ARCH - (why no peerage for archer? was: Status)

[baron at elfsea.ansteorra.org]

Galen here...

Here we go again...

Quoting Earl Albrecht <ealbrecht at nitekmcallen.com>:

> There is no logical reason for archery not to have 
> the same respect that all the other branches of the 
> game have.

Just a quibble; activities don't garner respect, people 
do.  How well you excell at something, over how great 
obstacles, with how much grace and style, and most 
importantly, how much character, is what wins you 
respect.  I sure we all agree on this.

Which leaves the implied question, why is there no 
peerage for archery?  This is a new person's question, 
one of many newbie questions from an obviously well-
meaning newbie.  So I'll attempt to answer it honestly.

> If one can (essentially) earn a knighthood by 
> knitting (no disrespect, just an example) why can't 
> archers do the same thing?

The answer to this lies in the history of the SCA.  Our 
group didn't spring fully grown from the head of Zeus, 
with its award structure fully mapped out in advance.  
Quite the opposite.  

At the first tourney, there were no awards.  All the 
fighters were knights, except for one fellow who came 
as a squire in service to one of the knights in 
attendance.  At the end of the tourney, that squire was 
knighted, and history records him as the SCA's first 
knight.  When the Society was incorporated at 12th 
Night in A.S. II (2), the Order of Mastery of Arms was 
added, and two men were added to that order, thus 
spitting the Chivalry of the SCA into its two mutually 
exclusive Orders, the Order of Knighthood and the Order 
of Mastery of Arms.  The Order of the Laurel was also 
created at that time, for both excellence in the Arts & 
Sciences and also for service.  The Order of the 
Pelican was created in A.S. IX.  I'm not sure when the 
Order of the Rose came in, which is given to ladies who 
have ruled as queen.  These Orders, plus Awards and 
Grants of Arms and the various titles of nobility, are 
the only Society-wide awards.  

All the rest is up to the individual kingdoms.  Here in 
Ansteorra, we have blazed the trail in recognizing 
rapier combat; the White Scarf of Ansteorra is the 
oldest and most prestigious (and highest-ranking, 
carrying a grant of arms) recognition for rapier skill 
in the SCA.  But in other respects, we have avoided 
creating specific awards for specific endeavors; some 
kingdoms have separate awards for bardcraft, costuming, 
dancing, and a variety of other arts.  In Ansteorra, we 
have the Sable Thistle, for excellence in a specific 
art, but which art is specified varies with the 
recipient.

Other kingdoms have specific awards for archery.  In 
the East Kingdom, for instance, where their kingdom-
level orders carry only Awards of Arms (grants of arms 
are rarely given there), there is an AoA-level award 
for archery, called the Order of the Saggitarius.

By contrast, in Ansteorra, archers have received 
recognition within the structure of other awards.  The 
Sable Thistle, the Sable Falcon, and even a couple of 
Laurels (Master Leon Dunne, Master Iolo FitzOwen, and 
Mistress Ascelyn Balstene come to mind) have been made 
to recognize work in and around the archery field.

A few years ago, Mahadi & Valeria created the Award of 
the King's Archer of Ansteorra, which has been awarded 
to a number of worthies, including several of the most 
vocal on this list.  The King's Archer carries no 
precedence, and is on a par with several other similar 
awards, including the Sable Falcon, the Queen's Rapier, 
and the Golden Bridle.  All of these awards are highly 
regarded by their recipients, and by others who take 
part in the honored activities.  It was a great honor 
for me to receive my Sable Falcon from King Gunthar, 
over 10 years after my knighting.  I am sure that none 
of the King's Archers feel differently about their 
awards.

But though the Award of the King's Archer is far from 
worthless, it carries no rank or precedence.  There are 
many who reasonably feel that it should be possible to 
ascend to high rank through work in shooting a bow, as 
it is possible to do so through excellence with a 
rapier, a broadsword, in holding office and 
autocratting events, or with a knitting needle (or 
other implements of artistry).

I sympathize immensely with this point of view.  Hell, 
I designed a badge and regalia for an armigerous 
archery award years ago.  I don't ever expect to see a 
seperate peerage for archery, but I would cheerfully 
support something like a White Scarf for archery.  I 
have no doubt that it will eventually come to pass, 
through the tireless and continuing efforts of the many 
who teach, set up the ranges, record the scores, make 
the garb and equipment, autocrat the events, and yes, 
shoot such high scores.

We can bring this to pass not by complaining but by 
continuing to try to improve our own performances, on 
and off the range, to be teachers and examples of what 
an outstanding archer in the SCA should be.

Ideas for new kinds of competition, creating an archery 
guild, formalizing student/teacher relationships, and 
exchanging ideas and information at events and on this 
list all seem to me to be parts of what we need to be 
doing.

> In troth,
> 
> Erik the Black

I'm not in charge, and this is all just my opinion, but 
I hope it helps.

(Can we put this post in a FAQ somewhere?)

- Galen of Bristol
Viscount, Baron of Elfsea, Knight of the SCA, Master of 
the Pelican, etc., and host of a _very_ special archery 
championship at Elfsea Defender in September, don't 
miss it!


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