Action in England

For those looking at this for the first time, this Blog was initiated because of an American production of 'Beowulf' - www.princeofthegeats.com
If you start at the earliest post a history of this issue will unfold.
If you want to see a film that does some justice to 'Beowulf' we suggest you check out:
www.beowulfandgrendel.com
This Blog has just been linked to the Action in England site, so thanks to Val for that.
www.ActionInEngland.gb.com
The American Beowulf as you'd expect tramples on virtually every aspect of the scholarship related to this North seas cultural treasure. Americans invariably seem to think that truth is subordinate to their particular socio-political agenda.......Graham Greene warned us about idealistic white middle class Americans who want to do 'good' in the world!
The fact is that it has been a huge task to reconstruct the early Anglo Saxon period and this area of history is still one o fthe least well known in the world, despite literally thousands of books and papers now having been written. What is so offensive is how director Scott Wegener persists in demanding we accept his ignorance as being the 'truth'. He for example claims there is no historical basis for 'Beowulf' and yet the Geats and even relations of the central character are known historical figures. He seems unable to comprehend the notion, that although the story is mythologised and contains mythic elements - the result of elaboration over many years of its oral rendering - the basis of the story involves real people, much like the Illiad of Homer.
So in his mind casting an African as Beowulf is no problem even though the tale is clearly intended as a parable about idealistic notions of hereditary Germanic kingship. He place sit in the 'viking' period, even though this is incorrect by centuries, and seemingly can not conceive that the Angles Jutes and Saxons, whose descendants first wrote down 'Beowulf', came from the area we now know as Scandinavia and Germany. His letters reveal a complete lack of any actual study of his chosen topic.
His motivation is to raise money for Afro American cancer related issues although he never states exactly how this money would be used, or how using a distinctly North Seas epic would resonate with Afro Americans. Why he didn't decide to make a film that they could legitimately claim some ownership of is very puzzling. For all his cries of 'racism' directed towards his critics perhaps Scott is secretly afraid that in reality he is the 'racist'........afterall he obviously knows so little about, and cares so little about Afro Americans, that he ccouldn't even think of a film idea that was based upon some aspect of their history and culture! How about a film about Sergio Oliva ? That would be something black people could have some pride in, and ownership of. And the funny thing is because Oliva is a decent man he would be the last person to use cheap cries of 'racism' to silence critics.
Look him up on Google Scott!

A sad day......

I have just been forwarded a letter from Director Scott Wegener, which was a response to a letter critical of his film.
In part it reads..... "There is no distortion of history here. BEOWULF IS FICTION. He never existed. The origins of the poem have nothing to do with Scandinavian culture (few Scandinavians have even HEARD of Beowulf. Why? Because it is ENGLISH FICTION!!) "
We've sent Mr Wegener ample evidence of the historic context of this work and I even personally put him onto Martin Carver's excellent book 'Sutton Hoo:Burial Place of kings?' which clearly shows the Scandinavian origins of Beowulf, and of course the Angles, Jutes and Saxons came from the area we would now identify as Scandinavia and North West Germany.
'Beowulf' undoubtedly contains mythic elements but Mr Wegener struggles with the idea that these are embellishments upon a recognised historical framework. Homer's great epic the 'Illiad' is another example of a literary work where there is an elaboration upon an historic theme.
And yes....it is indeed sad that modern day Scandinavians don't know more about their own ancestors.......
Wegener has changed his position in almost every letter I have seen of his. Early on he admitted that he didn't know there was an indigenous North Seas spirituality, and said that most of his knowledge of 'viking' culture came from reading 'Thor' comics. He promised at one point that his film would show 'viking' society as a 'living, breathing' reality, which is a very noble aim, but irrelevant to 'Beowulf' which is about a much earlier period. He claimed that 'Beowulf' couldn't have any historical basis because it had monsters in it, and of course we all know monsters don't exist therefore 'Beowulf' is fiction, therefore it is a universal tale to do what he likes with. (There is a book about a guy called Jesus who also does some pretty far fetched stuff, but most of us accept there is a historical basis to the actual person of Jesus, with the rest being a matter of debate....) So Wegener has taken the artistic liberty of making Beowulf an African 'Viking'. Fair enough........why not? American films have always trampled upon the culture and history of other people. It's almost a tradition! I for one, always thought it was the British who got the 'enigma' machine from the Germans......but no....according to the film 'U571' a US rock star and his mates pulled that one off. King Arthur, despite the weight of archaeological evidence, was of course a Sarmatian not an indigenous British hero. And so on. That's fine.....appropriate other peoples' cultures, do minimal research - that's the American way - but why do they then always seem to want to claim it's the 'true' version? I guess it's a country in which a proven fabricator like Mike Moore can win an Oscar for a 'documentary' and be a hero to the left of politics and George W can bend the truth a little about WMD's and be a hero to his gang on the other end of the spectrum, and pretty much everyone thinks it's okay because it's in the service of some grand cause.
And it must be said Wegener does have a 'grand cause' so I guess that makes it all okay. The aim of Prince of the Geats is said to be to raise money for the US Cancer Society in a bid to help Afro Americans who apparently have a higher incidence of cancer. He has stated that he wanted to depict a strong role model for Afro Americans, so of course he chose a Germanic hero as his inspiration. Personally if I wanted to empower them I would choose a story that they could claim ownership of.......for example the film 'Glory' showed Afro Americans behaving with great gallantry, and best of all it was a true story that they could claim ownership of. So it is all very strange.......maybe it makes sense to Americans.
I just wish if they wanted to trash culture and history, whether it's in the name of a grand cause, or they are just doing it for fun......I wish they'd stick to their own culture and history! I'd love to see Sam Jackson as George Washington! Or Halle Berry as Abraham Lincoln! Tom Hanks as Martin Luther King.....hang on - that would be 'racist'!
Speaking of which in a disturbing turn of events Scott Wegener has taken the gloves off and abandoned his 'good guy' image.....he's now calling his critics 'racists'! In the letter I quoted from above a politely worded letter of complaint about his film was given a quite hysterical response accusing the writer of all manner of very unpleasant intentions, and yes the 'r' word was used quite a bit. Reminds me of when Venus Williams was booed off centre court here at the Australian Open.....the New York Times reported it was 'racism' even though year after year she has been a crowd favourite here. The crowd booed because they thought she was taking liberties with the length of her breaks!
I guess Americans are always going to want to see things through their particular socio political lens.
So I've politely conveyed to Mr Wegener that I have no desire to pursue this topic on that basis. Over the years I've had quite an enduring interest in the local indigenous culture, and ancestral cultures in general, and I really don't want to buy into the double standard that my own ancestral culture is of less value than anyone else's; or that by wishing to see it treated with the respect I would expect to see extended to other cultures, I am in some way 'racist'. I didn't think Wegener would resort to something as weak as using 'crowdist' dissent control techniques.
I am not up for that.
Make your film if you must Mr Wegener. I originally thought you were sincere in wanting to learn about your chosen subject matter. I just hope you are truly sincere about your chosen charity. I hope that at least someone benefits from this. I hope that it isn't just a publicity grab.Time will tell. Guess ya gotta break a few eggs to get that omelette made!

List of contacts

Here is a list of contacts for people involved with Prince of the Geats.
If you believe, as I do, that this film is historically, anthropologically and spiritually insensitive at best, then please write to these people.

Contacts/Sponsors:

www.princeofthegeats.com

Director Scott Wegener
davidgpro@lycos.com

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org
eNCIC@cancer.org

Web host:
www.isoc.net
abuse@isoc.net

webmaster@princeofthegeats.com

Website enquiries:
jenelle@protechcomputer.com

Music Composer
Matt Gates
magates@gmail.com

Sponsors:
www.fastsigns.com
pr.us@fastsigns.com
customer.care@fastsigns.com

www.abeelimo.com
contact@abeelimo.com

www.commonwealthinc.com
operation@commonwealthinc.com

www.blueflameleather.com
info@blueflameleather.com

www.craftycelts.com
craftycelts@mindspring.com

www.cincinnaticostumecompany.com
cquins2@aol.com

www.xavier.edu
jonesp@xavier.edu
massaj@xavier.edu

www.junglejims.com
contactus@junglejims.com
www.hanger.com
info@hanger.com

An open letter to the people behind Prince of the Geats

Dear folks,

You are listed as being involved in Scott Wegener's proposed film about Beowulf.
(www.princeofthegeats.com)

As you may know, Beowulf is an epic poem written in Old English. Its setting is either northern Denmark or southern Sweden, depending on which university expert you trust. It concerns the heroic acts of a great man named Beowulf, who was a royal prince of a Germanic tribe called the Geats. The Geats were an historic tribe, and their king, Beowulf's uncle, is a well-attested historical figure.

There have been, quite literally, many thousands of academic studies of this text. Most scholars have agreed that the epic of Beowulf is a study in Germanic heathen morality. Beowulf, in short, is generally perceived as the ideal Germanic aristocratic warrior, and therefore a moral model for his society.

Mr Wegener has told me that he intends to corrupt this ancient poem in his proposed film. He apparently has invented a new version of the story, in which Beowulf is supposedly the son of a black African "explorer" in Scandinavia who, despite all the old Germanic laws regarding sacral kingship - essentially, that a king had to come from the royal family - somehow or other manages to become the "African" protector of a medieval Germanic tribe within Scandinavia.

Mr Wegener's fantasy is, of course, at odds with the original Beowulf poem, and with the heroic ethos that it expresses. There is also absolutely no literary, historical, archaeological, ethnological or other evidence to give the slightest credence to Mr Wegener's attempt to distort the facts about the ancestors of the majority of the population in most English-speaking nations. Therefore to give any support to Mr Wegener's film proposal is, at best, culturally insensitive.

It seems that your organisation is supporting Mr Wegener, and therefore I would like to explain why you should withdraw your support.

All ethnic groups, including those of us who are descended from the original listeners to the Beowulf poem, are entitled to cultural respect. Most of us just accept that this is the case. For those recalcitrants who simply can't help being offensive, there are racial and religious "hate laws" in almost every English-speaking country, designed to stop recalcitrant people from traducing other cultures.

But that is precisely what Mr Wegener's proposed film will do, if it ever gets to the stage of being released. In terms of some laws in some English-speaking nations, it could even be regarded as a "hate"-film. (I mention this not as any sort of threat, but simply to point out that I am not personally over-reacting in this matter - by contrast, most of the English-speaking world simply agrees that it is a legally punishable crime to traduce peoples' cultures.)

It should also be noted that Beowulf is considered a sacred text to many Odinists. Odinism is a religion defined as the 'continuance of the belief systems of the indigenous Northern European peoples' and is an ancestral religion, that is, one that adheres to the position that spiritual belief is the unique synergy of ethnicity and geography. Since Odinists worship the ancestors they are collectively descended from, to represent them in a blatantly incorrect manner can be considered highly offensive. Odinism is said to be the fastest growing religion, per capita, in the world today. Mis representing a religion's texts is a clear case of vilification and is being acted upon swiftly by many groups.

I am sure that you don't want to be involved in calumniating, misrepresenting, traducing - or otherwise "trashing" - any people's culture, or religion. I therefore urge you to withdraw any form of sponsorship from Mr Wegener's ethnically, spiritually and culturally offensive film proposal.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

With best wishes,


A full list of contacts will be published soon:
Scott Wegener - Director: davidgpro@lycos.com