1. PURPOSE

The purpose of The Cherusci Tribe is the re-creation of various facets of Germanic life and warfare for the education of the public, by means of historical reenactments and living history demonstrations. The Tribe will maintain an active philosophy of public outreach as well as a strong dedication to historical accuracy and continuing research in order to make all of its public displays as accurate as practical. The Legion may select a number of military or civilian impressions to be presented (either separately or simultaneously), but all will be based on the best possible research, and prepared according to the Tribe’s Purpose and guidelines.

2. COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS

A. The Council is comprised of the Chieftain, a Council Agent, and the Membership.

- 1. The Council controls all functions of the Tribe, both administrative and on site, including recruitment; collection of dues and fees; purchase of equipment, materials, food, and supplies; and definition and enforcement of standards for dress and conduct.
- 2. The Council is composed of 3 to 7 dues-paying members, and will decide its own size, structure, and protocol.
- 3. The Council selects a Military Warlord and a Civilian Chieftain, and with them appoints any necessary officers, NCOs, or deputies. All officers, etc., may be Council members. The Warlord and Civilian Chieftain (as appropriate) carry the authority of the Council in all matters on site. A decision may be appealed to the full Board after the event.
- 4. All Members are answerable to the Council. If a Council member is called before the Council for any reason, he lays aside his powers for the occasion.
B. The Council Agent is simply the State's legal contact for Council matters. He or she must reside in the state of South Carolina, and must inform the Council of all matters and materials received from the State or Federal Government.
C. A Member is anyone who has been accepted into the Tribe and whose dues are paid.
- 1. Recruits will be admitted on the basis of their suitability to the Tribe’s purpose, ideology, and activities. Any person showing interest in joining the Tribe is to be referred to the Council for official recruitment information. There is no automatic "family" membership--the spouse or other relative of even an established member must meet the qualifications individually.
- 2. A Member is considered to be on probation for one year after joining. By the end of that year the Council will decide whether that person is to be made a full member, left on probation, or stricken from the roster. Criteria include, but are not limited to, completion of kit, adherence to the Tribe’s doctrine and guidelines, level of participation, and personal conduct. A Member may be returned to probation or expelled from the Tribe if the Council sees fit, according to the same criteria.
- 3. A new Member may be required to attend several meetings, workshops, or musters before being permitted to participate publicly. All Members are expected to adhere to the Tribe’s rules and guidelines, and to obey officers and NCOs, within safe and legal limits.
- 4. The rules of any host site, as well as State and Federal laws, concerning safety and conduct are to be strictly enforced. Members are also to avoid any conduct which might damage the reputation of the Tribe, or cause any public or private embarrassment.
- 5. For legal reasons, no one who is not a Member of The Cherusci Tribe may perform as part of the Tribe. Likewise, Members should only combine themselves with another organization if they are members of that organization, and in such a case they will be considered to be performing with that group, not with the Tribe.

D. The Tribe fulfills its purpose of active living history through a number of guises or impressions.
- 1. Germanic warriors of the late second century AD and early third century AD.
- 2. Civilians of the Cherusci Tribe, both male and female, citizens, non-citizens, and Roman turncoats.
- 3. Various impressions of Roman auxiliary troops, Germanics from other eras, or other ancient barbarian troops or civilians, as the Council sees fit.

3. PHILOSOPHY 10-10-06

The Tribe was founded on the basis of several points of doctrine, and will grant membership only to those people who willingly embrace these ideals. This will keep the group strong in its purpose since all members will be devoted to the same basic goals and attitudes towards living history and re-enactment. Hopefully, this will also reduce the amount of factionalism and political squabbling present in almost any organization.

The Tribe performs in various guises and activities for the education of the public. The active passing of information to whatever audience we have, therefore, is of paramount importance. When we put on our funny clothes we become teachers, and everyone who passes our way, even another re-enactor, is a potential student. If that student comes within our grasp and gains no knowledge from us, or receives false information, we have failed in our goal.

Even before we open our mouths, observers will learn any number of things from our clothing, accoutrements, and activities. Our second point of doctrine, therefore, is historical accuracy and authenticity. Every feature of our display and every item we carry or wear must be appropriate to the scenario and as authentic as we can make it (see "General Standards of Historical Authenticity" following). We depend on continual research to "fine tune" our impression--if new evidence shows that something is inaccurate, inappropriate, or lacking, the error must be corrected. No aspect of our impression should be considered absolutely proven--merely based upon the best evidence we have to date.

A look at the Tribe’s Charter and Bylaws will show you what could be considered a third doctrinal cornerstone, our unusual corporate structure. It is quite simple: the Council controls everything. There are no elections, no voting rights or conditions, no power struggles, no interminable unit meetings, and no need to worry about who is in charge. The Council is in charge: they define the Tribe’s purposes and goals; it produces and enforces standards of authenticity and conduct; it admits members and can expel them; it maintains the Tribe’s finances, equipment and stocks of supplies; it appoints leaders and their responsibilities; and it takes care of all the little corporate things that corporations need to do.

Membership input is still essential, of course, but it has been simplified. The Council is free to see any type of input from the membership whenever it feels the need. Conversely, the Council is available to discuss the concerns of any member. Deciding on a schedule of events is just a matter of finding out which members plan to attend which event. Quality of participation is more important than quantity of participants or events.

Members who are unused to "interpreting" for the public will get advice and helpful hints at the Tribe’s meetings as well as "on the job training" at events. In addition, all members will be made familiar with the Legion's official interpretation of the general scenario we are carrying out, based on the available evidence. This will tell who we are and what we are doing, so that we can all give our audience compatible stories and explanations. The things that we say are as much a part of our impression as the things we wear or carry and must therefore be governed by the same standards of authenticity. The "official" information will not cover all possible questions, of course, but where it does it must not be contradicted.

If, after reading all of this information on the Tribe, you are still enthusiastic about joining us, there is one last hurdle--the Council must decide whether you are suitable for membership or not. If you have gotten through this information packet without any major disagreements, there should not be a problem. Talk to the Council and ask us about any aspect of our organization or activities, and we will answer you as completely and honestly as we can. If you seem suitable to us, and we to you, you're in. We will not beg anyone to join and we will not beg members to stay. Anyone who finds himself/herself unable to agree with the Tribe's point of view is free to go, and we sincerely hope there will be no hard feelings. Members who prove disruptive or uncooperative may be asked to depart, or they may be expelled at the Council's decision.

The Tribe requires complete agreement from its members, but not exclusive loyalty. There is no problem with belonging to another re-enactment or living history group. In fact, if you choose not to join us, or at some time to leave us, we will be happy to help you find another unit or organization which better fulfills your needs and desires. We are far too concerned about the growth of our Hobby to lose a potential re-enactor altogether!

4. GENERAL STANDARDS OF AUTHENTICITY

The standards of authenticity in The Cherusci Tribe come from the following philosophy: The only acceptable deviation from the actual historical conditions of those persons whom the group is portraying are for reasons of safety (to members and/or the public), and the persons physical appearance of the re-enactors' bodies. Additionally, only those items of equipment and clothing appropriate to the individual that the member is portraying will be allowed. All requests to introduce non-period items to the display, or exclude period items and activities, will be evaluated against this philosophy.

Reproduction clothing and equipment should be as authentic as possible, but within practical limits. Exposed stitching must be done by hand, but fabric does not have to be hand-woven or dyed with period dyes. Weapons and armor do not need to be hand-forged, but stainless steel is forbidden.

Generally, our historical impression will be maintained and enforced DURING HOURS OF PUBLIC INSPECTION. When public hours have ended, you are free to bring on site whatever bedding, food, or other gear (historical or modern) you might want (vehicles may or may not be allowed by the site), and you may dress, eat, and sleep however you like. Please bear in mind that you are still "participating" with the Tribe, and refrain from any activities which might be unsafe and/or damaging to the group's reputation.

Thirty minutes before the site opens again to the public, all inappropriate miscellaneous items must be out of the demonstration area.
It is expected that these guidelines and limits will cause some questions. If in doubt, ask about a situation or piece of equipment before an event.
Some specific exceptions are outlined below. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is that the intent; rather this serves to demonstrate the spirit of the unit's philosophy regarding authenticity.

5. SAFETY

All members will adhere strictly the Tribe’s (and site's) weapon safety regulations at all times. Some sites forbid handling of weapons by the public. Otherwise, visitors may handle a weapon if a participant keeps a hand on it.

A first aid kit of sufficient size and materials to treat minor injuries will be present with the unit, and will be immediately available for use. It will be contained discreetly in a container made of period materials.

No coolers or ice chests will be permitted in camp. Perishable foods requiring refrigeration will not be stored in camp, but, if determined to be necessary for the event, are to be stored in vehicles and brought into camp immediately prior to consumption. If summer conditions are sufficiently hazardous that it is judged necessary to have ice available, the Council will make allowances for its storage, preferably by the host site's personnel and in their facilities.

In extreme cold conditions, non-period clothing may be worn by members, provided it is worn under approved period clothing and is not visible. This clause is intended mainly for new members who lack sufficient period clothing for cold-weather survival.

Essential personal effects, such as keys, medication, etc., should be kept in a drawstring bag inside the tunic or pack. The first aid kit might also be used for storing such items, but ask the Council and be aware of security risks. Any vital items such as medic alert tags will be worn under the individual's clothing, and the commander will be alerted to the situation.
A member will be "on duty" in the camp/display area at all times during public hours, to provide general security over weapons and personal gear.

6. PERSONAL APPEARANCE

No restrictions on the physical appearances of members' bodies is made, provided there is no dramatic clash with the natural appearance of human beings in general (no spiked green mohawks, or modern tattoos please). Restrictions on height or weight are not made, but the nature of the demonstrations and tactical exercises which the tribal members are expected to perform can be quite strenuous. Many members find it necessary to run and/or perform other aerobic exercises in order to stay in decent shape and avoid injury. Persons who are simply physically unable to play the role of a warrior would do well to consider a civilian impression.

No eyeglasses may be worn during public hours, in or near the display or demonstration area. Contact lenses are highly recommended.  Members are encouraged to wear their hair, including facial hair, in a style appropriate to the persons whom they are portraying. Appropriate headgear may disguise some inappropriate hair styles.  Any jewelry which is not appropriate to the impression must not be worn. This includes wrist watches, non-period rings (especially for warriors), etc.

7. CONDUCT

Members portraying warriors are expected to act as such, obeying orders and maintaining strict discipline while in ranks or in tactical situations. Civilians are subject to the authority of a Council appointed civilian chieftain, who will not necessarily be portraying the highest-ranking civilian. ANY member may (and should) call attention to a potential safety hazard.