Our region's history can be traced back hundreds of years, and to this day we can still find evidence of the many tribes who once inhabited the east.
The Celts, Anglo Saxons, Romans, and Vikings to name but a few, have all come and gone - but a collective of history fans have made it their mission to make sure our heritage is not forgotten.
Wuffa Viking and Saxon Reenactment Society is a dark age historical group that accurately recreates and portrays life from the 9th century – and is comprised of a group of like-minded folk from all walks of life who are dedicated to learning about this fascinating time period.
One of the members, Fraser Carson, has been with Wuffa since 2019.
Explaining what first piqued his interest, he says: “I’ve always lived in East Anglia, and I’ve always had an interest in medieval and ancient history – from the Romans right the way through to the Vikings and Normans. It was such a different time, rich with characters and history, and it’s so interesting to see how much we’ve changed since then, and the impact of that Viking culture had on the world at that time,” he explains.
After a friend took him to the Wuffa group one night, Fraser became enamoured with the re-enactment way of life –and hasn’t looked back.
“After watching the group at the meet-up, it re-awakened the boy inside of me that has always loved swinging swords and dressing up.”
The Wuffa group was established nearly a decade ago by David Bracey and his son Gareth – who have since passed on the reins to other members. “In 2019 I became leader after the original founders retired,” Fraser adds, explaining that the name 'Wuffa', "was chosen as it’s the name of the Saxon lords who conquered East Anglia after the fall of the Roman Empire."
There is no recorded date of birth, death, or reign given for Wuffa, but he is believed to have been an early king of East Anglia in the 6th century.
According to UEA lecturer Rebecca Pinner, writing in St Edmund King and Martyr, the name Wuffa etymologically appears to be a diminutive form of ‘Wulf’ (wolf), and should be translated as ‘little wolf’.
References to wolf imagery can further be found throughout local history, as she further explains: “The positive totemic images of the wolf are common from carvings and jewels stemming in the region of East Anglia from the period of the Wuffings onwards. For example, on the finds from the Sutton Hoo burial ship, in which Rædwald was believed to buried.”
Today, the Wuffa group boasts around 60 members who meet weekly in Ipswich and Lowestoft. But what on earth do they get up to?
Fraser says activities include practising a number of Dark Ages skills including crafting, playing instruments – and even combat.
“The weapons we use are blunt, but they’re essentially exact replicas of how weapons were made and used back then,” he explains.
“They can still be dangerous even though they’re the blunt, so we teach our members how to use them in a safe and skilled way.”
The group particularly prides themselves on using pieces which are modelled on actual historical finds and artefacts – many of which they make themselves.
“We try to make as much as we can in-house. Some of the pieces are very difficult to recreate, especially the armour and weapons. But everything we portray – from the weapons and clothing to the musical instruments are all based on history. None of it is fantasy, and we try to recreate it as closely as we can to the actual time period.”
Members are taught a number of skills over time - including tailoring, blacksmithing, carpentry, and even playing ancient musical instruments such as even the Talharpa and the Lyre. These skills are modelled on the same practices that were used at the time.
“There’s a lot of trial and error – that's how the skills were taught back then. But the more you develop those skills, by putting in time and effort, the more of a craftsman you become.”
In addition, the group also meets on weekends for a variety of events from camping trips to larger-scale gatherings across the country – sleeping in authentic tents to help them really achieve the Dark Ages lifestyle experience.
And its members are varied in age and background – with attendees ranging from ages two and three right the way through to people in theirs early 60s.
“We’re quite fortunate that we’ve got a range of people interested in our society – including couples, families and single people. We also have a large percentage of women who are interested in not just cooking and sewing but training as shield maidens, too.
“We’ve grown a lot in numbers since we started, as historical re-enactments certainly does strike a cord with people - especially thanks to TV shows such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom. Medieval and Viking history is much more in the forefront of the public’s mind, and they’re eager to learn more about that time period. And groups and events like ours mean that people have the opportunity to see real history in a more interactive way, rather than watching a documentary or reading a book.”
If you’re interested in learning more about this bygone era, the Wuffa are at a few more events before the end of the year – but they also welcome newbies to their weekly meets.
“At the end of September we will be going to Butser Ancient Farm in the south of England for Vikings Attack!, and at the end of October we have the Saxon and Viking Festival at Stonham Barns, which is one of the biggest shows we do. There’s up to 15 or so groups from across the country who attend, all displaying different crafts and activities such as archery. One of our favourites though is when we visit the West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village near Bury St Edmunds and really help bring that to life.
“Alternatively, you’re more than welcome to come down to one of our practice sessions. We meet in Ipswich every Monday at 7pm, and in Lowestoft every Thursday at 7pm. The first visit is free of charge, and if you’re keen we can show you how combat works and talk you through various aspects of history and the hobby, and what’s involved.”
To find out more, visit wearewuffa.wixsite.com/wuffa
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