Fwd: something fun

[Tyrca at aol.com]

     I found this little piece on the Atenveldt mailing list, forwarded from
the Caid list.  How true is this where we live?


>Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 10:14:48 -0800 (PST)
>Reply-To: sca-caid at anthrax.ecst.csuchico.edu
>Originator: sca-caid at anthrax.ecst.csuchico.edu
>Sender: sca-caid at anthrax.ecst.csuchico.edu
>Precedence: bulk
>From: EowynA at aol.com
>To: Multiple recipients of list <sca-caid at anthrax.ecst.csuchico.edu>
>Subject: [SCA-CAID:10552] War as Village  (long)
>X-Comment: Creative Anachr. Soc.:Kingdom of Caid
>
>I've been thinking lately about the recent war, and the following is what
>came out.  I'd thought I'd share them with you, but it doesn't really
require
>a reply. First are some observations,  second is the theory these
>observations have started, and finally is a summation.
>
>Observation 1:  The SCA is unique:If we like our neighbors, we'll go to war
>with the.  If we're having problems with our neighbors, then we refuse to go
>to war with them.
>Observation 2: There has been more talk on this list about the map and the
>roads, songs, boats built, and arts than about the fighting at GWW.
>
>Theory:  The SCA's "wars" are more analogous to an historical village than
to
>any historical war.   I will expand on this thesis.
>
>A village has roads, and everyone knows where everyone else lives (we need a
>map because we must learn locations quickly, not over a lifetime).  A
village
>generally has a central raison d'etre.  An historic village might be a
>farming community, a mining town,  a fishing village, etc.  In the SCA, our
>village's raison d'etre is to supprot war games.  Most groups  in the
>historic and SCA village have at least someone directly involved in the
>central village activity, but not everyone is doing that.  That is why the
>village is where it is, but not everyone does that central activity.
>
>Historical villages had a market place.  So do we.  How many times have you
>heard (or siad), "I go to war for the shopping."  It makes sense to go to a
>bigger town for a better selection of merchants and merchandise.
>
>A village might (but not always) have a school -- we often, but not always,
>offer classes in various topics relevant to the medieval/renaissance eras.
>In a village, one might have local contests, or displays of artwork.  I've
>never heard of such at historical wars.  We regularly have such at SCA wars.
> Having a dance on Saturday night is almost a cliche of the small town. They
>are not a feature of historical wars, but often occur at SCA wars.   In the
>pre-electronic age, peole found their evening's entertainment much as we do
>in our war-villages -- socializing with friends, singing around the fire,
>dancing, etc.
>
>Some towns had walls around them with a gate.  Our toll or troll gate serves
>much the same function.
>
>At tournaments and at wars, SCA folk recreate bits of domestic life  that
>would not actually have been done historically while watching a tournament
or
>during a battle.  Things like weaving (inkle looms may not be period but
they
>are a very portable means of doing a period activity), spinning, embroidery,
>would all have been done either at home or communally in a village.
>
>Of course, inviting the Known World to the Great Western Village, Pennsic
Vill
>age, Estrella Village, Village of the Lilies, etc.  does not have the allure
>that the same names do with "War" in them.  But my theory is that the great
>attraction of SCA wars is the community, as much as or more than, the
combat.
>
>Thanks for bearing with my essay,
>Eowyn Amberdrake   (EowynA at aol.com)
>


I enjoyed it!

     Tyrca Ivarsdottir
        Barony of Namron