We walk, not backward into the future, but forward into the past.
The Known World of the Current Middle Ages encompasses the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe, and there are small chapters in many other parts of the globe. It is divided into seventeen Kingdoms, each ruled by King and Queen who won the Crown by the sword. These Kingdoms may be subdivided into Principalities ruled by a Prince and Princess who also owe their status to victory in combat. Kingdoms and Principalities are composed of local branches called Provinces, Baronies, Cantons, Shires, and similar names from other languages. (There are over 600 local branches in the Known World.)
The responsibilities of administration do not rest solely on the shoulders of the rulers, as there is a well organized civil service to take care of much of the tedium of running a Kingdom. Seneschals oversee the daily affairs. Marshals supervise the fighting and related safety regulations. Chroniclers publish the newsletters. The Registry (an office run by the SCA, Inc. for all the Kingdoms) processes membership applications and maintains the mailing list. Some Kingdoms have a Gold Key pavilion to offer information and loan of appropriate costume to the first-time visitor. There may also be a Chatelaine, whose duty is to welcome the newcomer to the Society. While various officers encourage the practice and research of historical arts and sciences, score of other people help keep the whole organization running smoothly. In fact, one of the three peerage-level Society-wide awards, the Order of the Pelican, is bestowed for service to the Society.
Members of the Society strive to recapture the ambiance of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. This requires research into such topics as dress, weaponry, armor, jewelry, food; in other words, any facet of life as it was lived. Authenticity is encouraged insofar as modern views on health and safety permit, and the members put their research into practice by constructing replica artifacts, practicing historical arts and crafts, learning to fight with sword and shield, and so on. But more than research and practice, the Society also attempts to embody the ideas of the medieval romance: chivalry, courtesy, honor, and graciousness. This is re-creating the Middle Ages as they might have been, adding a note of consideration for others in an often too-indifferent world.
The Society sponsors many different events. There are numerous revels (gatherings to enjoy the music, entertain- ment, food and drink of the period we study at first hand), seminars, demonstrations, and tournaments. Usually the most elaborate revel of the year is the Twelfth Night celebration, where members wear their most elegant garb and spend the night in dancing and merriment. Banquets are held, with authentic recipes and entertainment. There are also various guilds that hold meetings for those interested in specific arts. Seminars are also held on topics of interest to members and other students of history. The Society also holds public demonstrations of fighting and other aspects of historical culture and technology by request. The most typical Society event is the tournament, where everyone comes in pre-Seventeenth century garb (from the simplest peasnat tunic to the most elaborate court dress) and spends the day--or several days--immersed in the Current Middle Ages.
The most visible activity at a tournament is the fighting. Participants study and practice the martial arts medeival- style, making their own armor and (simulated) weaponry. Besides the combat for the selection of the Crown, there are also many challenge matches, melees, and other competitions to test skill at arms. Chivalry, another peerage award, is an honor bestowed by the Crown upon those who have demonstrated excellence on the field of combat.
For those whose main interests lie in areas other than fighting, a tournament also involves the pursuit of gentler arts, such as music and dancing, to while away a pleasant afternoon. There may also be competitions to test the skill of the participants. Areas of interest are as varied as the culture itself: heraldry, manuscript illumination, archery, metal work, lace making and other needlecrafts, dance and music, poetry, cooking, brewing, costuming, and much more. The Order of the Laurel, the remaining peerage award, is bestowed in recognition of excellence in the Arts and Sciences.
While Society events are often colorful to observe, the deeper satisfactions come from becoming a participant. To realize this truth, one only need taste the sense of accomplishment generated by research that produces something to wear or eat or use as a tool, rather than just mere words on paper. In addition to having fun, we gain a wider perspective on our world by learning to do as our predecessors might have done; by discovering things about the past, we discover things about ourselves. We walk, not backward into the future, but forward into the past.
