have it today, and it’s stayed the same for over a decade, aside from a couple scratches and a small buzz from certain notes. Unlike the violin, it has frets, so you actually know where to put your fingers. And with the creation of guitar tabs it’s not necessary to know how to read music in order to play it.

Truly an instrument for the proletariat!

9

56724 BOROUGHS 42765

Med�ev�l Torture Over Col�e�e Cope with the agony of college with some medieval torture

by C�ey�ey McKin�ey

T

orture. Modern or medieval, it has its purposes. Punishment, espionage, coerced confessions, and more, all forms of torture have had a historically bad reputation. I can’t say much for modern torture, but medieval torture has a particularly horribly inhumane touch to it.

The torture devices of medieval times are a true representation of the darkest parts of the human mind. Some are vile, complex instruments that should’ve never even been a thought. Others are fairly simplistic and seemingly innocent.

However, they just might serve a modern purpose for the modern-day person. Or maybe just for those silly little masochists.

We have all seen the near-pornographic TikTok videos of chiropractors cracking their patients like glow sticks. I don’t know about you, but those videos are oddly satisfying. So what if we had our own little machines that stretched and cracked out joints in our own homes? Well, thanks to those abominable and torturous medieval minds, there’s the Rack. This beautiful, wooden contraption will pull and stretch all your sore joints and muscles until you just can’t bear it anymore. As college students, constantly crouched over our computers like some type of gremlin, we all get some real awkward aches and pains in the old skeleton. We all need a good back cracking, and the University supplied chiropractors aren’t cutting it anymore. It’ll help to correct your posture! So get your Rack today and get pulled like a taffy to crack out those old, gnarled joints of yours.

10

4

Do you ever need a good laugh? I know most of us college kids do, especially with that darned seasonal depression. Or just regular depression. For that desire to giggle until you can giggle no more, I have the perfect method of torture for you: tickling. Yes, yes, I know. Seems rudimentary. But to be tickle tortured is to take a hit of that sweet dopamine that you need to get you through that next paper. Or just until you see the sun shine again. With tickle torture, you can spare yourself a break from all the stress and angst of the college experience. So grab a friend and get your tickle torture on!

Feel like you’ve been staring at a screen for an excessive amount of time? Eyes are burning?

Brain melting? Why don’t you go ahead and give yourself a little eye-gouging? Give those nice eyeballs a little ice bath. Although eye gouging is a painful torture method, it is most definitely a necessity to reset those eyes and give yourself a break from all the tedious college classes.

However, I suggest you avoid the medieval methods of hot pokers and boiling liquids, and instead opt for the general, household tablespoon. Side effects may include temporary blindness, headaches, and general excruciating pain of the eye socket.

Immurement is an imprisonment method of torture where you are encased in a space with no exit! With Immurement, you will be able to get away from all the noise of college life and finally center yourself in peace and quiet. In fact, bring some snacks and entertainment with you, force yourself to take a break from school and all other responsibilities. You deserve it! Be warned that you may need help from a friend in building your little Immurement, but it is so worth the awkward favor.

Despite the long, historical bad rap sheet for torture, it most definitely has its modern purposes and benefits of relaxation. Need a good back cracking, invest in the Rack! Tickle torture is a sure way to get that sweet, sweet boost of dopamine. Give those tired eyes a break away from the screen. Need some sensory deprivation? Take some time in the Immurement. Any form of medieval torture is a break from the modern day torture of the college life, right? *** Caution! I am in no way a medical professional. Please don’t use medieval torture.

If you really want to torture yourself, stay in college. ***

College life is an overstimulating lifestyle.

There are classes, homework, jobs, parties, friends, student clubs, internships, and so much more. We are constantly taking in so much information, whether it is educational, social, or entertainment. We all need a break sometimes. The Immurement can remedy that!

SPRING BIZARRO

56724 BOROUGHS 42765

C�� yo� spo� ��e di�ere�ce be�wee� � �ed�ev�l serf ��� recent col�e�e gr��?

The feudal system is back in vogue 3

T

he day starts at dawn with the roosters crowing (probably), and you get out of bed, sore and tired for you worked your Vassal’s land until eventide the day before. You stretch and yawn and look with dejection towards your own plot of land, a measly and unkempt vegetable patch in comparison to the acres upon acres that your Lord and his knights call their own.

You grab a piece of bread, wrap it up in rough linen and stick it in your trousers pockets (did medieval trousers have pockets?) and head out with the other peasants to work the Baron’s land, with a small glimmer of hope that you may finish in time to come home and tend to your own.

Although this is how a serf in medieval times starts his day, it is not too far off from describing the mornings of laborers of our own era.

Feudalism was the socioeconomic structure of the middle ages: a rigid hierarchical system where the Kind allotted Lords large plots of land called a fief and the Lords divided these lands between Knights and peasants. The Lords paid taxes and/or soldiers to the King, the Knights paid the Lords in military service, and the peasants paid the Lords rent and/or labor for use of the land. In the American class system, a bonus of corporate America, the laborers (peasants) work under middle management (Knights) who toil for the executives (Lords).

The elusive oligarchy of investors encompass the role of the King.

The formative idea behind American capitalism is that one can move from one class to another through ambition and hard work. Although this

YE OLDE WAKE

by Vis��lli A����ppa�

was true following the industrial capitalism of the early twentieth century, it has become an impossible prospect due to monopolies and globalization. Albert László Barabási, a physicist making great strides in network science, describes the consequences of complex networks created by globalization through the power law. People like things that others like.

Therefore, the first most liked item is twice as liked as the second most, and the second most liked item is twice as liked as the third most liked item and so on and so forth. The distribution of liked items does not resemble a bell curve, but rather an egregiously skewed one with a long tail. In terms of wealth, its peak represents the few billionaires of the world and the never-ending tail depicts the billions of workers. This system is set up to encourage participation: the more items in the network, the more the wealth is redistributed towards the peak. More inclusion of the world population into complex networks creates competition for attention, resources, money, and jobs. States favor monopolies (item) as they believe them to perform best in a global economy (a complex network) for profit.

effective they become. Platforms like Airbnb and Uber position themselves as necessary intermediaries while outsourcing training and means of labor. Platforms are extractive in that users pay for their service and platforms collect the data produced by the use of their platforms.

It’s similar to when the Lords controlled all the mills and ordered the serfs to grind their grain in those mills for which they had to pay.

Besides globalization, tech supergiants like Google, Facebook, Amazon and have changed capitalism today. For the immense influence they exert in all spheres of our existence, they employ a small group of people and exploit the free labor of their users. These companies not only rely on data, but they produce more data. Therefore, like with the complex economical network, the more people use these tech platforms, the more

Side note, if the complex network science was confusing for you, do not fret. There are various other sources that do not delve into the more abstract concepts. “Neofeudalism: The End of Capitalism?” by Jodi Dean discussed this concept and I was simply fascinated by it. I encourage you to do your own research and find literature that resonates with you.

The presence of atrocious inequality, a hegemony of monopolies, and financial insecurity for a majority of the population is characteristic of neo feudalism. Social frustrations due to feudalism in France lead in part to the French Revolution. Does identifying our current socioeconomic structure as neo feudalistic beckon a revolution in our future?

Often late stage capitalism is the term of choice thrown around in social media and it has an optimistic connotation since late-stage implies the end of something. It is important to recognize the similarities between the past and the present since history has a strange way of repeating itself, and it would not be a bad idea to take some pointers from a few centuries ago.

11

56724 CREATIVE SUBMISSION 42765

THE ORCHESTRA TAKES A BREATH

by V��erie P��l with no words spoken, we hesitate we hover at the entrance, stalling, pulling cards from wallets from pockets slowly as we dare, and putting them delicately away before stepping aside. we pause, for a moment, to stamp the snow off our shoes, to dig the masks from our bags, glancing down the sidewalk to gauge how much time to take up and as the last of us arrives panting from their two-block sprint, we breathe out together and resume our commuter tempo

12

SPRING BIZARRO

Cr�s��es ��� C�pi�l Rio�s: W�ere White S�pre��cy ��� Med�ev�l H�s�ory Intersect

by Sophia Goetz and Joshua Kloss

YE OLDE WAKE

13

56724 FOLKLORE 42765

O

n January 6, numerous medieval allusions imbued the uprising during the Capitol insurrection. Rudy Giuliani demanded a “trial by combat”; the “Q Shaman,” Jacob Chansley, had Norse tattoos; and rioters waved a flag with a Crusader cross and the Latin phrase Deus Vult, a Crusader battle cry that has been adopted by the far-right and means “God wills it.” These farright references to the European Middle Ages serve as crucial reminders that contemporary violence has a long history and a global reach.

Symbols of the Middle Ages were shown at the Charlottesville Unite the Right protest in 2017. The Christchurch terrorists referenced Norse and Crusader medievalisms in their manifesto. And many other examples persist.

Extremists appropriate and misunderstand medieval culture for their own ends, and reinterpret old pictures and concepts to place them in contemporary situations. We must look to the present day, and not to the Middle Ages, in order to fully comprehend why and how.

Medievalism and whiteness More so than medieval realities, the connection of the European Middle Ages with white identities reflects contemporary prejudice.

Nations like England, Germany, and France needed new origin myths in the late 18th century to explain the burgeoning pseudo-science of race and provide justification for imperialist claims of superiority over the peoples they intended to subjugate.

Before, the Middle Ages were thought of as a dark, barbaric epoch between the Classical and Modern periods; now, however, they are seen as the birthplace of European whiteness and its variants, such as “Celtic” and “Anglo-Saxon.”

Ideas of biological lineage were connected to the origins of social and cultural institutions.

The English and Germans who claimed Germanic ancestry, in particular, believed that the Germanic “Gothic race” had an innate love

14

of freedom, a capacity for violence, and a respect for women. The feudal form of administration, chivalry, and specific cultural aesthetics were thought to have developed as a result of these alleged attributes.

Similar notions were connected to a perceived “Anglo-Saxon race” in the British Empire and its territories. The 18th and 19th century’s racialized conceptions of freedom continue to have a bearing on white extremists.

In ways that still have resonance in 21stcentury society and culture, whiteness was identified with the Middle Ages in architecture, academics, literature, language, and art. The white medievalist aesthetic of Pre-Raphaelite art is echoed in contemporary TV dramas like Game of Thrones (2011–19) and The Last Kingdom (2015–).

Extremists and the general public still strongly associate white racial and cultural identity with the European Middle Ages. Especially situations need be considered, such as the black British actor Jodie Turner-Smith playing Anne Boleyn, or British actress India Ria Amarteifo being selected to portray Queen Charlotte in the Bridgerton spinoff series.

Why do white supremacists medievalist symbols?

use

White extremists use preexisting concepts to support their ideologies and historical fabrications. Fascists find appeal in a highly ordered feudal society where a king and aristocracy govern by violence. The majority of Western countries, including Australia, recognize the European Middle Ages as a component of their history. In Parliament House in Canberra, there is a copy of the Magna Carta, an English royal charter from 1215 that is frequently credited with establishing jury trial and other legal liberties. Because of this, using medieval

SPRING BIZARRO

56724 FOLKLORE 42765

symbols can help extremists reach across international borders.

Modern Western culture is saturated with medieval imagery, from television shows like Vikings (2013–20) and the Assassin’s Creed video game series to credit card and mortgage commercials, political discourse, themed restaurants, and much more. This makes links to extreme groups more tenable. Hate symbols can be concealed in plain sight if their intent is unclear. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) classifies Chansey’s tattoos as hate symbols, but they also point out that “non-racist pagans” occasionally wear them.

Medievalisms in popular culture support this denial and create chances for radicalization through shared interests. In the early 2000s, ex-KKK member Derek Black created a section on the white nationalist website Stormfront devoted to Lord of the Rings and fantasy (a significant area of popular medievalism) with the express purpose of attracting new members to white nationalist ideology. He told the New York Times that he believed those who like Lord of the Rings’ “white mythos” would be “turned on by white nationalism.”

More recently, due to activities by the extreme right, video games and gaming websites—where medievalist content is common—have grown to be important sources of worry for antiradicalization practitioners and policy makers.

Awareness is vital White nationalist violence has increased recently, including but not limited to massmurdering terrorist acts. It is becoming more and more crucial that we are aware of hate symbols. Because of deniability and the exploitation of widespread views, we should take context into account when determining whether a particular use of a symbol is “racist”

YE OLDE WAKE

is not always helpful in determining whether it is a symptom of white extremism. Since ancient times, white European identities have been associated with medieval emblems like those on exhibit at the Capitol. This relationship cannot be ignored, denied, or viewed as a neutral option due to their use by extremists who engage in violent behavior. In every facet of our medievalist modern environment, we must consciously, aggressively, and explicitly reject hateful interpretations and the violence that goes along with them.

Through white supremacists’ weaponization of medieval imagery, it’s clear that oppression and violence can start as what initially appears as a relatively harmless thing. In much the same way, the language with which we speak in our everyday lives both reflects our political and social climates, as well as affecting them in return. The relationship between what we consume and say and larger societal issues is reciprocal. Ableist and transphobic jokes that start off as ‘locker room talk,’ to list one such example, are what help fuel harmful ideologies that find their ways informing policy or evoking hate crimes. The pen was not a weapon until an author decided to write words that could inspire hate; take Orson Card, for example, whose homophobic beliefs seeped their way into his writing, and who also used his writing talent in order to advocate against marriage equality laws. There are many words we can use to describe bigotry and oppression, and I fear that clever is one such choice. It finds its way to exist and prevail through generations; it is an illness that has evolved alongside our species and cleverly sustains itself through ways that can even appear harmless. We must consider the media we consume as well as the words we speak, in order to combat and stop the prevalence of bigotry. White supremacists employing medieval imagery is yet another reminder of that.

15

56724 FOLKLORE 42765

Our L��y o� Gr�ce Memoir of the Virgin Mary

1

by Marie Ron�a��er

I

was a mere 13 on the night I was betrothed to Joseph. He liked my sense of style –not a lot of girls would be caught dead in a blue robe back then– and my childish demeanor. As I was, in fact, still a child. I was slightly terrified, but it could have been worse. He was the grungy, artistic, carpenter type. I knew that if anything, we would have a well furnished home.

Unfortunately, I didn’t know how post-marital acts work -I wasn’t allowed to go to school because (lol) the patriarchy. But from talking to my 16-year-old wife friends, I knew that certain mythical things happened after marriage. From their tales, I knew that those experiences had the possibility of gently traumatizing me. So, as any super religious 13-year-old would do, I closed my eyes and desperately prayed for a way out.

Behold: a glittering angel appeared. He said I was about to make history. The kind that would be written in multiple languages and cause devastating wars. He handed me a small card and disappeared like an eclipsed sun ray. “It’s a boy” were the only words that marked my fate as the Virgin Mary.

This -this was a horrible thing to try and

16

explain to my parents. I was known in town for being virtually perfect, and the fact that I now had a Holy Being casually growing inside of me was somewhat of a shock. And, surprisingly, not a lot of people believed that an angel impregnated me. Finding out that most people didn’t receive children through divine intervention was somewhat of a revelation for me. Again: no school.

Joseph, bless his heart, was still down for marriage -he was seeing visions as well.

We became the two crazies in town, telling everybody who would listen that we were having the Lamb of God. I mean it was kind of cute, but not a soul believed us. So when I say I had no friends… I will repeat: I had no friends.

Not a single homie wanted to hop on the holy train with me. All I had was a stoic, 40 year old carpenter who couldn’t stop hammering together cradles.

not have had to go through so much pain to be known as the virgin.

And this is the last of my qualms, I promise.

But, I’m sorry, a donkey? God chose to put me, an extremely pregnant child, on a donkey for 80 miles on a trip to Bethlehem. Again, extremely appreciative to my Lord, but I had never sinned once in my life, and I was forced to ride the lowest form of four legged transport while a child was attempting to break free from my body. No one told me how unforgiving my position in the Bible would be.

Yet, every December 25th, I do feel some warm sense of recognition. Not many women can say that they gave birth in a literal stable, let alone to the Son of God. Every time I see a nativity scene I feel a little pride in the redemption arc that history gave my character. I am one tough Mother of God.

Honestly, I was upset about my position as a vessel for history. I had to sit and endure nine months of pregnancy at the age of 13. In the least blasphemous way possible, why couldn’t Jesus show up in a blanket carried by a stork? I would still love him, don’t get me wrong, I just would

SPRING BIZARRO

56724 FOLKLORE 42765

Ner�y Obsessio�s 3

The flip side of obsessive fandom

by Pe�r Nome�a��

I

’m a big fan of a lot of what would be typically called “nerdy stuff.” Superheros? Big fan, seen a ton of the movies, and I’ve even started getting back into comics recently. Star Wars? Yeah, I’ve seen those. Fantasy? I watch the Lord of the Rings movies once a year, and my Game of Thrones binge got me through those early quarantine days.

Last year I was even in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, despite how little I understood all of the fantasy lingoes about orcs and barbarians.

I could go on and on about my love for a bunch of these worlds and franchises, but I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with any, per se. So when I see people online that are incredibly invested in these specific worlds, so much so that they will start arguing with people about how something wasn’t done correctly (or in the way they, as fans, see fit) or gatekeep the overall story from others who aren’t up on all the lore and expanded universes of that specific property.

If you’ve ever been to a Renaissance fair or a comic convention, you will know that there are multiple levels of fandom. People will go all out for these things. Whether it be to fly out to different cities or countries for the event and pay an incredible amount of money on period-specific outfits, for whatever

YE OLDE WAKE

reason, people are extremely passionate about integrating themselves into these worlds, whether they be fictional or looking into the past. Everyone has probably had a friend whos seen every episode of Star Trek, or an older family who got a crazy World War II memorabilia collection, there’s a hyperspecific obsession for pretty much anyone.

Another major aspect of “geek” or “nerd” culture is that in the past decade, especially, that has just become mainstream pop culture at large. You go and look at the highestgrossing movies of any given year, and they will almost all be studio-genre movies that involve magic lasers or purple fascist aliens. These are the most popular genres in film and television, and video games, and because of that, there are creative concessions that studios need to make for the largest possible audience. But often, the die-hard fans still feel entitled to the brand, as they are the ones, in their mind, that have been with these characters and this world the longest. But that can be against the later quality of the product.

Recently there was a feature in Wired magazine profiling Brandon Sanderson, who is probably the biggest writer in the world you’ve never

heard of. Sanderson has written over 50 books, with several fantasy worlds and characters that his fans are completely infatuated with.

The books are also, as the author points out and tries to explain to the fans at Sanderson’s Salt Lake City mega convention, objectively poorly written, rushed, and derivative of other works. But the fans keep going back, whether it’s because it’s comfortable or they’ve just become so invested in these worlds. You look at franchises like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, and you see how angry fans can get when “the author’s original intent,” whatever that means.

Often it means that there are black elves or female Jedi, but that’s a story for another day.

Being passionate about something is by no means a bad thing, and it can be a really rewarding experience to follow a franchise or story all the way through. But with anything, it’s good to consume something in moderation, as it can become a hassle to complain and obsess over something so much that you forget that what you’re watching is supposed to be entertaining and not an allencompassing lifestyle.

17

56724 FOLKLORE 42765

Vog�e o� ��’ Ye�r o� Our Lor�, Henry V, i� ��’ v�cinity o� ��’ 15�� Century Th’ Proclamation-Publication of Quinn’th III on Matters of Yee Commonfolks’ Beswaddling 4

@jes�slover3000 Why Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ outsold your faves: a twitter thread

By S�an�� Shivakumar

R

ecently i had a judas stan in my mentions talking about how the devil rules which— she’s literally going to hell so why should i even listen to her? and when i told her this she was literally HAPPY to be going to hell like what? so i decided to make this thread to remind— (2/?) people why Jesus is your only way to salvation. first of all, he’s an ICON. absolutely serving on the cross with his arms stretched out, posing and everything. SLAY KING! who’s doing it like him? (i’m aware that he died for our sins. i’m not making light of his situation) (3/?) but speaking of dying for our sins, Jesus literally did that. i don’t see the devil enlightening the local population and being crucified for it? only to resurrect three days later? like last time i checked, the devil was just burning in hell like he always does. boring! (4/?) honestly, i could keep going on why i love Jesus so much like that’s my number 1 guy. my ride or die. but i have to go drop my stupid brother off at his sword wielding class so i have to take a break. i’ll be back! (5/?)

@peasant7623219 Replying to @jesuslover3000 slay king? my ride or die? are you seriously punning about jesus’ death rn? @judasgirlie Replying to @jesuslover3000 HAHAHAHA stay mad! i’ll be busy twerking in hell to the sound of you crying when you don’t make it to heaven. literal madness luv. xoxo

by Quin� McClurg

Y

onder day, I, the esteem’d scribe I am by profession, hath chanc’d upon the town square, wherein a knight of regalias Henry V hath been dismounting. For his plate-armor hath glinted so radiant, ‘ere I reckon’d brief that he hath descend’d from th’ outermost celestial sphere! And O, how the damsels hath been dazed, frothing and fainting in fashion!

Flummoxed was I, clad and beswaddled and maiden-less in my soil’d rags of mediocrity! I vowed thenceforth to devise a forum, wherein matters of righteous raiment shall be resplendent and unrestricted! I bestow upon thee mine proclamation-publication: Vogue.

Ye olde cotehardie of yester-year hath faded int’ tatter’d oblivion, replac’d now by the houppelande, an earth-sweeping, sleev’d robe of tall-neck’d valor! If ‘ere yee have but one bronze talent to thy name, thinke ye upon scarlet dye, for dames shall be fooled int’ thy penniless whiles!

Und women! Hark, heathens: hennins grace the tailor’s shelves againe! All shall look up’n thy high cone and deem thee worthy ‘nough to seize thine dowry henceforth!

Bewilder thy neighb’r with th’ slender point’d luster of the uproarious crakow! Thy extravagance shall be seen in such exuberance of Richard II that cords of silver shall ty up thy cleats to thy knees! Und forget ye notte thy patten of wood or ore to prev’nt the sullying of thy crackowes.

I beseech thee to make haste upon this fashionable bearing, lest a lord start to restrict thy length shoe-piece’s courageousn’ss!

So hath I declar’d this fine day of fashion done by Henry V’s hand! Shall the day break upon his heav’nly visage once more and light thee armor of his ardent knights! Ne’er could a problem of ethics tarry within a kingdom so good and grand as this! Prithee, spread word of mine designer declaration, thence us commonfolk can be made up so gallant as our rightly appoint’d rulers!

@btsinchrist Replying to @jesuslover3000 listen, i love jesus as much as the next gal but there’s this seven member boy group from south korea that i think you’d just LOVE

@judasgirlie Replying to @btsinchrist sorry babes but you’re on the wrong side of twitter :/

18

@peasant7623219 Replying to @btsinchrist GET OUT!

4

SPRING BIZARRO

Tyranny! Terror! Valor! Virtue!

by Quin� McClurg

56724 FOLKLORE 42765

Ye O��e Gr���e I�q�es� o’ ��’ A�es

P

6

Pres��ent o� ��e B��ck De�t� �a� Club A (one-sided) conversation between COVID-19 and the Black Death

by Srihita Raj�

O

h my, are y-, oh my god, it is you! The Black Death!

I’m a huge fan! I mean, you’re my biggest inspiration! I bet you hear that all the time, but I really do mean it! Would it be okay if I asked you a few questions? Awesome, thank you! Huh, I mean where do I even start- oh, yeah, of course! Sorry, my bad, I’m just so nervous! My name is coronavirus disease 2019, but my friends call me COVID, but you can call me whatever you want! What was that?

You wanted to know how many pe- oh people! Well, it’s silly, but only about 6.9 million. But, in my defense, they were a little more prepared for me now than they were for you back then.

I guess a lot has changed since then! Did you know there’s still people now who think of themselves as the Crusaders? Although, they’re way different from the Crusaders from your time. Although, I don’t know if they realize that.

Actually, that reminds me of something I’ve always wanted to talk to you about. I’ve been thinking a lot about my impact. You know, people always compare me to you, and obviously I’m flattered, but even more obviously, we’re not even comparable. I hope I’m not overstepping by saying that people really underestimate how massive, how debilitating you proved to be. And to be honest, I feel bad. But, I hope you know it’s not your fault. One thing I’ve noticed these past few years is that people really underestimated me, and I’m way smaller than you. I’m still kind of around, but it already feels like they’re forgetting everything they’ve learned. Well, if they learned anything. They’ve definitely forgotten everything they’ve learned from you.

YE OLDE WAKE

ast the yonder light where seldom sun do break, a lantern lit hangs by darkened stake; a pile of yonder rubble it do demark and there, tonight, i shall embark for it is said there a fiendish beast reside with iron-capp’d tooth and ripshod hide but i shall leave anyway tonight my dear to liberate your heart and the townsfolk from fear so i set upon my gallant steed and leave to place where courage do lead but only upon approach did i near falter for a sprig of fresh flame did the night air alter and i knew at once the beast at hand the vile hornéd dragon this land command! so i took up my lance and raced on inside with flame-proof shield my face i did hide and i struck out with every and all that i had to bring yonder beast down low and sad but my lance did not collide with hide but a wall of dirt, burnéd and dried!

“You fool!” behind me an old voice cried, and I turned to see a codger, with wizened wild eyes.

“It is I, Vraeveus, first born of the Sun; What base matters do you trifle me upon?”

Not think ‘bout else but the task at hand, I picked up my sidearm and leveled th’ man.

He spake: “Know you not who you now seek to fight?

It is I who (upon your village) casts light!

I draw up the rays t’ deliver yee from the Night, My goals are beyond your quaint human plight!”

His voice thusly thundered ‘round his quaint earthen throne And instinct e’en told me to leave well ‘nough alone.

So, under awe of his raw, undefined might, I spake: “ok, yeah, wow sounds good. I’m gonna leave now, ok?”

And he said “Oh, yeah, ok. Uhhhh I didn’t think it’d be this easy.”

“Yeah, no, it’s clear I don’t have any business here.”

“Nice of you to notice. Get home safe.”

“Yeah, I, uhhhh… I will.”

“Ok cool. And tell everyone in the village I say hi.”

“Yeah, w…will do thanks.”

3

19

56724 THE STOCKS 42765

3 4

3

Honor Amo�g Th�eves

T�e ���er Ri�g Exper�e�ce

MORELOCKE // SA BRUXA Split

Making Dungeons and Dragons accessible to everyone.

One man’s journey through a game he is awful at.

An ambient entry into the cavern of dungeon synth

by Ver� Nowakowski

I

am not an avid player of Dungeons and Dragons. I do, however, watch Critical Role and Dimension 20. I also play various one shots with friends and family. But even my beginner level knowledge of the game added a whole new layer of comedy to Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

This movie is a wonderful comedy about a band of thieves accidentally teaming up to save the local town. In a cinematic oversaturation of superhero films, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was a breath of fresh air. This movie never takes itself too seriously while maintaining the thrill of action and adventure.

It was silly, heartbreaking, mostly accurate, and plain old fun.

For those of you who have never played or watched a D&D game before, there is still something to take away from the story. It manages to pull everyone in the audience in, while leaving jokes for those with more experience.

For those of you who are experienced and passionate about the inequities of D&D, there are easter eggs thrown throughout the movie. It was clear that the writers and directors were passionate about Dungeons and Dragons before creating this move. They have even built character sheets for anyone to play the movie’s campaign at home.

All in all, if you want a fun action adventure movie that doesn’t take much thinking to follow, watch Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Or at least watch it for Bradley Cooper as a gnome.

20

by Pe�r Nome�a��

E

lden Ring is quite possibly the most exhausting and difficult experience of my life, like Legend of Zelda on steroids or Skyrim but with no dialogue or fun NPC interactions.

You’re dropped into a dark cave with no backstory, no character development, just a clean slate with a character designation like “Hero” or “Bandit,” which is just a way to tell you what kind of boss further down the line you’ll be able to kill easier, and which one you’ll have to google “Elden Ring how to beat” or “Elden Ring cheat codes.”

So you then explore this endless map, where if something moves, it will try and kill you. Everything will attempt to kill you in this world, so you constantly need to check your health. The entire time you’re looking over your shoulder or praying that a checkpoint is around where you can make a campfire and rest for the night (or in-game time, like 10 seconds). And then it’s back to furiously looking for items and prepping your game plan for the next boss you encounter.

I think I should probably mention that while playing this game, I was using my PlayStation 4, which was one of the worst decisions of my entire life. The game was designed to be played on at the time, impossible to get PlayStation 5, so every time I turned the game on, my console sounded like a plane ready to take off.

Anyways, great game 10/10, an achievement of the video game medium.

by Quin� McClurg

T

he concrete-encased tomb of industrial drone music has been cracked for as long as anyone can remember. Still, sitting near the remaining rubble now, you can hear something new resonating from deeper within, stirring in the dark of those ancient, unknowable ruins…

Here, the genre of dungeon synth has made its lair, nestled in the obscure niches of dark metal and the quiet cavities of experimental ambiance. This genre is home to a small but dedicated group of artists who are so far underground that they only find warmth in the community of other artists and their torchlight…

This split album by MORELOCKE and SA BRUXA is an exemplar of what makes dungeon synth special.

MORELOCKE provides the trademark crunchy samples (“And so the Story Was Told”) and nuanced natural ambiance, whereas SA BRUXA builds the iconic oppressive dronings and tearing experimentations associated with the fringe genre (“Feuer”).

This split album can disturb you one second (“Erd”) and provide respite the next (“A Walk Along the Gates”), demonstrating a tonal ambiguity that even the most masterful dungeon synth can lack.

Much like the genre they work within, the artists featured here are extremely niche and elusive. SA BRUXA has continued releasing experimental and conceptual music, but MORELOCKE cannot be found anywhere other than this album. This obscurity grants dungeon synth much of its characteristic allure. No matter how initiated you are, every new dungeon synth project feels like a forgotten cavern, decrepit and threatening to collapse in upon itself.

If you’re new or returning to dungeon synth, I could not recommend this album enough; use it as a way stone to help you navigate the sinister depths of this genre. Happy (sane) spelunking!

SPRING BIZARRO

56724 THE STOCKS 42765

2 4

5

Gu�pow�er

T�e I�ventio� o� ��e Eye���ss

The invention that should’ve never been made: gunpowder.

An old twist to a new genre

by C�ey�ey McKin�ey Good morrow all! It’s amazing the creativity and innovation of the human mind. I mean, the human mind can imagine the most fantastical worlds, such as Beowulf, and fathom the most complex devices, like the printing press. Now, in the 21st century, we have this crazy thing that can retrieve any piece of information on any niche topic, called the internet. There’s a carriage that can drive itself and runs on this weird thing called electricity. All of this with the simplest of muses. All of these innovations and imaginations have largely shaped and influenced society and the history of humankind, good or bad, and continue to do so. Then there are inventions that should’ve never been made: gunpowder.

Although gunpowder brought forth spectacular fireworks and innovations in construction and mining, gunpowder is ultimately the leading cause of death in children in the United States. Made from nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur, this creation has been the starting point for much of the warfare that has been invented. Gunpowder is responsible for many deaths from explosives, rocketry, cannons, and firearms. Correction, gunpowder in the hands of humans is responsible for many a death.

Wars, assassinations, and genocide, all in the name of “protection” against threats outside the country.

Yet, when it comes to the protection of their citizens from mass shootings, homicide, police violence, brutality, and much more, there is no control or hindrance in gunpowder or, rather, guns. They’d much rather send their thoughts and prayers..

YE OLDE WAKE

Med�ev�l Lo� H�phop Be�ts

by Natalie Williams

A

s I have aged, my eyesight has deteriorated – making it far more difficult for me to read, write, and make my way around. I saunter past friends in the square because my vision is too blurry to recognize them. I feared that I may have to squint my eyes for the rest of my lowly life. I am almost shocked that I have made it this far with such restricted use of my vision. The only benefit of my poor eyesight I could see (no pun intended) was that there was no possibility for me to become a knight or a hunter – which was nice since that sort of work is not my cup of tea anyway. So I began to accept my fate.

Lo and behold, the invention of the eyeglass.

Some genius discovered a way to improve one’s eyesight. Upon trying them on for the first time, I was in such awe that I wept. I had forgotten just how wide my eyes can open when I am not straining to see anything further than five steps in front of me. It is beyond magical how modern technology can improve our everyday lives. I can now attend the daily executions without worry of elbowing my way to the front. The invention of the eyeglass has changed my life. I would not have had nearly as many opportunities had I not received access to this miracle tool. If you have poor eyesight, I pray you, treat yourself to a pair of eyeglasses. I only hope this invention was not created by a witch.

by S�an�� Sivakumar

H

old on— medieval lofi beats? I wasn’t aware of their existence either, until two days ago, and honestly, I’ve been missing out on some quality study music. If you’re tired of such limited music options when it comes to studying, this might be the genre for you. It’s time for Lofi Girl and her red sweater to step aside, because Medieval Lofi Girl is here in all her elven glory.

It’s not the Gregorian chanting in Latin over subdued 808s like I had originally thought, but more of a lute melody playing over a classic lofi beat. It’s simple, pleasing noise for your ears, with no words or anything experimental, perfect for a homework session if you’re looking for something interesting enough to block out your surroundings but not too engaging to distract you from your work.

Lofi beats in general are a more exciting form of white noise and work as a good background for our overstimulated brains. As a subset of the genre, medieval lofi beats do the job they’re assigned— to help you study and get work done. So I put them to the test and listened to the genre while I wrote this article. To no one’s surprise, I wrote a lot faster than I usually do with my regular spotify playlists.

Do I recommend medieval lofi beats for everyday listening? Not really. I’d keep this genre for work only purposes, not for casual listening. Unless you end up loving lute-dominated lofi beats more than I did. Then by all means, this genre’s for you.

21

56724 Q&A 42765

Pro�essor Jennifer Awes-Free�a� Q&A

by S�an�� Sivakumar Professor Awes-Freeman is a Theology and Art History professor at the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities. She specializes in all things Medieval Ages, incredibly fitting for this Bizzaro issue.

She’s currently teaching Intersectional Medieval Art at the University of Minnesota. : Could you give us a brief overview of your career so far?

Professor Jenniver Awes-Freeman: I first identified as an artist. From my earliest memories I’ve always been painting and drawing. And then in highschool I painted some sets for plays. In college I started as a studio major doing painting and drawing, and then I was in a play, and once the tech director found out I was a studio major, he asked me to be his tech assistant. That got me into the technical side of theater.

I ended up graduating with a major in technical theater and ended up designing a major that was a mix between studio and theater with a minor in art history. So, yeah, I worked in technical theater for several years in Minneapolis and New York City I liked it a lot, but for me, my academic interests were kind of in– well— when I was working as an artist, I found medieval art really interesting and funny, even though I didn’t really care for the historical context of it? (laughs) I shouldn’t say that. I would use & consult Medieval and Byzantine art as inspiration for my own artmaking and I was kind of interested in how the ideas of sacred images work, like the weird things that happen when people try to make images of God, and so I played a lot with that in my own art.

And then, a couple years out of college, I was thinking about graduate school, and thinking about studying art history— you know, getting more

22

curious about the context of these images. So when I did go to graduate school, I immediately was studying medieval art & religion. It was not a strategic path, but more of a serpentine path. After my graduate program finished, I debated between an MFA or a PHD program. But I ended up finding an art historian whose work I really admired & really wanted to work with, Robin Jensen, who I studied with at Vanderbilt & is now at Notre Dame. She was kind of like the academic I wanted to be like when I grew up (laughs). And so I applied to study with her and that kind of cemented that path rather than doing an MFA. : Why do you focus on the Medieval Era specifically?

A: It started for me as a curiosity, and it remains a fascination to me today, and probably students who take my classes today get that feeling that I have just a great affection for the period. I think that there are really interesting connections between the medieval and the modern. And that comes out more in my teaching than in my scholarship. I try to show students about connecting the past to the present. I like being surprised by the past and encountering historical figures on their own terms and realizing that even though there’s this chasm of time, and there’s many ways we can’t access their experience, they’re also very human and relatable.

SPRING BIZARRO

A: I would recommend getting into them in a low stakes way, on your own terms. I would start by asking someone what their interests are.

So if somebody’s into ecology or biology, they could start by looking into historical & botanical manuscripts, or the history of medicine. I would encourage someone to start with something they’re passionate about, because then you can follow your curiosity. The UMN law library also has an impressive collection of pre-modern manuscripts and books!

: Why do you think our society places more emphasis on the renaissance over the medieval period, and what’s your argument for the medieval ages?

A: Ahh, I love this question. I think why it [the renaissance] gets primetime attention and why that’s a bit problematic is that there’s often this narrative of human development surrounding the Renaissance.

My students usually know not to refer to the Middle Ages as the Dark Ages (laughs). It’s a problematic assumption in many ways, but the Middle Ages tend to be characterized as this dark time, with the Bubonic Plague and all these kinds of backwards things, which isn’t entirely true of the era. But then the Renaissance comes, and you have the rediscovering of Roman texts, and the rediscovering of the classical, and the human body, and moving towards secularity. And then this is followed by the Enlightenment, and then the lights come on in Europe and everyone is enlightened and no one is religious anymore, and it’s just this very… cartoonish thing! And I think, on one hand, I’m always suspicious of narratives of progress. And this’ll sound very cynical, but it’s how I think, because, as far as I can tell, humans have just gotten a lot better at killing each other, so I don’t really buy into progress very much. We have great scientific advancements, what are they used to do? They’re used to colonize, to kill people, they’re destroying our planet. So I don’t buy that narrative arc. Also, as a medievalist, there were scientific advancements happening in this period, there were discoveries, there were incredible artistic innovations. It was a global age, before the “age of exploration”, it was international and intercultural. Yes, there was persecution and oppression, but there are also just as many cases of interreligious communities, you know, neighbors living side by side, learning from each other.

56724 Q&A 42765

: Art history (and history in general) can be a really daunting and at times inaccessible topic for students, do you have any recommendations on how to start learning about these topics?

: What can students now learn from the people of medieval times?

A: I think there’s such great source material that can be used for constructive purposes. For example, the origins of race thinking can be dated back to the Medieval period, although not only regarding skin color, but cultural practices and food practices [ethnicity]. Another example of constructive material would be the Medieval thinking surrounding the human body. They perceived the body to be more porous & changeable than we in the contemporary period do. Sexuality during the medieval ages was far more fluid, from transfeminine saints to the feminization of Jesus’ body.

Professor Awes-Freeman’s Top 5 Medieval Art Pieces: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Automaton of a Friar The Reliquary of Sainte Foy Bawdy Pilgrimage Badges In Honor of the Holy Cross by Rabanus Maurus The Ashburnham Pentateuch

: You teach a class on intersectionality in the medieval period, why is this an important topic for students to study now in the 21st century?

A: I teach this class to give them [my students] a more nuanced understanding of the past, especially with the middle ages & the story that is told of that time period, like— medieval England, all white men. (laughs) The connection to “now” is also there because the issues and assumptions and all these things that still exist today can be traced back to the pre-modern period, to the medieval ages in particular. Especially constructions of race. Without studying the past, we’re left unaware of how deep that persists in our culture and language.

YE OLDE WAKE

23