Good morrow, good reader! You’ve stumbled upon Ye Olde Little Village issue 002! In these pages, historians, artists, cooks and Renaissance faire performers reflect on an era rich in our imaginations, but often misunderstood -- or worse, manipulated by white nationalists. University of Iowa medievalist Michael Edward Moore breaks down evolving notions of culture, religion and hygiene in the centuries that inspired Shakespeare, Tolkien and George R.R. Martin; actor Elisabeth Chretien takes us on the road with Ren faire pirates, fairies and mermaids; and West Des Moines violinist and composer Geneviève Salamone opens her studio to Indigenous artists exploring historical (and personal) grief, pain and anger. Also inside: Iowa-made mead, Gov. Reynolds' unemployment "hammock" myth, Middle-Aged book recommendations, and local album and book reviews. Plus: Kiki tackles the shifty issue of MLM “art."
