minstrel: Who's afraid of the big bad filk?

[Paul Saxberg]

I have no objection to period music and authenticity--but the fact of the 
matter is, many modern filks are beautifully made, and wildly funny.  I 
enjoy the talent and wit of those who created them and the camaraderie of 
the people who sing them.  Nobody pretends they are period--and I wouldn't 
step up and sing one in court.

But the SCA is NOT a snippet of authentic period life, as much as we would 
all love it to be.  We are humans and are limited by other humans' imperfect 
recollections, written histories, and limited resources.  We will always 
fall short in some way.  It is illogical then to declare everything not 
period at an event "bad" and "should be banned"--we cannot eradicate every 
last bit of modernity.  While a filk is an effort that does not lead to 
greater authenticity, that does not mean it has no value in and of itself.  
While an SCA event is (for the most part) an effort towards greater 
authenticity, not all who attend it hold that as they only thing they are 
hoping to see over the weekend.

Julian the Foolhardy
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