Williamsburg Update #2
Josh Rachita, Historical Interpreter,
*Josh is interning for the summer at Colonial Williamsburg.*
May 30, 2021
Hello
y’all,
I just finished my second week here
at Williamsburg! I have been taking advantage of my staff pass and have been
watching programs around town on my days off. Last Sunday I attended a lecture
on the “Weathervanes of Williamsburg” which was given by Master Blacksmith Ken
Schwarz. I also attended a musical performance called Joy in the Morning which
told the story of the African American slave experience through their religious
music. In the shop I continued to work on spoons and nails, and I am seeing
some quick improvement in the quality of my work. Lastly, this morning I helped
the Manager of Rare Breeds wean lambs which was a very fun experience!
In his almost forty years here at
Williamsburg, Master Blacksmith Ken Schwarz has been part of and led many workshops
on reproductions of weathervanes here in town. Historically, weathervanes were
used to denote important public buildings like the courthouse, magazine,
capitol, palace, hospital, and the Bruton Parish church. My favorite anecdote
from his talk was the discovery that the round pinnacle on the Bruton Parish
Church steeple is an artillery shell from the War of 1812 that was placed there
during restoration in the early 20th century. The shop also recently
completed a new weathervane for the new decorative arts museum.
I really enjoyed the music from the Joy
in the Morning performance. The performers used both dialogue and song to
interpret the experiences of the enslaved during the 18th century. I
really enjoyed it because religion is innately related to their music. (This
spring I took a class on the history of American Religion with Dr. Park. We
learned that American religion has always been extremely diverse.) This
performance included songs in English and various African languages and both
Christian and African deities. It was a very powerful performance to attend.
This week I not only continued to
refine my forge work, but I also got some practice interpreting. I’ve begun
speaking with guests during the first and last hours of the day. I am feeling
comfortable with the information, which is very similar to the information I
share with guests at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. I’ve also been learning
new information from reading and listening to the other interpreters. It is
very exciting to see so many people that are interested in what we are doing.
The quality of my spoons and nails is also improving. I’ve been warming up with
nails and then working on the spoons in the middle of the day. They take a
considerable amount of clean-up work or “whitesmithing.” Whitesmithing is named
for the shiny, bright surface that is produced on the metal after it is filed
and polished. Eventually, the surface will develop a dark patina which is a
very desirable surface finish. The purpose of whitesmithing is less about color
and more about texture of the piece. Things like nails have no cleanup work at
all but others like kitchen utensils are very often “filed bright.”
This week I also helped the Manager
of Rare Breeds, Elaine Shirley, wean lambs. When the lambs are old enough and
no longer dependent on their mother’s milk, they have to be separated. For the
mothers, this is a welcome experience, but the lambs do not reciprocate that
feeling. However, this is a necessary step in the sheep’s lives. Elaine
described it as “going away for college” which I found particularly amusing
thinking about sheep attending Sam Houston State! The sheep at Colonial
Williamsburg are called Leicester Long Wools. They are an English breed and were
brought to America in the 18th century. In the 18th
century they were bred for their quick growth and good meat production. The
sheep here provide both wool for the spinners and weavers and also some meat
for the Historic Foodways Program. Earlier in the week, the Historic Foodways Program
made mutton steaks and mutton stew at the Armoury kitchen which the staff got
to enjoy!
The pictures this week include some
“whitesmithed” and finished spoons I made, a picture that a guest, Cindy
McEnery, took while I was working, a photo of the Leicester Long Wools, and a
photo of me at the forge in costume.
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