The Society for Creative Anachronism’s local chapter’s event set for Sept. 17-19 at Old Mobeetie Jail and Museum has been postponed due to recent spikes in COVID-19 across the area.
The SCA is an international, non-profit, volunteer and educational organization. They are devoted to the research and recreation of pre-17th century skills, arts, combat, culture and employing knowledge of history to enrich the lives of participants through events, demonstrations and other education activities.
Participants in the organization enjoy cosplay (dress up) as various middle age characters (fictional, real or original to the costumer) and hold presentations involving a variety of activities including, armoring, armored combat, calligraphy and illumination, ceramics/poetry, combat archery, dancing, equestrian activity, medieval games, music, woodworking and more.
The local chapter for the Texas Panhandle, the Shire of Adhlershure, includes from Plainview and north and includes 26 members. It is part of the Ansteorra Kingdom (Texas and Oklahoma) one of 20 kingdoms across the globe that includes more than 30,000 participants.
A close comparison to SCA’s events includes LARPing (Live Action Role-Playing), which is fantasy role-playing involving costuming, events and other activities.
“We are more historical-based,” Shirley Mahan, who goes by the SCA name Lady Isabelle du Vaucoulers, said. “It is a form of LARPing. We try to re-enact the Middle Ages as close as we can, but that’s where the creative part comes in. It’s the Modern Middle Ages.
“We still wear glasses, sunglasses, phones tucked away, etc. We keep the modern amenities available but try to keep it period-tense. We make our own armor, tables, etc.”
Participants in the event create their own identities and persona.
“Technically we range from 500 AD to 1600 AD,” Mahan’s husband, Jeffery (Lord Vilhem), said. “There’s a wide range. It encompasses Europe, but we do all different time periods.”
SCA members cover the world's civilization but most of the people focus on Europe
Some costumers dress in Native garbs, the middle east, as well as China, Japan, Mongolia, African, and several other civilizations.
But mostly everyone focuses on the European area after the fall of Rome.
For the combat events, weapons are crafted by the creators and are often real weapons. But safety precautions are taken to insure no injuries.
“They put a rubber tip on it and it is inspected every bout,” Mahan said. “They do wear several layers (of plastic/metal armor) on their person underneath their close. We have rapier fighting, chivalric fighting, etc.”
The SCA’s local chapter holds practice events every Sunday at Memorial Park, 2501 S. Washington Street, in Amarillo and will try to hold two larger events every year.
“We sometimes will get involved with other groups in Oklahoma and co-host an event,” Mahan said. “But those will usually be in Oklahoma.”
SCA does have memberships that reduces entry into events. For more information on the SCA, visit www.sca.org or e-mail Shirley Mahan at ladyisabelleduvaucoulers@gmail.com. They also have a Facebook page at “Shire of Adlersruhe.”
