Bushy Run Battlefield is home this weekend to canvas tents, French and Indian War-era weapons and reenactors dressed in the 1760s attire of British soldiers and Native Americans.

Most of those who are portraying Native Americans for battle reenactments and living history presentations at the Penn Township site can’t trace their roots to any native tribe, and that’s a problem for some.

Bonnie Ramus, president of the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society that operates the historic site and organizes reenactments there, said she received a request Friday afternoon to cancel the two-day battle reenactment, as many reenactors already were setting up their encampments.

Ramus said the phone call came from officials of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which oversees the site. It was prompted by a complaint from an out-of-state resident of Native American heritage who reportedly considers portrayals there of Native Americans by non-Natives as disrespectful.

With decades of precedent behind the annual reenactment, and given the fact that reenactors already were at the site, Ramus said she declined to cancel the event, which continues Sunday.

“We’re here, and we’ll see what happens,” Ramus said, indicating that she and the PHMC officials ended the conversation by “agreeing to disagree. We’re in a just a very delicate situation.”

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission officials could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Ramus said non-Native reenactors who portray Native Americans at Bushy Run are committed to accurately recreating the history of the battle there and of the native participants.

Honoring combatants

“They are honoring the people who fought here,” Ramus said. “We’re willing to work with any Native American groups that want to come out here and show us if we’re doing things wrong, and to help us educate the people.”

Reenactors began arriving at the Bushy Run historical park Friday afternoon to set up for the reenactment of the Battle of Bushy Run, a 1763 conflict in which British soldiers and colonial rangers fought against a group of Native Americans that attempted to ambush them while they were on their way to stop the Native American siege of Fort Pitt.

According to 30-year reenactor Bill Graham, much of the preparation for a reenactment begins long before setup day.

Graham, of Farmington, portrays a Native American from the Delaware tribe. He said the goal of a reenactor is to represent their character as accurately as possible — even down to the symbols drawn on their weapons.

“I’m kind of like an experimental archaeologist,” Graham said. “I read primary documentation that I can find on the Natives of this time period and try to outfit myself in the way that they did … and try to live like they did and see how the equipment they used works.”

Graham said he has worked hard over the years to learn about the culture and portray it respectfully.

A park visitor, Dave Vastell of Hempfield, said he has roots in the native Creek Nation but has no concern about non-Native reenactors taking on Native American roles. He noted he has relatives in Florida who take part enthusiastically in reenactments there.

“These reenactments are incredible, especially for the younger generation,” Vastell said. “It allows them to see what they’re learning in school.

“I fear our society is losing touch with the history. It’s nice to get out and see it and reconnect with it.”

Some reenactors, however, have received complaints about non-Native Americans portraying these types of figures.

Lee Kitchener said this exact concern was raised to him Friday.

Kitchener — a 20-year reenactor who also portrays a Delaware Indian — said there was a complaint that the reenactment should not happen because there will not be someone of Native American descent on-site.

Kitchner said there are usually two Native Americans involved, but neither of them could make it this year.

Doing their homework

According to Kitchener, of Plum, not being able to hold future reenactments because of this would do more harm than one may realize.

“It just hurts me, the fact that if they would try to shut this down, (Bushy Run) is going to lose the money and this is going to turn into what? It’s just going to close,” he said. “And people are going to forget about the history, just because somebody doesn’t want us to do it because somehow it offends them.”

Kitchener said it is up to the reenactors to ensure they honor Native American culture with their portrayals.

Elizabeth Huxford, who portrays a white woman who has been adopted by a Native American tribe, mirrored this sentiment.

“I do have to respect that I am representing a culture that I am not a part of,” said Huxford, of Oakland, Md.

Huxford said it was not uncommon for white people to be traded to or adopted by a Native American tribe. They would be raised as if they were born Native American, and many even chose to stay with the tribe when they were permitted to leave, according to Huxford.

Huxford added that it can be difficult to find concrete documentation to guide a Native American reenactment portrayal, because most of the literature about these people was written by European men.

“Very little is written about the Native women, and what is written is written with rose-colored glasses — the European glasses,” she said. “The Native peoples weren’t writing about themselves, so as a reenactor — as I’m studying, when I read something — I have to go, ‘OK, this is what he thought he saw, having lived out in the woods. How did he interpret what he was looking at, and what do I think he actually saw?’ ”

This, according to Brad Cole, is why research is so important to the reenacting process.

Cole is a 17-year reenactor with a degree in history. He will portray a British soldier from the 77th Royal Highlands Regiment.

“First, you have to do your research,” said Cole, of Martinsburg, W.Va. “You have to find out what’s period correct, and you need to try to be as period correct as you can, because if you’re not, why else do it?”

Unfortunately, said Cole, not all reenactors put in the proper amount of research.

Troy Heck, a 22-year reenactor portraying a soldier from the 60th Royal Americans, said it reflects poorly on reenactors when some skimp on the research.

“They’re here representing the site, and we’re all here representing Bushy Run Battlefield, so if you’ve got someone here this weekend talking and they really don’t know what they’re talking about, that puts a bad light on the site,” said Heck, also of Martinsburg, W.Va.

However, Heck believes that all of the Bushy Run reenactors treat their roles seriously.

“This is like a big family, so we know everybody. I can tell you that everyone I see right now has spent many hours reading, doing research,” he said. “You’ve got thousands of hours worth of study here.”

Bushy Run has standards

Bushy Run also has systems in place to guide reenactors and prevent inaccurate portrayals during reenactment weekend.

Former Bushy Run facilitator Michael Tusay said anyone new to reenacting at Bushy Run must be approved before joining the reenactment. They must send in photos of the attire and gear they intend to use, as well as a synopsis of any demonstrations they wish to hold during the event.

Tusay — who served as facilitator from April 2018 to January 2020 — said he would review the applications before they were approved by “lead reenactors” with several years of reenacting experience.

He added that Bushy Run provides guidelines to reenactors so they are aware of the standards.

According to Tusay, of Irwin, each reenactor he worked with during his time as facilitator took the role seriously. He said many of the white reenactors portraying Native Americans, for example, would consult tribal members to learn how to represent the culture well.

Tusay said he believes the majority of reenactors at Bushy Run do so respectfully and properly.

“Many, if not all, of the reenactors that have participated in the years that I was at Bushy Run, they all took it very seriously, and they also worked with each other and sort of learned from each other, as well,” Tusay said. “All of them have done their research to be the best reenactor they can be, and that only benefits the public more, too — giving them a more in-depth and enriching learning experience.”

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