Uniforms redux....or maybe a rant/wibble.

Sigh...I should like to go on record as saying that the HEMA/WMA uniform that is widely (though not wholly) adopted, is a really good thing. This "look", if you will, which might be best described as that of the "bad ass fencer" (ie. standard fencing kit...but in black), is the best thing for our little community and its growth. Sport/olympic fencing has a positive and respectable reputation in the minds of the public...and since we are fencers of a sort it only makes sense that we ought to adopt this traditional uniform.

To not do so would seem rather odd to those outside of our art.

However, while this is the uniform I wear...and will continue to do so (quite proudly too...as I cut quite a dashing figure). There are times when I long for some historical kit. What I think I need is something like Sweden's "Living HEMA organization.

Perhaps that super secret UK "living HEMA" group will one day see the light of day...one can but dream.

Uniforms?

Ah uniforms…our goal of taking some new promotional photos has me thinking about them again. I’m on the record as being opposed to requiring them in the IDC and I’m not likely to change that stance at the moment. However, I’ve been thinking about them a fair bit recently. For the most part this is just a theoretical exercise…and I thought I’d share.

From where I stand, there are only two types of uniform that are appropriate for HEMA and HEMA practitioners: the first is modern fencing style, and the second is a traditional or historical style. Both are distinctly European in appearance and both are perfectly adapted for the activity in question.

Personally, I rather like both styles, however I feel that it is important to distinguish students of Historical European Martial Arts from reenactors, and other related groups in the eyes of the public. I am intensely aware of the origins of our arts, and wish to pay homage to that. That said however, I’d rather we in the IDC didn’t look like the ARMA folks.

If we were to utilize a uniform, we would need something that is truly uniform, allows for good motion and doesn’t impede martial intent, it must be serviceable and durable, it must be cost effective, it will let others take us seriously, and yet still pays tribute to the culture that generated these arts. Striking this balance can be difficult, but potentially it could be worth the effort.

As I’ve said before in other articles, while the intentions may be good when one uses historical or historically derivative uniforms, the fact remains that everyone will see you as anything other than a serious martial artist. What's often being used now (sweats, a T-shirt, sports clothes, etc.) are inadequate if only in a promotional sense.

Sports clothes have served those who use them quite adequately, but they clearly do not look like a uniform and neither do they demonstrate a link to the period we are training in to members of the public. If I watch eastern martial artists training in their uniforms I have visual clues to aid my understanding of what I’m seeing, unlike a MOP viewing myself training in my current kit.

My personal preference is for something just a bit more historical, with perhaps some concession to comfort and modern technology. To expand my earlier key points on uniforms, they should be:

1. Functional/durable

2. Athletic appearance

3. Features an homage to historical dress

4. Low cost

5. Suitability for public use (i.e. would you wear it to the pub?)

For everyday training in class, a "practice uniform" could consist of the following:

Shoes should be comfortable athletic shoes-- trainers, fencing shoes, or equivalent.

Trousers should be basic black--any sort of athletic or workout pants (i.e., combat trousers, jogging pants, etc...)

A club T-shirt should be worn at practice.

However, this "practice uniform" doesn’t meet all of my criteria. It lacks any martial connection (east or west), and would require additional elements to be added for some levels of sparring.

The simplest solution to this is, I believe, the use of a traditional fencing uniform. The uniform itself would aid the casual onlooker in, at least, recognizing what they are seeing as a martial activity. The uniform with its unique jacket and breeches is in itself a nod to the past and the proud history of fencing in European culture.

A related point to this topic is protective gear for sparring, and to that end I think that again the fencing uniform fills that area more than adequately. In addition to their intended protection against cuts and punctures, master’s jackets are frequently padded and most jackets could have padding added.

Ultimately if we were to utilize a uniform, this would fulfil our need for something that is truly uniform, it allows for good motion, it doesn’t impede martial intent, it has been shown to be serviceable and durable, cost effective, it is a taken seriously by other parties, and is a clear nod to a rich martial tradition.

Presenting HEMA to the public...Part Deux

Recently Pete brought "Living HEMA" (http://www.livinghema.se/index.html) to my attention. For those of you who don't read Swedish here is the translation of one of their pages:

"What is HEMA
HEMA is an abbreviation of the Historical European Martial Arts, in Swedish historical European martial arts.

This is a collective name for the old traditions of often extinct or nearly extinct martial arts that are recorded and documented from historical times. During the late 1800s and early 1900s brought a renewed interest in these forms of struggle, and then again in large forgotten. Over the past 10-15 years has once again created interest and pursue the study of historical martial arts.

Some of the most common areas of interest today revolves around the medieval martial arts, as practiced, say, Germany and Italy, but the concept of historical European martial art involving a much larger collection of martial arts. The term comes from English Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA, an acronym which is also used in Swedish) and encloses often forms of struggle are still alive, but on a reduced scale, for example, bare Knuckle boxing, Canne de combat, or the like.

Many of the older manuscripts contain detailed descriptions of both individual techniques and the whole system." (many thanks to Google Translate for this. http://translate.google.com/#sv|en|).

Now, I am honestly a bit divided on this. On the one hand I am encouraged to see quality living history interpreters adding HEMA to their displays and yet on the other hand I wonder if the historical clothing truly adds or detracts from the public's view of HEMA. In the end I think that I would rather see a proper display of HEMA (with true martial intent) by reenactors in costume than the "fives" anyday.