ANST - Order of the Pelican...

Elisabeth B. Zakes moondrgn at bga.com
Tue Sep 23 12:52:04 PDT 1997


At 05:04 PM 9/23/97 GMT, Lionardo wrote:

[snip]

>I must agree that I find it a little disheartening when I hear of a
>peer about to be made and see less than 3 members of that Peerage in
>attendance. I can only wonder if that peer was made without a
>consensus of their Peerage circle. So often this may not be the case,
>but I do think that many times the populace in attendance will see it
>that way. 

Most of the time this is not the case. Meetings are held periodicaly, and
the candidate is brought up usually more than once. This allows members of
the Order who were not present at a previous meeting (location is uaually
the reason) can express their opinions. It may occur that a certain meeting
is very small, but that everyone else has already had the opportunity, so
the Crown makes Their decision based on what They have heard.
>
>I would also agree that it is nice to see Peerage level participation
>in court and other SCA functions and I must say that for all the
>Peerages, the Pelicans are the least seen. Perhaps that is more the
>nature of that Peerage, since most of the best of those who provide
>service for all of us do so in the background. Everything just runs so
>smoothly that we never know who instigated it. Perhaps it is because
>that Peerage is smaller than the other Peerages and so we have less of
>them to see. (Why this is so I cannot be completely certain and is
>certainly another topic altogether.) Perhaps they are given less
>word-fame or perhaps less of them wear regalia to signify their
>status, such that we do not notice them as easily as a knight in their
>white belt and gold chain. (Again, this could be the nature of such a
>humble beast.)

Pecentage-wise, the Pelicans are the smallest Peerage of the three. I would
have to check numbers to find out if the Laurels or the Chivalry was the
largest. To some people, the Chivalry are the flashiest and most visible of
the Peers, since they are seen on the field regularly and are easily
recognised by the white belt or baldric. For others, the Laurels are the
most visible, since one cannot attend a Dance Symposium or Arts
competition/display without running into a few dozen. But the Pelicans are
in the kitchen, setting up pavilions, etc., and don't have much in the way
of flashy regalia. Regarding "word fame," when the steward or autocrat
thanks "all the people who helped make the event come off smoothly,"
chances are there is at least one Pelican in the group. But not by name.
>
>However you see it, though, I think that all we can really say is that
>each of the Peers are individuals. We often do not see them working as
>a concerted group with a common goal. I could easily be wrong, in that
>there may be many projects worked on by Peerage groups, it is simply
>that I have seen this only rarely. Perhaps it is the need for better
>PR so that us "little folk" can see what they are doing better and
>could then better learn from their example? 

It's easy for the Chivalry to sponsor a tournament, or for the Laurels to
sponsor a display, but what would the Pelicans sponsor? A work weekend?
Somehow, it's just not the same. I don't mean to sound sour, but the nature
of the beast just doesn't lend itself to the same thought process.

Aethelyan

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