SCA????????

[SGT Dave]

So...there I was...knee deep in grenade pins...

<no-wrong story...> sorry...

So..there I was...on patrol yesterday. On an early lap, I noticed some yellow signs hanging around town that merely said "SCA" and had a small image and an arrow on them. I finally realized the signs were directing visitors toward our large community center. No big deal. I didn't know what "SCA" was-it could have been "Southern Craft Association", "Southern Cowboys Association", Southeastern Camping Area", "Suffulk Colloge Allumni", etc., etc., etc., ...you get the point!

So later...I'm riding around on patrol and checking out the happenings:

*man mowing lawn
*two dogs walking up sidewalk
*group of children playing stickball in a yard
*new "street racer" Honda parked at apartment complex known for drugs
*league baseball game at community center-check parking situation
*pretty dark haired woman with tank top
*8-10 17th Century peasants in full garb standing in parking lot of community center
*yellow Honda similar to one...

WAIT A MINUTE-WTF??????

MEDIEVAL PEASANTS IN FULL GARB??????????

WTF???????

I KNOW I took a few weeks off...but Jesus! What is going on??????

So...I finally figured out that "SCA" must be some sort of group medieval re-enactors.

I've never heard of it, but as long as they're not subversive, I'm happy for them! It just was NOT something I expected to see! I have to admit, it added a little "color" and spice to the otherwise boring shift (except for a MVA with injuries-car vs motorcycle-cyclist was thrown 10-15 feet in the air and over 33 linear feet and was up walking around on my arrival!)

I checked the Internet and found a homepage for SCA-

http://www.sca.org./events.html

Anybody here involved with them? Anybody else been surprised by them like I was?

[kirch]

I'm not only familiar with the organization, I almost joined it several years ago. I've always been interested in swords but there never seems to be a good occasion to strap one on in everyday life. SCA provides that opportunity.

Never ended up joining up, though.

[DaisyNY]

SGT Dave, Did you think, even for a brief second you had become a time travelling cop? Come on, now. Tell the truth!!

[SGT Dave]

Exactly! That's what I was trying to get across! I had NO idea what it was until I seen those folks! I was like

[jellybean40]

Never heard of them, but I checked out the site...they're into it! whew...

i'm having enough trouble trying to re-enact my 20's!

[ 06-15-2003, 04:44 PM: Message edited by: jellybean40 ]

[PeacefulDragon]

I was briefly a member many years ago. It was a lot of fun, though I never really could get into the whole re-enactment thing myself (just a spectator here).

One of the biggest things they do is have Tournements where the knights (whoever wants to be one) fight each other -- these are full-contact battles with real armor, but wooden (and padded) weapons. Its all on the honor system: if you get hit hard enough in the arm that a real weapon would have disabled that arm, then you have to drop it to your side and fight without the use of that arm (same goes for any appendage); if you take a hit that would have killed you with a real weapon (e.g., hard hit to your helmet), then you're expected to "die".

The tournaments are held in outdoor pavilions with medieval tents set-up all around, penants flying, heralds calling out the matches, medieval music, dancing and games, period costumes, food, drink, and even talk (for those that can). They're really a blast. If you're the kind of person who enjoys the Ren Faire, you will probably LOVE an SCA Tourny.

They even have wars -- not re-enactments, but actual battles with real medieval tactics and weapons (but blunted, wooden version of same). I never did one of these, but I always thought it would be a lot of fun.

The SCA does a LOT of stuff (much of it involving non-military aspects of the middle ages), but I think the Tournies are one of the biggest things they do.

If I remember correctly their motto is something like "To recreate the middle ages, not as they were, but as they should have been." I.e., they're not really trying to re-enact the actual medieval life (which was "nasty, brutish, and short"), but rather the romantic, fictionalized version of it that everyone dreams about.

[icecoldblueyes]

I was involved in the SCA for a little while. my old roomate was into the fighting. One of the wars Peaceful Dragon was talking about is called Pennsic and held in western PA. That was lots of fun.... I think there was about 9000 people from all over the world there. My favorite part, of course, was the market place. Yes, you could even shop there

[SGT Dave]

It's neat-that's for sure, and although I'm not against them dressing up in the least, it just isn't for me.

If I can't get into Cowboy Action Shooting dress, I DANG SURE cant wear silk pantaloons...

[ 06-15-2003, 09:10 PM: Message edited by: SGT Dave ]

[Watchman]

We have an active group here, its not unusual to see them dressed up and practicing in the park.

I know some of them, and I've got to tell you, they seem to be cut from a different cloth than most. Most of the guys aand gals (the ones we have here anyway)are hippys from the 60's that never grew up.

They do actually collect peroid replicas and there are some exellent quality swords and armour out there. One guy brings in a catologe at work, they have about everything one might need, swords,lances,armour,hemlets,authentic dress and let me tell you, the stuff aint cheap.

Anybody here ever been to Medevial Times in Dallas?

THAT was quite a show. I talked to some of the actors, they are pretty active in the SCA.

[Niteshift]

I've wanted to get involved with the SCA, but the nearest chapter is too far away for me.

[Pigskin]

My cameraman from the TV station that does the Crime Stoppers re-enactments is a member. We talk about swords & knights & stuff from time to time & he goes off to tournaments & such. He seems to enjoy it. I like swords & sword fighting but not enough to get banged on the head with one...real or not.

[MikeinMN]

We have a lot of them around here, as well as at least one 'round', as I think they're called, of Morris Dancers, a whole troupe of what can only be described as wannabe Scotsmen (burly men who run around in kilts, smoke and drink a lot, are loud, and um, yeah) and at least one businessman in downtown Saint Paul who seems to think that lunch breaks and parking garages are a good time and place to practice his bagpipe playing. No, really...

I've stumbled across some of the SCAdians practicing their thing in parks around here from time to time. They're generally quite nice, and easy to get along with so long as you say things like "what a nice basinet you have", "goodness, that's a large spatha you have", etc.

[Sharky]

quote:

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Originally posted by MikeinMN:
...easy to get along with so long as you say things like "what a nice basinet you have", "goodness, that's a large spatha you have", etc.

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But take my advice: Make sure that the person to whom you are saying such things in a park is affiliated with SCA, since I learned the hard way that bail on a DOC charge is $200.....

[PeacefulDragon]

Dumb civvy question time: what's a DOC charge? (Once I find out, I'm sure Sharky's post is going to crack me up )

[SpecOpsWarrior]

I'm guessing it's short for Disorderly Conduct.

Here in my neck of the woods it's PDC, Public Disorderly Conduct.