Fife, drum muster revives history
Re-enactors from Canada, U.S. converge at Fort George
Beads of sweat slowly travelled down Peter Alexander’s face as he stood in the shade after leading his fife and drum re-enactors at Fort George Sunday morning.
The 51-year-old Niagara resident who is the historic music co-ordinator for Parks Canada at the Niagara-on-the-Lake fort has been taking part in this weekend’s muster since he was 11 years old and is now joined by his son William as members of the Fort George 41st fife and drum corp.
The muster brought groups from across Canada and parts of the United States with a focus on the music that Alexander said was very important to cultural and military aspects.
“It’s the only fife and drum muster in Canada that works specifically on rope tension drums,” said Alexander. “So much of the Canadian, British military used those instruments just like the Americans, it’s unique enough that we want people to recognize and hear the stories that go with that.”
The drums are made of a 16by-16-inch shell, and the rope goes all the way around on counter hoops that pull drum heads tight enough to bounce sticks.
Alexander explained that’s when modern rudimentary drumming began.
“There was 200 years of military presence here, which means that there was 200 years of musical presence. It’s important to have something like this that you can still hear the music on the commons.”
Thirteen-year-old William said he enjoys taking part in the muster especially with his father there.
“I would hear him playing at the fort, and I got more interested as I got older.
“When I joined I could learn these songs easily because I’ve heard them over the years,” said the younger Alexander.
His only complaint is the hot weather.
“When it gets to 30 degrees it’s hard for us.”
The re-enactors wear heavy wool outfits even in the hottest of days.
“We have different grades of wool, but all soldiers and society, in general, went fully dressed so they could interact properly with each other,” said the senior Alexander. “The wool gets denser and harder as you move up the social ladder. As you get up to officers you use doeskin, which is very dense but it lays very flat. Add another layer underneath and then linen under that.”
He said re-enactors keep cool by not taking the uniforms off.
“Once you sweat into these they stay on and with the breeze they keep us at the same temperature as everybody, it just happens that we’re soaking wet.
“The weight increases as you
sweat into them, you’ll feel your shoulders getting heaved down. You’re not only dealing with heat at the end of the day, you’re physically exhausted because you use your energy, like wearing a winter coat all the time trying to keep yourself righted.”
Performing in the shade, a small contingent from Ottawa’s 100th regiment played an uplifting tune to a small crowd of visitors to the fort.
Sgt. Jonah Ellens, leader of the group of six, said the muster is an excellent experience for its members.
“It’s our first year, and it’s good to see and meet other people that do the same job that we do during the summer, to get to exchange stories and share information,” said Ellens.
“It’s a great setting to be part of the community.”
Next weekend Fort George and the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum will commemorate more than 200 years of Niagara’s military history during a Niagara timeline event. The fort will be home to interpreters and animators, along with displays of veterans uniforms, weaponry and vehicles from the War of 1812, both world wars and other historical time periods.