ANST - What is a Peerage

[Erik Langhans]

Pug,

Service is its own goal.  I consider service payback for the pleasure and warmth the SCA gives me.  The yearly dues I give is not enough.  I give service through administration, others through feast prep, some through marshalling. Heralding, serving, or setting up.  Most I know give in their own ways.  Look around at the next event.  You will see a gold ribbon with a black star worn around the shoulder, on the arm, or on the leg.  This is the Star of Merit and a Grant Level award given as thanks for exceptional service to Ansteorra and to the SCA.  It is rare.  Most of those "old timers" and "go-getters" have been granted one.  A Peerage is RARE and should rightly remain thus.  Will all Chivalric fighters become Knights?  Will all artists become Laurels? Will all Rapier fighters become White Scarves?  The answer is of course...NO!  Does this make them less or does this make these orders less.  NO!  They are rare.  Doing these things for the award is not what we are about.  We are about living the moment; living the feel of that which drew each of us in its own way to the SCA.  All who give of their time and efforts may never be gifted with these awards.  It does not make them less of a person or The SCA less of a great thing because these individuals were never granted these penultimate awards.  You are what you are.  Not all can be Lions of Ansteorra.  Look at Kief, aside from his Belt I would bet that that the Lion he wears around his neck means more to him than almost anything from the SCA.  In fact there are less Lions in the SCA than there are Pelicans in the SCA in general.

The fact of the matter is that some kingdoms have different standards of recognition.  Some kingdoms dole out a brand of peerage other do not.  There is no wrong or right just differing levels of process.  As a relative newcommer to the SCA I see and understand how you could be concerned.  Thank you for your concern, it speaks highly of you.  

Modius
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