The Ancient Life of Renaissance Man Will Arnett 

How do you describe a man who loves Scottish culture, Vikings, and medieval history so much that he begins to skillfully replicate those lifestyles? 

A Renaissance Man! 

Will Arnett has such an incredible thirst for learning that he dives into cultural studies with fervor. He can speak dead languages, craft leather into shoes, carve timber into dragons, and tournament fight-wearing plate armor. 

“I like to recreate how people used to do things in order to understand why they did them. It’s called Experimental Archaeology,” Arnett explains. “Once I learn it, I can then teach other people, sharing my love of history and heritage.” 

Viking Ventures 

Arnett describes his historical hobbies while sitting in his home library. The room has a gothic appearance, with ancient books and artifacts lining the walls. Each shelf is broken into sections of interest, such as classical literature, the Middle Ages, and mythology. 

“My brother owns an escape room and haunted attraction,” Arnett begins. “I was helping him build the storyline about Norse Viking mythology. To immerse myself, I went on a weekend camping trip themed around the Viking Age. I was learning from passionate people who were serious students, so I dove in too.” 

Soon, Arnett was hand-stitching clothing from linen and wool, which are dyed in vibrant colors using berries and flowers. “Hollywood has made the Viking era dark and dirty,” says Arnett, “but it was actually more like Snow White’s Seven Dwarves from the Disney classic. The more colorful, the more affluent the Viking.” 

During the pandemic, Arnett leaned into woodworking. For his “Covid project,” he built a Viking-inspired canvas tent with heavy timbers carved into dragons. The tent includes a bed of wooden planks and ropes lined with pelts. Arnett exhibits the tent at medieval fairs as a member of a reenactment group called Glomesdal – Vikings in Oklahoma. 

Scottish Studies 

Medieval festivals introduced Arnett to his next passion: the United Scottish Clans of Oklahoma, an organization that preserves Scottish culture in Oklahoma. “Most people are unaware of Oklahoma’s tremendous Scottish heritage,” Arnett says. “Heard of the Chisolm Trail? The Chisolm family originated in Scotland, working with cattle. A variety of Oklahoma places have Scottish names, like Glencoe, McCloud, and McIntosh County.” 

Many Scottish people came to early America to escape the British government’s efforts to anglicize them, making it illegal to wear tartans or speak Gaelic. They moved into the Appalachian Mountains of North America, which resembled the highlands of their homeland. 

Ancestry Discovered 

“Oklahomans studying their ancestry or doing DNA tests often discover their Scottish or Irish heritage,” Arnett says. “My family is largely intertwined with the family of Robert the Bruce, the King of Scots during the 14th century.” 

As the current president of the United Scottish Clans of Oklahoma, he is eager to help with their genealogy research, has taught Scots Gaelic classes, and hosts heritage festivals, like the Oklahoma Highland Gathering. Members often “kilt up” to attend Celtic-based events like wine tastings, museum activities, and musical performances. 

“Since Scottish and Irish events often lean toward an adult audience with drinking, we’ve made our festivals more family-friendly,” Arnett says. “This year we held our first Kiddie Highland Games. Instead of using a pitchfork to hurl a stuffed bag of straw, called the sheaf toss, the athletic tradition was modified into a children’s sheep toss – utilizing a toy stuffed sheep.” 

Although Arnett expects he will continue to adopt an array of hobbies, his intention of seeking factual history remains at the root of all his time travel adventures. 

Gesturing to a section of books in his library with titles about the Old West, Arnett offers a hint about his next foray into the past. “I relish dispelling the myths of television and film to teach the factual history,” says Arnett. “I may have a myriad of interests, but in all cases, I take pride in teaching authentic history to other people who are on their own paths of discovery.” 

Visit unitedscotsok.com or search Glomesdal Vikings in Oklahoma on Facebook.