community
Storming the Castle
continued from front page
ing a persona provides a focus for the
participant when learning about the cul-
ture of their interest. It narrows down
the field for research. “About half the
a sense of what these guys do for fun on
their weekends. (Yes, they aren’t com-
pletely stuck in the Middle Ages and do
use the internet.)
“It’s full con-
tact and not cho-
reographed,” notes
Pittman about the
battles. Morello
mentioned
that
these are usually not
re-enactments of
actual historical bat-
tles—instead each
group comes up
with their own tac-
tics and strategies
for a battle. “Typi-
cally the group that
has the better tactics
and the fighters that
know how to use those
tactics will win,” says Morello.
Some of these large annual
events will include thousands of fighters
on each side.
The SCA, as stated before, is an
international organization with a multi-
includes Oregon, Washington, North-
ern Idaho and all of Western Canada.
Their Shire, called Dragon’s Mist covers
Washington County and has over 100
active members.
The legal representative of each
branch is called the Seneschal; Morello,
or if you prefer O’Briain, is the Sene-
schal for Dragon’s Mist.
There is also a King and Queen
of each Kingdom. This position is most-
ly ceremonial and is earned on the field
of battle—the winner of the bi-annual
hand-to-hand combat competition holds
the royalty position for the six months
following their coronation. Men and
women compete against each other--if a
woman were to win the tournament she
would be named Queen in her own right
and her consort would be her King; if a
man wins he is the King and his consort
SCA members enjoying a feast.
is his Queen.
people look to their own ancestry to try
As you can see, it’s all a bit
to re-create their own history when they
complex and complicated and believe
create their persona,” says Morello.
me, there is much, much more. Suffice
The genealogy they create can
it to say that these folks take this pretty
be very intricate and detailed. “They
seriously, and yet seem to have a lot of
give really good reasons why they own
fun while doing it. They hold weekly
the equipment they
practices,
regular
have and dress the
meetings and events,
way they do,” adds
travel to participate
Morello.
in other branches ac-
The event
tivities and learn in-
that will be held in
teresting and practi-
Vernonia will be the
cal skills. Awards are
Dragon’s Mist an-
given for exemplary
nual tournament and
work in research,
include a large feast,
mastery of skills and
a Bardic competition
volunteerism. “The
that includes song,
level of mastery or re-
dance, and other per-
search will determine
formances, activities
the level of recogni-
and competitions for
tion they receive,”
youth, some eques-
explains
Morello.
trian events, a large
“Honestly, the best
campfire at night,
part about being part
and of course, some
of this group, for me,
good old fashioned
is watching other peo-
combat, which will
ple be recognized for
Fencers wait for instructions for their competition.
include heavily ar-
their hard work.”
mored combat, period fencing, and tar- -layered governmental structure. Like
At events, a minimum standard
get archery. Their Arts and Sciences we live in the United States, in the State for attendance is an “attempt at pre-17th
competition for Defender will be held at of Oregon, in Columbia or Washington century clothing.” Morello and Pittman
a different event later in the year.
County, and in a town; very basically, referenced the “ten foot rule”-- “If it
In addition to one-on-one fight- SCA members are part of a Kingdom, looks real at ten feet, that’s acceptable,”
ing, they also hold what are called skir- which is broken into smaller branch- says Morello. “Some semblance of ef-
mishes or wars—large groups of people es called Principalities, Baronies and fort is all we really require.”
fighting each other. “It is chaos!” says Shires. Each level has a governmental
Participants in Period Fencing
Pittman. “That’s what I like to do. It’s a structure that runs the administrative often study and practice the techniques
lot of fun.”
functions—finance, safety, new mem- they have learned by researching fenc-
If any of this is starting to sound bers, arranging for classes in the arts and ing Masters. Archery is done without
interesting, especially the part about sciences, logistics at events and more.
the use of modern compound bows. The
combat, you might want to hop on You
There are nineteen Kingdoms armor is often made of metal and leath-
Tube and search for SCA. Plenty of vid- worldwide. Morello and Pittman re- er. Training is provided for the hand-to-
eos will be available where you can get side in the Kingdom of An Tir, which
continued on page 19
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lously researched and created for these
weekend events. They will compete
in martial activities like armored com-
bat, target archery and fencing; display
their skills in period arts,
sciences and crafts like
weaving and spinning,
cooking, needlework,
and leatherworking; and
regale each other with
song, dance, storytell-
ing, poetry and literature
reading. All this will be
done as authentically as
possible, based on re-
search participants have
done into life during the
Middle Ages—the sev-
enth through the seven-
teenth centuries.
Me? I am really
just a lowly scribe work-
ing for Vernonia’s Voice, eating a grilled
cheese sandwich with french fries and
gathering information for a newspaper
article.
For members of the SCA, the
re-creation of medieval times is a very
serious hobby. They are in sense ama-
teur historians, and some of them are
real historians. “We are an educational
society,” explains Morello. “Our prima-
ry focus is on re-creation and research.
Everything we do—our combat, arts and
sciences and performances—are based
on research.”
These folks don’t own a boat and
go fishing every weekend, race a stock
car at the dirt track on Friday nights, or
play on a softball team in tournaments
and then go drink beer at the local pub.
No, these folks don chain mail,
helmets and shields, learn and practice
ancient forms of swordsmanship, spend
hours and hours doing research to un-
cover long lost information about food
recipes and how to create clothing in tra-
ditional styles using period techniques
and hold in their own style of tourna-
ments--on a battle field with swords and
other weapons to crown their royalty
and champions.
Unlike a Renaissance Faire, the
SCA is participatory—no one is simply
a spectator. All the attendees play a part,
helping create an atmosphere by reen-
acting aspects of the Middle ages that
are of interest to them. That’s why they
create the elaborate personas for them-
selves—it makes it more real when they
enter an event and leave modern times
behind.
About these personas--because
the scope of the SCA is so broad, span-
ning a thousand years in history, choos-
june28
Dr. Carol McIntyre
Naturopathic & Chinese Medicine
503.481.4096
cccmnd@yahoo.com
naturalpathhealthservices.com
831 Bridge St . (503)-429-0214
786 Bridge Street
Vernonia, OR, 97064
