Shire Of
Danescombe
ABOUT The S.C.A.
SCA members study the culture and technology of their period, but they don't stop with historical research. They practice what they have learned - they build the tools, sing the songs, make and wear the clothing, cook and eat the food that was popular in former times. They build replica armor and weapons, and learn how to use them. Archery, brewing, calligraphy, dance. . . the whole range of human activities are open to anyone who finds them intriguing. In addition to the physical trappings of their historical recreation, SCA members also seek to embody the ideals of the literature of the period: chivalry, courtesy, honor, and hospitality.
We recreate the Middle Ages “as they should have been” members say, referring to their attempts to evoke the strong and hopeful aspects of the culture without reliving its very real problems.
Society members create a persona, the person who they would like to have been had they lived in the Middle Ages. Some SCA members have chosen only a name. Others have fully developed personas and can talk to you in detail about their "lives" in the Middle Ages.
The Society is a family friendly pursuit. As Prince Einar Guntharson said in a television interview; “I have many friends who play golf as a hobby. They work all week then play golf all weekend and never spend time with their families. In the SCA, you see entire families at events, having fun together. It has something for everyone.”
S.C.A. History
The SCA started in 1966, when a few friends who were history buffs and science fiction/fantasy fans hosted a big outdoor party in Berkeley, California. The invitation stated that a Tournament would be held on the first of May, summoning “all knights to defend in single combat the title of ‘fairest’ for their ladies.”
Everyone enjoyed the first tournament so much that they agreed a second should be run, but in a larger setting. In order to reserve one of the public parks for the gathering, the organizers needed to list a name for their group on the application. Since recreating the Middle Ages in 20th-century Berkeley was an anachronism (something “out of time”), and because the goal was creativity, they came up with “The Society for Creative Anachronism”. It was a spur-of-the-moment invention; they had no idea that the name would stay with their group into the future. (From: http://socsen.sca.org/what-is-the-sca/)
