[Ansteorra-rapier] White Scarf Anniversary

[Barone Orlando Di Gilead]

I'm a fan of option 3. Close the order and introduce a new grant level
award. The introduction of a peerage fundamentally alters what it means
to receive a grant for rapier. It's basically a game changer. Closing the
order maintains the prestige of the White Scarf and opens an opportunity
for the next generation of rapier fighters to build the prestige of the new
suite of awards.  I also think it's a great way to keep the Society fresh
and relevant (if that can be said of a society that relives the middle
ages).

Orlando

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On Sat, Mar 10, 2012 at 2:04 PM, Chris Zakes <dontivar at gmail.com> wrote:

> Fair Greetings,
>
> A third of a century ago, on a cold, wet Saturday night, history was made.
> During court at an event called the Tournament of Chivalry, Her Highness
> Tessa of the Gardens announced that she and Prince Simonn of Amber Isle
> were creating an award to recognize prominent rapier fighters in the
> Principality of Ansteorra. That was the beginning of the Order of the White
> Scarf, and to the best of my knowledge, it was the first official
> recognition of any sort for rapier fighters in the SCA.
>
> At that time, there were maybe thirty or forty rapier fighters in
> Ansteorra, and a few handfuls scattered about the rest of the Known World.
> Benign neglect was about the best we could hope for from most of the
> powers-that-be and outright hostility was a pretty common reaction to the
> presence of rapier fighters.
>
> We've grown a bit since then, but now the White Scarf is facing a new
> challenge. The SCA Board of Directors has announced that they are forming a
> committee "focused on developing a set of options for potential
> implementation of a new peerage for Rapier Combat and/or Cut and Thrust
> Combat."
>
> For many folks, their initial reaction might be "Hooray! It's about time!"
> But think about this a little more. Throughout its history, the White Scarf
> has always meant "the best of the best" in rapier, and it has earned a
> level of respect similar to the peers in many places. But it's still a
> grant-level award, and is only used in twelve of the nineteen kingdoms of
> the SCA. If a rapier peerage is set up, then I see three possibilities.
>
> 1. The White Scarf maintains its current precedence as a grant-level
> award, but there's now a peerage-level award that outranks it. We'd no
> longer be the best of the best.
>
> 2. The White Scarf becomes the new peerage. But this idea has several
> problems built into it. Do all existing White Scarves automatically become
> peers? (Does that include the ones that haven't been active for many years?
> What about the ones who've died?) If not, who decides what constitutes
> "inactive" and which White Scarves get the new peerage and which don't?
>
> What happens to the kingdoms that don't use the White Scarf? Do all the
> members of the Order of the Golden Rapier, Bronze Ring, Dragon's Steel,
> Meridien Order of the Blade and Queen's Rose automatically become peers
> too? If not, why not? In Ealdormere the Order of Thorbjorn's Hammer is
> given for all martial activities, not just rapier. Do we say that the
> rapier-Hammers get to be peers but not those for armored combat or archery?
>
> There's also this: SCA heraldic rules won't allow a grant-level award and
> a peerage to use the same name and insignia, so if the new peerage is
> called the White Scarf, then the existing Orders would have to be shut
> down, and anybody who doesn't get made a peer would not be allowed to wear
> their Scarf any more.
>
> And, of course, if the White Scarf goes from being the top-level rapier
> award to being the top-level rapier award, what have really been gained?
> Does having a peerage automatically make you a better fighter, a better
> teacher or a more polished courtier than if you just have a grant?
>
> 3. The Order of the White Scarf is closed and replaced with a new peerage
> and a different intermediate award. If that happens, then inevitably the
> White Scarf and much of what it means to the SCA would fade into the mists
> of time. Is that a desirable outcome?
>
>
> So take a moment to reflect on where you were and what you were doing on
> March 10 AS XIII, and to raise a glass to the folks who started the Order
> of the White Scarf.
>
> But while you're doing that, give some thought to where we are going, too.
>
> Happy White Scarf Day, everybody!
>
>            -Tivar Moondragon
>                        Ansteorra
>
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