minstrel: More questions

[Taftarus at aol.com]

In a message dated 97-04-23 19:49:05 EDT, longalex at pirates.Armstrong.EDU
(Alexandria Long) writes:

> Forgive my ignorance, but would someone please tell me what a "fubba
>  wubba" is?

Mistress Tangwystl has provided the standard definition of this term.

I will note that FUBWBA  can also imply a non-specifically-sexed
individual of indeterminate siring (i.e., "bastard").

I take issue with the derogatory use of the term "fat" no less than
I do the explicit sexism of the original form.  (Claimer -- well, the
next statement claims affiliation, not distance from...: I am a semi-
regular contributor to the human rights magazine _Rump Parliament_,
and have been involved in size rights activism for several years
now.)

Back to concerns more in keeping with this list:

>  My shire has been on my case to teach a class on "bardic". I take this to
>  mean bardic activities as commonly performed at a fireside. Any pointers
>  as to how to approach a group of people with little or no (mosstly no)
>  musical background? I don't know what to do other than to pass on material
>  and talk about composure in front of a crowd; how do I explain when
>  certain material is appropriate and when it isn't? 

By example and by practice, as well as exposure.  

No musical background, you say? Start them with poetry 
and stories.  Sonnets could be a useful intro: not just 
Shakespeare, certainly, but those are certainly available, 
and "accessible", to most. Extracts from Chaucer and
other "readable" items might help, in small doses.

Sing-a-long items are *great*.  Just teach your students
a little about song-leading, please? In Ansteorra, 
_Rising of the Star_ is one of the standards for such
things. Roundelays are also important in teaching 
the shy and insecure that they *can* make a contribution
in the circle.

Explain the various possible organizations for fireside circles
in your area: "pick,pass,play", "chaos", "moderated chaos",
"host's choice", or whatever.

Appropriateness of material can sometimes be explained by
the "after midnight" analogy, with additional reference to 
documentable / non-documentable / "SCA traditional" / and 
so forth. ("After midnight": locally, _The Moose Song_ is
generally considered such, something that you do not sing
in front of small children or non-consenting adults.  Raunchy,
youth-corrupting, "dirty ditties", most of which are filk, folk,
or otherwise inadmissible to standard SCA performing arts
competition anyway.  _The Scotsman_ / _The Welshman_
are generally placed in the borderline group of material, as
is _I'm having a bit tonight_ a.k.a. _The Pudding Song_.) 

>  I'd much appreciate some ideas.

Hope these help!

al-Sayyid Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra
	currently residing in Barony of the Steppes, Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mike C. Baker					KiheBard at aol.com
Any opinions expressed are obviously my own unless explicitly stated
otherwise!


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