So authenticity trumps safety....whoop-de-doo!

[fireheart]

So this is coming from a couple of years ago with the medieval fair that was on. I had attended a couple of times as an extra pair of hands (I got stuck with scut work i.e. cleaning, fire tending and photography ).

That year, the ground was absolutely soaking wet. The whole encampment area was muddy as hell and walking around certain parts was dangerous. I almost nearly slipped and fell into the fire at one point because the ground around that area was soft.

The "Council of Elders" (more or less the council for our group which included my boyfriend ) took a quick meeting and made a vote that for safety reasons, we were allowed to wear normal shoes around the campsite and out battling. We would explain to the public why we were wearing our sneakers instead of our normal shoes (which are handmade out of pieces of leather and depending on the time period, simple or not-so-simple).

Well one guy pitched a massive fit because of that, claiming that they just needed to change their fighting style to adapt for this. I was so tempted to smack him with a spear for saying that, given that my boyfriend was one of the battlers. There were so many things that could've gone wrong there (all of our equipment is blunted for obvious reasons as we use actual swords, spears etc. but one wrong move....)

The suggestion was put forth by another person (I do believe it was Nyoibo on the boards here) that we make the soles from rubber or some other hardy material that we could disguise with leather. Keeps us safe and authentic. I did pitch this to the group but whether or not they went ahead with it, I have no idea.

I also just found out today that one of the groups is not going to be visiting the campsite this year due to a lack of space and some idiot in the group uninvited them. I suspect that Captain Picky was one of the people who didn't want them there.

[AccountingDrone]

LOL

It isn't just rennies that have issues like this. Back when I started in the SCA it was 1978. My first set of armor was made of leftover carpet scraps and the helmet was a retired freon can. My first costuming was made of forest green bedsheets turned into a classic SCA old school t-tunic. [I did research and shortly made an italian renn based on a period painting from linen with embroidery instead of store bought trim.] By the time I more or less quit about 5 years ago people were more or less authenticity nazis - the only time you ended up seeing 'fantasy' personas was if you had a Tuchux or another of the alternative lifestyle SCAdians in your local group. I can remember people coming to events with elf ears and sindarin names back in the day.

I have plans to get back in, I found a posting online where a historian figured out what she thinks is the more or less accurate Vestal Virgins hair style, and I already have more than enough experience whipping out female roman clothing so I am going to get one of the 'Lady Godiva' wigs and permanently style it, and go as a Vestal Virgin. The legaldweebs can't ding me, there was no regulation about Vestals preventing any freeborn girl of 2 parents who at the time of selection was in perfect health [and as a prepubescent girl other than an overbite that got braces I was in perfect health, and of parents married in the permanent form.] [And besides, I already have an AoA, so that counts as equites anyway, so I already have rank.]

The authenticity dweebs already have conniptions because I wear glasses, and refuse to 'speak forsoothly' and are really going to go hissy because I use a wheelchair

[fireheart]

We normally recognise the authenticity in the sense that safety comes before anything else. We will TRY and replicate our gear as close to our character's period as much as possible, but some things are impractical or out of budget for a number of us.

My tunic and apron are made from material that closely fits the period as much as possible (9th-10th Century Viking, tunic is linen, apron is wool with leather straps). Underneath my tunic I did wear pants for warmth but my shoes were legit as possible.

The group normally isn't too bad with authenticity in the sense that as long as you're kitted up as much as possible and it's close to your characters period, it's fine. Even if you need to machine-sew it. Everything else is either bought, borrowed or made (and mine is all three: I have a pouch with some small trinkets that I bought, I have some shoes that I borrowed which need fixing and my apron and tunic are made) They've had no problem with my glasses and we will have non-period food around the campsite (i.e. while we cook our own meals, we provide our own drinks)

I suspect that part of the problem this year is that there was a fight between some of the group members who didn't like the way the group was going. They've left and formed their own splinter group which is NOT connected to any other branches interstate. They're more of the "do it within your budget and as close as possible" type group. Methinks that the "authenticity" freaks are starting to take over in an effort to keep the group as close together as possible. I'll label the groups Boyfriends group (for the group he joins and I associate with), Splinter Group (the group that split off from us and took a great sized chunk of our members) and Sister group (that took 3 or 4 people but we like them anyway )

Normally for the fair, we have 1 or 2 groups sharing our campsite. Sister group has their own space about 100m away from us, while Splinter Group (which is still fairly new) has their own area which is right next door to ours (awk-ward). For the most part though, the members of splinter group, boyfriends group and the 2 interstate groups (plus a pair of jousters) will fight with us on the field. (Sister group do not fight and neither do a bundle of members from both groups)

Well this year that's apparently going to change. We now seem to have grown into having 2 or 3 merchants sharing the campsite with boyfriends group and/or splinter group. As a result, one of the interstate groups is going to share a campsite with Sister Group (which they don't mind....their tents are friggin HUGE and one of them has a full-sized wooden BED in it. I have pics but no idea how the frak to post them) while the other group were told more or less that they couldn't attend.

Either way, something is going to hit the spinny thing and I am far away from it.

[SongsOfDragons]

I found a posting online where a historian figured out what she thinks is the more or less accurate Vestal Virgins hair style, and I already have more than enough experience whipping out female roman clothing so I am going to get one of the 'Lady Godiva' wigs and permanently style it, and go as a Vestal Virgin.

I saw that article. So pretty!! And Roman clothing is really comfy I (attempted to) dressed as a Vestal for last Hallowe'en.

[PepperElf]

my bf use to be SCA. he told me how he knew one girl who picked the name Audi Mercedes or something like that. when the authenticity-jerks tried to block her she happily provided proof that both names were female names from the period she was using.

i don't remember his own stories about fighting off the authenticity-jerks, but he did say he was somewhat good at arguing SCA law back at them.

[mhkohne]

i don't remember his own stories about fighting off the authenticity-jerks, but he did say he was somewhat good at arguing SCA law back at them.

I bet it stared with the group's name -that 'anachronism' is in there for a reason, methinks.

[HiddenMica]

My bf left the local SCA when they made the local roman group that could form a perfect turtle stop using it because it was unfair to the archers.... >_> That's kinda the point. Then again he had a full set of red plate mail and liked it to be properly beaten, not beaten with a foam sword. Eh. To each their own really.

[fireheart]

So the excrement had finally hit the spiny thing and its gone flying around the room quite freely.

So splinter group is now no longer attending the medieval fair. Which sucks. They are attending a local fair closer to home however and I am going to say hi.

[AccountingDrone]

I saw that article. So pretty!! And Roman clothing is really comfy I (attempted to) dressed as a Vestal for last Hallowe'en.

I am looking at swatches right now, I have a great slightly heavier than handkerchief linen 3.9 oz bleached 59" no slubs and an 8 oz 59" bleached slubby suit weight linen, for the stola and chiton, and I haven't decided which wool for the peplos. [modern subligare, thanks.] I figure I can actually have Rob make the proper white roman shoes because I will spend pretty much all my time not walking in the wheelchair.

my bf use to be SCA. he told me how he knew one girl who picked the name Audi Mercedes or something like that. when the authenticity-jerks tried to block her she happily provided proof that both names were female names from the period she was using.

i don't remember his own stories about fighting off the authenticity-jerks, but he did say he was somewhat good at arguing SCA law back at them.

My froend Pat and I fought about her name with Jaella the Hut. I personally didn't see any reason a pagan anglo-saxon couldn't be named mavis [missil-thrush, a small bird found in the area of Britain her persona was from] and produced documentation that they frequently named girls after birds and small furry critters, and plants - and produced SCA documentation about Anglo-Saxons naming using nature based names... so to be a snot I came up with paperwork for Damnait ferch Odharnait which when pronounced and sort of slurring the ferch into oblivion comes out sounding like Dammit Oh Darn it! and arms that were a red and gold whirlpool over a black field with a white crescent. Very eye wrenching.

My bf left the local SCA when they made the local roman group that could form a perfect turtle stop using it because it was unfair to the archers.... >_> That's kinda the point. Then again he had a full set of red plate mail and liked it to be properly beaten, not beaten with a foam sword. Eh. To each their own really.

That sucks, that is the purpose of a proper testudo.