kegage
Green Belt
I hope you guys dont mind, but I want to reopen the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) Combat thread. I really wish I had been on the forum when the original postings were done so you could get the perspective of a long-term member, and serious marshal practitioner, from another area.
Sounds like most of the stories related were from the mid-realm area (American mid- west). I am from one of the southern areas, and we have also heard horror stories about the mid-realm, and all of the other kingdoms (there are 19 of them) for that matter. And they have probably heard horror stories about us. Some are true, and some are not. We have our jerks, idiots, and self-important big heads just like any other organizations, including the martial arts world. Unfortunately they are some of the ones that are remembered most by those not in the SCA.
The history and evolution of the SCA, in many ways, emulates world history, but in a much shorter time span. It literally started as a going away party in 1966, in Berkley CA., for a medieval studies graduate going into the Peace Corp, and has evolved into a worldwide historical medieval recreation/ reenactment organization with over 40,000 members and over 100,000 non-member participants.
The SCA overall has evolved from a mostly medieval themed weekend fun activity with just a bit of a serious side to a very serious hands-on academia research organization that also has some parties, and stills lets the less serious folks play too.
The combat in the SCA has evolved in a similar manner. From What can I do to come up with something that looks kinda right for this party? to a complex manual of rules covering, head to toe armor requirements, weapons construction and use, legal and illegal target areas, blow calibration standards, rules of engagement, and field etiquette for all types of combat from one-on-one bouts to multi-thousand participant battles.
The evolution of the serious martial arts practitioner in the SCA has also evolved from the hey this is cool crowd to the consummate serious researcher who wishes to recreate everything as accurately as they can. The main problem for most in the SCA who wish to do the European styles is the lack of written manuals and the complete lack of oral traditions for the different weapons forms known to exist in the 1,000 years and over 250+ cultures the SCA covers. A second problem is that some methods used in the known manuals violate SCA safety rules and are therefore not allowed. It is the same for weapon construction. Safety is the first and foremost thought. Armor and weapon construction rules are the ways they are for that reason alone, historical accuracy is a secondary consideration.
There is much more, but I will let this suffice for now. Comments and questions are welcome
Kevin
Baron Uilleam MacUilleam of Garloch
Barony of Grey Niche (Memphis, TN.)
Kingdom of Glenn Abhann (MS, LA, AR, West TN. and a little bit of KY.)
Sounds like most of the stories related were from the mid-realm area (American mid- west). I am from one of the southern areas, and we have also heard horror stories about the mid-realm, and all of the other kingdoms (there are 19 of them) for that matter. And they have probably heard horror stories about us. Some are true, and some are not. We have our jerks, idiots, and self-important big heads just like any other organizations, including the martial arts world. Unfortunately they are some of the ones that are remembered most by those not in the SCA.
The history and evolution of the SCA, in many ways, emulates world history, but in a much shorter time span. It literally started as a going away party in 1966, in Berkley CA., for a medieval studies graduate going into the Peace Corp, and has evolved into a worldwide historical medieval recreation/ reenactment organization with over 40,000 members and over 100,000 non-member participants.
The SCA overall has evolved from a mostly medieval themed weekend fun activity with just a bit of a serious side to a very serious hands-on academia research organization that also has some parties, and stills lets the less serious folks play too.
The combat in the SCA has evolved in a similar manner. From What can I do to come up with something that looks kinda right for this party? to a complex manual of rules covering, head to toe armor requirements, weapons construction and use, legal and illegal target areas, blow calibration standards, rules of engagement, and field etiquette for all types of combat from one-on-one bouts to multi-thousand participant battles.
The evolution of the serious martial arts practitioner in the SCA has also evolved from the hey this is cool crowd to the consummate serious researcher who wishes to recreate everything as accurately as they can. The main problem for most in the SCA who wish to do the European styles is the lack of written manuals and the complete lack of oral traditions for the different weapons forms known to exist in the 1,000 years and over 250+ cultures the SCA covers. A second problem is that some methods used in the known manuals violate SCA safety rules and are therefore not allowed. It is the same for weapon construction. Safety is the first and foremost thought. Armor and weapon construction rules are the ways they are for that reason alone, historical accuracy is a secondary consideration.
There is much more, but I will let this suffice for now. Comments and questions are welcome
Kevin
Baron Uilleam MacUilleam of Garloch
Barony of Grey Niche (Memphis, TN.)
Kingdom of Glenn Abhann (MS, LA, AR, West TN. and a little bit of KY.)