Archery

[Gunnora Hallakarva]

<snip>
>So, you and your other seven bow-companions (if I may lump you together),
>will then progress up to the Iris, then to a Laurel?

Actually, the last few times I've heard this debated, archery is in
never-never land without a "fixed" means of promotion in Ansteorra.
Individuals such as Master Leon Dunne, Archer Extraordinaire, may receive
the Laurel, but Leon crafts his own bows and painstakingly hand-crafts
arrows, plus he sings (in the key of Z).

I'd think the proper award would be based on (1) what kind of archery is
being practiced and (2) level of activity.

This archers who make their weapons and document this, plus teaching, are in
an "archery-as-art" path, which would lead to: Sable Thistle (AoA level),
thence to an Iris of Merit (GoA level) and eventually to a Laurel.

Whereas target archers who encourage others and work hard promoting IKAC are
in an "archery-as-service" path, which would lead to: Sable Comet or Sable
Crane (AoA level), thence to the Star of Merit (GoA level), and eventually
to a Pelican.

Finally, those whose efforts concentrate on war-archery are in an
"archery-as-combat" path, for which we don't really have appropriate awards.
Certainly service to the kingdom is involved here, making the Comet/Crane a
possibility at the AoA level.  So far as I am aware, our only AoA level
fighting award is the Sable Falcon, which I belive is limited to chivalric
combatants.  We have a couple of GoA level combat awards, the White Scarf
for rapier combatants, and the Centurion for chivalric combatants, thus
extraordinary effort in combat archery still ends up getting a Star of Merit
rather than a combat-path award.  And if the rapier community isn't eligible
for a Knighthood, the archers certainly aremn't, either, leading the
amazingly dedicated war-archer who has given up his whole life to promoting
war archery as a Pelican.

I really think we ought to recognize the contributions of our members in
appropriate ways.  While no doubt there will be much squawking and
fulminating over this proposal, I think Ansteorra should look into creating
AoA and GoA level awards for archers.  Perhaps the AoA level award would be
called the Sable Pheon, with its badge being Or, a pheon sable (or something
similar).  The GoA would be the __?__ of Merit, and would carry a badge that
would be worn like a Scarf, Iris, or Star (I think an arrow with its head
replaced by Black Star might be nice heraldry).

As for Peerage level awards, it's possible that the Known World should
recognize Peerage level achievement for both rapier and archery, but that
will take the BoD to do.  Ironically, I'd guess that we'll see Archery
Peerages before we ever see Rapier Peerages, due to resistance (reasonable
or not) from other kingdoms.  I suspect that most expert, dedicated,
Peerage-quality archers will end up as Pelicans, for lack of a more
appropriate way to reward their efforts.

Wassail,

::GUNNORA::


Gunnora Hallakarva
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