My first SCA reenactment event?! Sewing for a weekend historical costuming event vlog
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ย. 2023
- I went to my first Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) event, with @Opus Elenae and @Faye Sterling! Thank you Birch Living for sponsoring! Click here birchliving.com/SnappyDragon to get 25% off your Birch mattress (plus two free Eco-Rest pillows!) during their Cyber Monday Sale. For your little ones, check out the Birch Kids Natural Mattress which is a 2023 Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards winner! Offers subject to change. #birchliving
I've wanted to try historical reenactment events, so I was overjoyed to visit my friends Courtney and Faye for my first ever SCA event and spend a weekend in historical costume! But I had SO MUCH sewing to do before I could spend a weekend in medieval dress, so I've put together a sewing vlog of preparing for and going to my first medieval reenactment LARP. The Society for Creative Anachronism has run events like this for a long time, with reenactors combining historical recreation and medieval fantasy. For my event wardrobe, I made two new medieval dresses. First, a high medieval bliaut made with historically accurate sewing techniques and tablet-woven wool trim, and secondly a basic early medieval kirtle or under dress in light blue wool. Added to the linen medieval kirtle and pink wool bliaut I already had, this gave me a great medieval wardrobe with all of the fantasy appeal of the classic middle ages princess dress!
I wasn't sure what to expect from an SCA event, but I had a great time! There was sword fighting, classes, amazing shops and vendors, and people who reenact in everything from Viking Age to Renaissance dress. I got to see Faye fight in a medieval tournament LARP, explore a castle before watching reenactor knights storm it, and listen to Courtney explain SCA history and politics. While the Society for Creative Anachronism definitely has its problems, and I'm not sure I'll participate often because of them, I had wonderful first historical recreation event thanks to the people I met there.
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Thank you so much for letting me share Shabbat with you. It was so amazing to be able to share my Judaism and hobby together.❤
Aaaaaah, I saw you in the video! (Hi, it's Aasa!)
@@KiriaDK Hi Asa love you!
Also, I need to somehow get you, my protégé, and several of my other Jewish friends together at an event that includes a Friday night because on-site Shabbat is something that several of them have expressed interest in.
@@KiriaDK yes I completely agree! We need to plan it . Maybe Gulf War or Known World Heraldic 😊
Omg, mint is a battle plant! And make sure it doesn't escape!
Not me crying over the lovely shabbat dinner. As a long-lapsed Jew, you always inspire me to remember and honor my heritage. Thank you for all you do. ❤
It was so cute! We hung around for a while after trading songs (how many melodies to Lecha Dodi can two Jews remember? Two and six halves.)
@@SnappyDragon a lot. Pretty sure almost any Jewish tune can be adapted for Lecha Dodi and a lot of secular tunes as well.
I appreciate the heads up about the SMA- as someone who is looking into local events, It’s good to know who to avoid, especially because on the surface, the look very similar to the SCA
yeah one toe in that arena would make me want to NOPE the hecks out of there real quick I cant put up with that kind a poo
Absolutely. I agree!
Hard same. I played on the outskirts of the SCA some 20-30 years ago, so I missed all of this... erm... event. And good gravy, I'm rather glad I did, as I would have been trying to grab somebody's rattan to beat a Crown Prince (& a few other miscreants) about the head & shoulders for such nonsense. (Hopefully, nobody would have had live steel around me at the time, or... yeah. I get a bit dangerous when folks say my friends aren't "real people". Probably a good thing my particular version of hEDS means I'm not allowed to be a fighter. I'm not to be trusted with swords, rattan or otherwise.)
Yeah this is one of the reasons I worry about the flavors of antisemitism I would be likely to run into at SCA things. Eloquent and measured as I may seem on the internet, that's because I have infinite time to choose my words. In person, well . . . 🔥🐲
@@SnappyDragon there's a reason we redheads are stereotyped as being very quick to anger...
Having been a SCAdian and a Person of Color(Latino) for many years now, I can say with certainty that the SCA is very white. No buts about it, I've also realized that as accommodating as they try to make it, the only real way to bring more diversity into the Society is to put up with it and provide the point of view of what can be done to make it better for minorities, because where I live, the city is mostly latinos but the society is still mostly white people, and it comes down to a lot of factors. For one, at least around here, hobbies are not a part of my culture, they're seen as a waste of time and money when you could otherwise be working, and the state of the economy reinforces that idea.
To address the ever present issue of cultural appropriation vs appreciation it's a fine line to walk, it's set at different places for everyone, most of times I hear it brought up, even not in regards to the society it's not by a person of color but rather on behalf of people of color which is its own issue, and biggest of all, the SCA used to only allow European cultures, and then expanded to cultures around the Mediterranean, and then cultures that had contact with Europe prior to 1601, and now finally, ANY culture that existed before 1601. It's because of things like this, among other reasons, that the SMA was formed, they want to limit people to European cultures, therefore I could never in good conscience advocate for the same or similar points.
That makes a lot of sense!
Thank you for stating this and making us all aware of this information.
good points all!!
that said, there's also been groups and individuals who have lead the charges and bucked conventions on this, and many other, issues, for basically as long as the sca has existed. here in an tir, the legendary master lao was out here, as a woman, playing as a ming dynasty man, before i was even born (30 years ago!). my mom had a khazari jewish persona equally long ago. there's also plenty of other examples, master lao is just an especially beloved and prominent one (and my mom is my mom...). a main underlying tension of sca culture is, and has been for as long as i can remember, between people whose main concern is with playing with history (learning, researching, teaching, experimenting, growing, and generally having a good time), and people whose main concern is, uh... hitting each other with sticks, drinking too much, and loudly yelling at anyone who asks for basic respect that they're ruining the hobby by "making things political". there are definitely stages between this, and also, it absolutely depends on where you're playing, but, yeah. fortunately, my experience and observation has been that the welcoming, creative, openminded folks have continued to gain more and more traction as time goes on. the unfortunate barrier to that seems to be a bit that shitheads often have more money to play with. i've been scheming for my local group to put together some kind of mutual aid fund for curious newbies who have great knowledge and excitement to bring, and can't afford to bring it.
but i digress 😅
So glad you got to go to an event! I was raised in the SCA and circled back about 2 years ago after a 15 year hiatus. There are DEFINITELY problems, but there are huge steps being taken to shift those problems. The SCA is a microcosm of our outer society and here we have an opportunity to create the society we want to see. It has so much potential to be fun and silly and beautiful. That's why I stay.
That seems to be what's true of a lot of re-enactment orgs! Dickens Fair was much the same way when I was there.
I joined the SCA during the plague times, so everything was online. I entered a virtual A&S competition and won the Baronial Championship. 😂 My first in person event I was handed regalia and had to stand in court behind our Baron. It was a world wind event! But I now have my partner involved and quite enjoying our time in the SCA.
What a first event!
When I first started SCA, I went to a fun day-event and had been told about Potrero War which was a few months away, which I was eyeing but didn't know where to start. Since our local newcomers' person was in the process of moving-house, I decided to show up to a local fighter practice and ask around. Not only did the first person I meet answer all of my questions, but he was kind enough to offer me to camp with his household at said upcoming War, which I took him up on and had a fantastic time! I've been friends with him and his household ever since, and have had a great time going to SCA events!
I love stories like that!
"Dragons love castles!" 🤣
I love that you just asking about it led to a Shabbat happening! I imagine it was a great experience!
And yay for meeting Faye and Courtney!!
I've had it where I didn't see the contact lens coming out and found it later on the sink too. I've also had it where the lens just did NOT want to come out too. So tricky! Now I can't wear contact lenses at all. Even if I can get them in, my eyes get too irritated in 15 minutes.
I haven't been to any SCA event. I've been to a Ren Faire once, and to Dickens Faire once, and that's the extent of my experience. (I also wasn't dressed up for either of them.)
I've had both the stuck-contact and then this whole mess. On advice from the Laurel in Faye's household, I've taken to using eyedrops and silicone tweezers to get them out. I don't think I'll be wearing them all that regularly, but they are good for situations where glasses would be inconvenient.
Re: contact lenses -- Same in all. I can't wear them at all anymore either. I'm lucky if I get 15 minutes with them before my eyes are just NOPE. But I've also got dry eye, which just makes matters ever so much worse.
It seems mine are also pretty dry. Thankfully my eye doctors' office is treating this as an exciting challenge to find a brand that works for me-- would that all medical offices took that attitude when someone has difficulties!
@@SnappyDragon I remember trying several brands that were supposed to be for dry eye, but my problem was that I needed dry eye *and* astigmatism correction, which was apparently a bridge too far at that time (about a year before the pandemic, IIRC). Of course, being close to 50 then & 51 now, I'll probably just resign myself to glasses for the rest of my life unless I find out they've got some miracle advances out there for us old ladies!
@@moniqueleigh hey, me too! But apparently they have found something and will have me try it next week, so there may be hope.
I've dipped my toes in the SCA a few times, but never had the long-term energy to really get into it (though i may yet do so!) and my impression of "its more fun when everyone is royalty" is less "peasants are boring" and more "we are not here to recreate that social hierarchy, and in a society that attracts some level of material snobs, we want to discourage formalizing a system for snobbery". But this is also a Mileage May Vary moment and I'm sure lots of people approach the philosophy of "everyone's a noble by default" differently.
I do have a bit of a fun first-big-event story, because I joined in college, and while our "events" were mostly just club meetings where we met up and did a little crafting, we ended up hosting a few years in a row an event called Borgia Feast, where we set up an "everyone try to poison each other" contest, where everyone had to try to sneak an Approved Poison into each other's foods (chili flakes for food and vinegar for drinks on year 1, and I forget our poison choices on year 2 but we had a variety which we narrowed down day-of, to avoid allergies).
My experiences have always been positive, so I'll probably continue to be an occasional visitor to the SCA every fe years when i have an excuse and someone to show up with.
Ahhhh I love the poisoning feast idea!
Re : "everyone is nobility", what bugs me about it is that they *are* recreating that social structure, they're just pretending that it didn't require a peasant class to support it, or that it didn't systematically exclude a lot of people. Like, if I were to participate regularly, there are a lot of "awards" I couldn't accept because they're based around titles that Jews were barred from holding, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
@@SnappyDragon I'm not in the SCA, but do they actually prevent irl Jews from gaining in-system titles as if they are a real historical nobility structure? Or are you simply saying that in real history you couldnt get some titles, so you would for some reason reject gaining them in the SCA for realism?
@@Glorfindel_117 As far as I know they don't prevent it. But I have a big problem with letting privileged folks forget that these social structures were prejudiced and excluded groups that are still marginalized to this day.
@@SnappyDragon So they're actively being inclusive, especially since (to my outsider knowledge) they dont actually simulate any known court system, they simply use various known practices, mostly just the ranking of the noble titles. They arent and cant simulate an English court system from the 1300s because you can have a persona from outside that date. Its fantasy, even if realistic. Curious to know your thoughts on this, or if you disagree entirely. The SCA is really weird and I've been unsure about joining for years now because its incredibly hard to find any practical info about them. So thanks for doing videos on it at events!
@@SnappyDragon I've been mulling this comment over for a few days thinking about my experiences dipping into the SCA and various perspectives. I think they like to play with hierarchy like a toy, and the preference/guidance is to only pick the pretty, nice-feeling stuff. It definitely strikes as weird when you know that the Nice-Feeling Stuff can't exist in isolation, and was necessarily powered by a lot of ugliness, and it makes a weird juxtaposition of "we don't include the nasty stuff because we don't want anyone to have to be on the receiving end" which inevitably leads to "lets kind of ignore that the nasty stuff existed".
This is definitely compounded by the whole "no specific time/place" setting, which is a double-edged sword imo. It opens a lot of doors to people who want to explore happier heritage and history from when they/their persona wouldn't be as oppressed, but also lets those from outside the oppressed groups play entirely blind to it. Trying to bring my jewishness into the SCA involves either recreating some really depressing shit, or being restricted to specific time/place combos for my sources, or leaning realllllly heavily into the "Anachronism" part of the acronym. It is absolutely a society shaped by people who's identity feels "default" both in the modern society they live in and in the society they're vaguely recreating, and it shows.
In particular, the idea that the SCA is "the middle ages as it should have been" gets a little funky when it comes to Jewishness in particular. On the one hand, someone can use this to make-believe that their Jewish persona would have been allowed to dress like their peers. On the other hand, is total assimilation with Christian norms "the way it should have been"? There's plenty of problems that slogan legitimately solves, but this really isn't one of them.
Tbh though, all told I think if I decided I had the energy and wanted to go actually participate in the SCA, I could probably personally turn off that part of my brain during court or whatever, and go play (and probably still have these convos with people just to see how everyone else navigates that, because I've for sure seen a number of different takes on Jewish personas!). But I can't fault anyone else for deciding that they can't turn that off, and prefer to Just Not Go There.
(side note on Interesting Jewish Personas: the Kingdom of Northshields first same-sex co-kings were a non-romantic pair styling their reign after the Khazarian Empire's dual-kingship system!)
@16:20 KITTY!
“great value brand SCA,” almost took me out via choking on my coffee. 😂😅 y’all tryna k!ll me! 😭😂💀💀
This dude WELL DESERVES his competition win! Apparently that makes him Kingdom Bard for the next year, which I am envious I don't get to see.
After 12 years i am finally back in the SCA. I went to an event with my daughter and son-in-law 2 weeks ago and it was fun. Like you said being with friends and family helps make it more fun. For me running something, helping also makes it more fun. I don't want to just be entertained, i like being involved. I spent quite a bit of time making my son-in-law his new fencing garb. It was interesting to research a different time period from my own. He had been ordered by his doctor to do something less stressful for his body then heavy fighting. Fencing was approved.
I'm the same way, I always like to have some kind of job at events. But it takes a lot more energy!
A wild Tornado appeared! 😍
They did! Apparently everyone else decided the two of us sitting by the fire was unbearably cute.
This is awesome! Makes me want to get involved with my local SCA. My husband is Jewish and I'm Native/Sami/Persian so I was always a little bit hesitant to get involved. But seeing how much more inclusive it's becoming is really encouraging! I'm gonna have to start sewing :)
My first SCA/re-enactment event was a feast in my local Shire, with the Queen in attendance. My second SCA/re-enactment event was Pennsic...and we travel all the way from Lochac/NZ to get there! I'm glad you had fun. Seven years in, I know that the SCA definitely has issues, but there are lots of good people doing their level best to make it more inclusive and welcoming, so I am hopeful.
Pennsic sounds HELLA intense!
@@SnappyDragon Coming from winter in NZ, the heat and humidity alone is a challenge - but it's awesome for fighting (which my husband loves) and classes and shopping (both of which I love).
The Shabbat was lovely; I’m so glad that happened!
Me too! It was such a delight.
Me too
Me too!
Since the only requirement is an ATTEMPT at medieval clothing, I bet you don't need to add a single thing to your wardrobe as you will have been considered pretty well kitted out. We called it Boot To The Head for anyone checking your seams and the like. Plenty of long time players wearing far less medieval than you will be in.
I wore a zippered tunic over a calf length silk velvet skirt, biker boots, and a crocheted leather tunic. Everyone was SOOOO nice about my clothes which were nowhere near medieval. Then I saw a very pregnant lady in a full on 15th century Burgundian with a hennin and I was HOOKED.
Yeah, I wasn't really worried about anyone actually criticizing the worksmanship, I just wanted to have *enough* clothes for a four-day event!
I met you briefly and you were such a joy! I’m glad you had such a good time!! ❤❤❤
Hard to match faces to screenames, but thank you! Everyone I met was lovely.
I loved your look at the SCA. They've changed from the 1990s, though not in their basics. I love how they're putting more emphasis on the non-combattant aspects again. That was the one thing that drove me away from them back in the day...that and the politics of the group I was in. But that may have just been the group.
One thing I will point out was about a point you made at the very end: Just because someone looks white doesn't mean they may not have Middle Eastern descent. I look pretty European, but fully half of my heritage is from Asia Minor and the Middle East. If I were to go back to SCA, I will definitely make a Byzantine and a Turko-Greek persona, depending on the period I would want to represent. It's not much more different than a person of Jewish descent who may not look very Jewish... 😉
Thank you for bringing to life these personas, as well as for the other comment about the lives of the common people. There have always been far more common people than nobility, so it's a real shame that we've lost the great majority of their stories. I can understand a reasoning of: "Only nobility would have been attending and participating at tourneys and such events, unless we're talking about their servants, and who wants to re-enact a servant to another person." But it's a real shame that there isn't more living history of everyday people through the ages. That's why I loved your series on reproducing an outfit for your great-grandmother Carolina. I love that and all the rest.
Individual by individual, that is absolutely true-- what gives me the whiff of Orientalism is the *prevalence* and the way people talk about it.
@@SnappyDragon Oh, wow...interesting. Like I said, I left, so I haven't been in years; I would be interested to hear your observations on this. Might this be fodder for another video??? 😉
@@SnappyDragonAs someone who is friends with the man who did the first Middle Eastern persona in the SCA(Sir Assad) the growing prevalence of Arabic/Iranian/Turkish personas is more concentrated in the south and southwestern U.S. because of, honestly, climate. I live in a desert, it's arid and hot and dry and cold all the time which reflects where a lot of these clothes developed. That was my reasoning for changing from late-period German to Andalusian.
This! I am Jewish and I look so white that I've literally had people (non-Jews) accuse me of lying about being Jewish, but I know for a fact what my family history is, and I have a lot of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ancestry. (Much more than I actually even thought - about 40% all told.) It's very important to balance acknowledging the possibility of cultural misappropriation with knowing that you can't always tell someone's ethnicity by looking at them.
@@powerup3005 And it's important to remember that al-Andalus was part of what is modernly Spain, and was populated by Muslims, Jews, and Christians.
I am glad you had fun. Hopefully you can alter that beautiful green gown so it is more comfortable to wear. It turned out so pretty and you put so much effort into it. It would be a shame if you couldn't wear it.
I'm so glad you got to go to an SCA event!
My first sca event was a Christmas Tourney in Kentucky. Everyone was so welcoming. I had a few friends there who were making sure i enjoyed myself. My favorite part were how many kids kept coming over to play with my daughter who was 1 at the time, and then asking when she would be getting up from her nap so they could play with her again.
Me too, it was a great intro to the organization!
I am SO happy to see this, candlelighting and Kiddush at an event. Oh my this is my dream as a historical reenactor.
Eventually I want to do enough research to recreate a full Medieval Shabbat dinner 😃
@@SnappyDragon It would be so interesting to see how much difference the time period and location makes and to what aspects. What similarities and differences would there be between a Shabbat dinner in 12th c. England, 13th century Cairo, and 10th century al-Andaluz? One of my friends has been talking for years about doing a full medieval Pesach dinner at an event (which reminds me, I should encourage her again). IIRC, there is at least one extant medieval Haggadah.
What a great video. I really appreciate you taking us along. About 20 years ago I was briefly involved in the SCA. I had a great time at every event, and it was the first time I had ever seen anything like I now know after watching your channel, among others, my fabric choices were all wrong, but I had a blast. I quit going after my sister did because I have horrible social anxiety and wimped out, but after watching yours and opus elanae’s videos, I’m definitely inspired to look into it again. I’m also in Texas, like Courtney, and her channel has been super inspirational too. I saw that bard on her video as well. He’s fantastic, and I can see why he won. Your dresses are lovely. You chose fantastic colors.. I loved that trim you made. I’d love to learn tablet weaving. I’m also appreciative of learning about the SMA. 20 years ago I wasn’t as aware of social issues as I am now, and a queer person, I’m glad to see the SCA is a welcoming place even in Texas. That one individual in the rainbow headscarf was lovely. Thanks again for taking us in this journey. I’m glad you had a wonderful time ( and wonderful commentary at the end as well). Take care.
Thank you so much! 😊
The green bliaut is gorgeous.
Thank you! I am SO proud of it.
I'm glad you had fun! Whose idea was it to give Tornado a mint plant?????? I hope you got some lovely dragon things, and I love the mug you're drinking out of! 💜
I'm not sure whose idea, but they were utterly delighted by it!
Love the dude with the anti-fasc MOD collar!
They're my MOD! They're pretty awesome
Firstly, how lovely: 'Is anything organised for Shabbat?' 'No, but we can organise it.'
My first re-enactment was the Berkely Joust in 2004, as a guest of the Towton Longbowmen. The bug bit and in 2007 myself and my then boyfriend, now husband, started our own group. We started out as mercenaries but elevated to nobility in 2015/16. The group portrays a real Italian noble family from the late 1400's. Although hubby and I are Conte e Contessa we have a range of ranks within the household, none of which matter once the public have gone home, we all pull together to get the 'housekeeping' done around camp. I am the seamstress for the group and as I type I am staring at a pile of damask that needs to be dyed and sewn into fab frocks for next season.
In the UK there are a number of associations and organisations which are 'umbrellas' for the various households, but we orefer to remain independant because we can't be bothered with the politics :)
I'm glad you had fun. If you ever come to the UK in Summer, let me know and I'll tell you what Medieval events are on :oD
Fwiw, I'm from Scotland but live in Boise, Idaho. Our local Barony has a pretty much a per capita highest amount of both Jews and Trans folk in almost the whole SCA. Sometimes you find the most liberal and welcoming groups in the weirdest of places.
Hell, our current royals include a non binary ruler and our most recent part crown prominently displayed a pride shield at all events.
My Barony also elected the first out gay man as landed baron in the SCA.
In fucking Boise Idaho.
Dude. That's cool af! Huzzah for diverse and progressive Baronies!!
Who wouldve thought in Idaho!
That's so awesome! I would have never guessed!!
Many, I've been wanting to join the SCA for *years,* but the options are a bit limited in my part of the US; I loved this peak at what it's like! ❤
Thank you 💚
Looks like you had a great time with awesome people! How lovely that you celebrated Shabbat together :)
The young bard is indeed very talented! Also love the dresses you made! 11th century style rocks! I also do mostly 11th century but different region (what's nowadays south-west Finland) so my kit looks very different.
My first re-enactment event was Moesgaard Viking Moot. Back then it still had a huge battle, which was kinda the world championship for our style of re-enactment combat fighting. It doesn't have that fighting part anymore, that's why I'm also not going there anymore, which is a little sad because the location is gorgeous. Right by the Baltic sea close to Aarhus, Denmark. I was a noob and was thrown into a huge event with over 1000 participants and 500 fighters on the field and it was probably the best week of my life. Will never forget it.
Going straight into a week-long event is really jumping into the deep end! I'm so glad it was good.
I'm a SCAdian and I second the point about us being quite white, but also learning and doing better.
Earlier this year we had (afaik the first ever) society-wide DEI conference online that had some of the best classes I've ever taken.
I am so envious of your garb. Ok enough phone time, back to hand sewing this cloak for my spouse for a camping event this coming weekend while marathoning your channel as I just discovered it.
It looks like an absolute blast.
Your Shabbat dress is so pretty.
Thank you! I'm pretty pleased with it.
If you happen to be in Caid and/or are looking into doing events around there such as Potrero War in May or Great Western War in October, I'd recommend making friends with/trying to get sponsored to camp with Inept Engineers. They're widely regarded as the most inclusive household and generally being a great household (the inside joke is that minorities, lgbtq or otherwise, are drawn like a moth to flame because they're so awesome). The kingdom definitely isn't perfect (cue side eye) but the populace's patience for such offenses has been drying up quicker than California in summer. Also, super excited as of late cause a lot of baronies have also been implementing low-sensory tents to get away from the crowds, which has really helped the neurodivergent populace, and also has been quite handy for fighters avoiding heat-exhaustion!
GWW is so fun! I went in 2004!
I don't think I will be, but thank you! What a delightful household name.
@@SnappyDragon no problem! Yeah they started as a robotics-loving friend group from highschool and exploded into the household with the highest number of active members of the kingdom, for good reason!
I'm finally getting to watch this video after a move to San Diego and seeing this comment made me smile. I'm a member of the Inept Engineers, an artisan and fighter in the SCA, and a Queer Person of Colour (among other things) and like to think we're pretty rad (and always trying to do and be better every day, trust me that's an every day conversation in the household, there's a phrase we use that's basically "Conflict avoided is conflict extended, so let's have the hard conversations with one another").
The SCA is definitely a complicated place for anyone who is not straight, white, relatively financially stable, able bodied, neurotypical, etc and the active conversation right now is how to EXPLICTLY make our spaces welcoming to all and push out bad actors which I don't think we have perfect answers for, but dang it we'll keep trying. It absolutely makes me happy that there are so many people in the SCA doing their best to make it a more inclusive, accommodating, and equitable space for all. As well, the conversation around cultural appropriation and how we can responsibly recreate clothing from other's cultures in a way that highlights the history of it is something many of us are actively trying to tackle and it definitely is another one of those active conversations that I admittedly have been thinking about for years and have never quite figured out a good answer for so I listen to other POC and and POC elders as everyone tries to navigate those waters. It's definitely a, "Well if you do extensive research, speaking to people from this culture, making sure you're not leaning into potential harmful depictions or stereotypes, and doing your level best to properly represent (visually and when talking to people about that culture) this cultural clothing then many of us feel that's acceptable" kind of thing, but is everyone going to do that amount of research and that amount of care and respect? Absolutely not, so how do we guide them to making those better decisions? I've been in the SCA for a decade and it's gotten better and more people are making those decisions, but it's an uphill fight sometimes (most of the time) for sure.
I'm glad you had a great time Vi and that bliaut is GORGEOUS! Glad you survived and I hope you come back for more!
We do not fight the contact lens. We try two, maybe three times, and then we drown our eyeball in saline until it's washed out like sorrows to the sea.
Brill vid. Looked like you had a lot of fun.
My 1st reenactment event was about 2003, multi period in Derbyshire England. The group I was with were Viking period. There was everything from Roman to WWII.
Our ladies of the camp defended against WWII Germans coming through the camp (was shortest route to battlefield) With iron ladles and griddle pan. "Don't Wake the Baby. " was our shushed war cry. (my friends month old son napping in their tent). Needless to say that army tiptoed past our encampment for the rest of the weekend.🤣🤣🤣
Ahahahahah what a good story! Iron ladles are mighty weapons indeed.
I love the green dress with your beautiful hand woven trim! The event looked like so much fun!
Thank you! I am really happy with that dress, even if it needs more shoulder room. I think I must have put on muscle since I cut it out in early 2022.
I can't believe it took you so long to go to an event! we're so happy to have you :D
I am convinced that one of these days i will meet all my favorite historical youtubers at pennsic some day and the sewing will be epic! Also shabbot at sca sounds epic!
Seaing the night before the event. Oh the memories!
I literally basted Faye into that jacket we were working on so they could fight in it 🤣
I found and fell in love with your channel earlier this year, but I think this is my first time commenting. I'm excited that you got to attend an SCA event (I didn't know you hadn't been to one before, and I totally understand and respect your reasons), and it looks like you had a good time! I'm out in the SF Bay Area in the West Kingdom and several of my close friends study Judaism in the middle ages. Wars can be a great way to get a taste of a lot of the things the SCA has to offer.
It is really nice to hear about established Jewish research groups within the SCA!
hello, what's the vibe like in the sf group? I want to join, but I'm a worried about encountering bigots (and have no clue how to get started)
@@mhb-rp6cc Hi! The San Francisco group is actually pretty welcoming and I have a number of friends there. The membership includes a number of queer folks, although I don't think there are any BIPOC members in that particular group right now. If you're able to get out of San Francisco, the surrounding groups are also very queer-friendly and have more BIPOC representation as well as some of the folks who are interested in Jewish life in the medieval world. I can help connect you if you like. Just shoot me a PM. (I'm also one of the nerds who help people choose their names.)
I've been doing the SCA for over 20 years now. We've raised our kids in the SCA. We are lucky that we have been in an area that is very welcoming and supportive. Yes we have predominantly white membership but we are getting more BIPOC folks around and I for one am glad to get more diversity. Our youngest child is trans and our kingdom scribes redid a scroll he had gotten as a youth in his new name for him.
Our first event was the local Baronial 12th night. While we had been going (and helped run) events locally DH and I went to our first Pennsic after we had been in the SCA for about 5 years. We only went for the second week and had fun. We've been every year since (minus quarantine). DH has helped run Youth Combat and I teach at Pennsic University.
Our local groups put on great events, lots of classes and yes combat. I'm a little partial as our chosen village has helped us raise our children and they are so much better off for it.
What an amazing time you seem to have had! A wonderful adventure.❤
Yayyyy Tornado!!! ❤
Really good. Fun.
Especially liked your comments on the side lacing (I'm just about to put side lacing in a gown)
It is so interesting to learn about the importance of thread materials in Jewish historical clothing. Thanks so much for this info, these kind of details is why I so enjoy watching your channel. Now if TH-cam can stop messing up my feed I would see your videos the day they get uploaded.
A fun time was had by all. My favourite things were the rainbow Wimbledon scarf and the Shabbat. Your blue-green bliaut is beautiful. Happy Chanukah next week
Yes, I love the rainbow scarf
It's so pretty! Several people were wearing them, and we also had a basket of various Pride flags with us.
@@SnappyDragon on another topic have you heard any Jordi Savall music from his Diaspora Sephardi CD or any of his medical ones?
Hope you had a wonderful time. I've been to a few SCA events over the years and yeah I had fun but it did not feel like a place for a black woman. My favorite parts of the SCA events are the Arts and Sciences classes and the shopping.
Yeah there seems to be a LOT of work to be done in making it welcoming for marginalized folk.
@@SnappyDragon And a lot of that also depends on the local groups. The SCA is actively trying to make it better overall.
@@rebeccajohnson8769 I was going to say it really is about which specific chapters sadly.
@@motherhemcreation Totally agree. And even in the East, which is fairly diverse (we have NYC, Philly, etc), we still have work to do. The welcoming part has been easy. It's the retention that is hard.
That hebrew cup…i need more information on it. Looks like a great time! I have a dream of doing shabbat at an SCA type event.
I need to get the maker's name from Faye! I love it so much.
@@SnappyDragon can i ask what it says?
Thank you for sharing your Shabbat with all of us!
You in the bliaut with the sword is an incredible image!
I am so glad that your first SCA event was such a good one. I have been playing with the SCA in Australia for 13 years now. As with everything in life, my chronic health issues dictate how much and how little I am able to attend.
I also know that with a group as large as the SCA (approx. 35k world-wide), there are always going to be some doing/saying things that are NOT okay. Living in Lochac (Australia, NZ and Antartica), we are set up slightly differently from an administrative perspective, and with only about 5k people across the Kingdom, it is a smaller pool. It also means that if someone crosses a line, the community will speak out, We don't always get it right, but there is generally a community response even if the administrative response is insufficient.
One thing I am very proud of however, is how well my local Barony and its off-shoot groups (which covers the Perth Metro area of Western Australia) does disability access. Again, we don't always get it right but we do listen to our disabled members of the Populace and try and be better. Over the 13 years I have been a member, as my health has declined, access has improved. We actually have 9 people with a wheelchair, walker or scooter in a group of about 70-ish people, plus many others that use a walking stick or crutches for mobility as needed. We had actually had people from other Barony's and Kingdom hold us up as an example of best practice.
I am sorry your local group is not a safe space for you, and is not an option for participation. But I promise you, any group you are playing with will admire you for your skill with a needle and your knowledge of dress history within your pocket of history. The SCA is a place where you can nerd about about this with a full-blown info dump, and you will not just have an interested audience, but you will be admired for it.
I hope you continue to SCA events when possible. And if you ever come to Australia, make sure you contact the groups here in advance. You will find us willing and eager hosts. And not just for events either- if you have a couple of days stop somewhere, you will easily be able to find a local SCAdian willing to have you in their spare room, just because you are a Wayfarer from across the Knowne World. In dact, my Barony has an award just for that purpose, given to those who travel from afar to join us here on the Western Shores.
Ppl in the SCA are pretty chill and accepting. Everyone just likes to geek out over their shared interest. I attended Pennsic in 2014(?) and had a blast once I got used to freezing my ass off in a little pop tent that weekend. And my basic hand sewn dress was absolutely horrendous!😅
Great video and lovely sewing work. I find the debate of appreciation vs. appropriation of historical clothing to be tricky. I certainly believe that anyone who is knowingly passing themselves off as a person of another culture in order to sell a product or reap a benefit or for "humour" is wrong. But recreating history is fundamentally "retro-voyeristic", isnt it? All the past is another country. So if my only exposure to a historical asian culture is from a passionate amateur who does their best to share the cool stuff they learned, is that wrong if they are not of that place? Am I only allowed to be interested in my own family history? As someone whose family roots go deep into North America's past but also have recently grafted immigrant branches, do I have a claim to all their stories, or none? I have many friends in the SCA, and they are all thoughtful, bright and curious about the world and the past. So "smacks of orientalism" is a bit of an unnecessary putdown IMO. I wish that you had asked some of these folks about why they chose to study and dress in that chosen era and culture instead. Entertaining and thought-provoking content as always!
All the past is another country, but the present-day impact of how we interact with history matters. To me there is a difference between studying and learning the traditions of another culture, and *dressing up* as a marginalized ethnicity or race. The second is putting on and taking off a level of marginalization which the person will never actually experience, for play, without experiencing any of the marginalization. People who are actually of a marginalized ethnicity don't get that choice.
Wow looks like a fantastic event and so much going on
SO MUCH going on! And I feel like I didn't even see half of it.
I've really only been to one reenactment event, the local viking market arranged by a reenactment society I joined literally three weeks before covid hit😜
Oof! I am super curious about medieval markets, the attitude seems really different than medieval reenactment in the US.
@@SnappyDragon This is in Norway so it's very different! Mostly the reenactors/living history people just did crafts and talked to guests who were attending, did some lectures and fighting courses for kids etc- then we partied after 😝
You got to meet my friend, Master Etienne! He's a great guy. I have been in the SCA since the late 90s. Much of it has changed from then to now, but mostly for the good. By far, the largest event I attend is Gulf Wars in Mississippi in the month of March. Just me and 6000 of my closest friends for a week-long war. It is definitely easier to get into the SCA if you know someone and they are good people. I am very glad that this was a positive experience for you and hope to see you at an event somewhere in the future.
Looked like a fun event! Looking at Faye's bruised arm, I was reminded when I used to fence I'd have those lovely bruises, too.
Im always very colorful from fighting at least twice a week 😅
@@FayeSterling I had a doctor ask me once if I was safe at home after seeing a particularly colorful bruise. When I said, 'Oh yeah, I'm fine...I just fence', he gave me the strangest look.
@@lisam5744 Sometimes you need to bring action shots. I pull up a TH-cam video of a Pennsic field battle.
@@dianesawyerdooley4424 One of my household members/best friends is French (living in the US). Imagine the answer to the doctor being "..My friends, they hit me with swords" in a heavy French accent. :D
I'm very glad you had a good time. I don't think I'll ever go back - too many memories of the incredible cliquishness and enforced-but-not-acknowledged hierarchies of the barony from my college days. But it did cement my love of historical costuming and I got life-long friends out of it. Good to hear that at least some of the SCA is making strides at doing better.
I would highly recommend Pennsic which is the largest SCA event in PA. I love the SCA cause I find it super acceptable all walks of life and I can do whatever I want as a women.
I am very glad that you enjoyed yourself! If you are ever in a place to be near Killeen, Texas and want to risk hearing the OTHER side of the Tale Of The Prince Who Was No More come visit the Borough of Centropolis.
From 1 Jewish SCAdian to another, welcome! Rec wax for wool thread to keep the rolling effect down. I also have a farm with angora goats, and make my own thread that I pre-treat with a historical recipe based on apricot pits and ashodel root to make it smoother- I'd be happy to send a cone or two if you have a mailing address :). I've got a ~40 page paper documenting it to well into the appropriate time period :)
I'm glad you had fun!
I was wondering, for your wool sewing troubles, would a yarn that's plied the other way help with whip stitching? It would reinforce the twist on its own instead of having to retwist it every few stitches.
Not using a yarn designed for knitting would also be a good idea. I use Burmilana thread from Madeira USA. It's 50/50 wool and acrylic, so I don't know if that would count as chametz, but you could also look for needlepoint thread; it will still be spun tighter than knitting yarn.
@@dianesawyerdooley4424it's not chametz, it's sha'atnez. And no, it wouldn't count- sha'atnez is only sheepswool and flax linen and _only them._ It's why hempsey woolsey is apparently a thing (replacing the flax in linsey woolsey with hemp.) Acrylic and other synthetics wouldn't count. The issue with that would be the historically plausible construction method, which disqualifies acrylic.
I do know that thread, but I like to avoid synthetics as much as possible because then, when my garments reach the end of their life, they're fully compostable. Faye showed me something they'd sewn with DeVere wool embroidery yarn, and it was amazing! It's just a lot for shipping to the US.
@@SpringStarFangirl literally NO ONE in the SCA gives two craps if your thread is 100% wool, a blend, or polyester thread from Joann. I say this as a costuming Laurel who has been playing for over 20 years. The only way to tell what a wool blend thread is made of is a burn test, and I’m not setting someone’s garb on fire for something so stupid. Even in an A&S competition, I am happy to accept substitution if the competitor knows what *would* have been done.
@@SpringStarFangirl thank you for the correction on the terminology and the blend, though; that was both kind and helpful.
I can't explain why, but I absolutely LOVE a video about tofair on shabbat to avoid shatnez. Yasher kocheych!
Although I really like your usual content, with historical research and the occasional rant, this was a lovely video to watch! Although I’m personally a bit on the fence regarding formal elements of reenactments, the event looked great. Who knew this dragon was a fencer?
I don't know if I would say I *am* a fencer, but I did take fencing as a PE elective in high school 🤣
For me that counts 😀. It looked convincing!
I haven't been to any big events. I've only been to one SCA event so far, it was a lovely, fairly small bardic event in the kingdom of Northshield. It was really fun and I would love to do more! But I also have so many other hobbies that finding the time and money to invest in that one will be tricky
I've got some friends up in Northshield. I can connect you if you want (but no pressure). Also, bardic events are one of my favorite things.
@@KiriaDK that's a really lovely offer! I actually do have a bunch of friends who are very involved here in Northshield. It'll on the people connection side it'll be very easy to get involved. What I'm currently lacking is resources such as time or money that isn't going to other hobbies, hehe.
The bardic arts are definitely a huge pull for me. The post revel was sooo lovely!
I am definitely super curious about the Bardic stuff! I wanted to see the competition but didn't make it. Now I've found myself what re-worked folk songs I know might suit the SCA . . .
Looks similar to Empire LARP in the UK, but more historically accurate.
I just love how you center your identity into your reenactment, I can truly appreciate that.
I was scared away from SCA because of unmentionable horror stories. Also I can relate to your attraction to a specific era (we see you England 1290.) I'm Indigenous so pre 1492 is ideal for me and I don't attend events because of fears wondering if this is not really for minorities. Everyone looks like they had a good time though. I enjoy your videos and your sewing talents, thanks for sharing your experience 😊
It was lovely, but, yes, definitely down to being with good people. One of the folks staying with us is apparently the head of the local Indigenous research group, which was really cool to hear about!
@@SnappyDragon
I went to Williamsburg once and tried to talk to the Native reenactors but they wouldn't break character 😆 but it would've been nice to meet like minded folks.
I subscribed to this channel because I never heard of medieval history from a Jewish perspective and I think that's needed, especially now. You're the only and first channel I've come across sharing your heritage and hopefully you'll inspire others 😊
You looked wonderful!! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I'm enjoying your video.
*curtsey* Awsome! I tried to hand sew linen with linen thread and a bone needle. NOPE. Not all the beeswax in the world is going to allow that to happen. I'm impressed! Awesome attention to period details. Elieazar Halevi always coordinated our Purim. Yes, your tasting cup! I enjoy the long, flared dress pieces....it takes FOREVER to hand sew all the gussets...which you do! Watch your favorite medieal movie as you do it, helps to get through the tedium. GIRL!!!! You wove your own TRIM???? No one, not one, will believe you "just got there." They are going to notice your details with great delight. YES PETS! They can't be allowed at the HUGE event, but well trained tame well cared for pets are welcomed. They quickly pick up the idea that all their admirers are there. My red hen went to dozens of them. Garb? OH yes. A hand sewn, embroidered linen tunic, a teeny thor's hammer on the neck. She had a leather belt with a bronze buckle, from which hung a sword, and a miniature bottle of mead. She got the whole "we are fierce looking now". She enjoyed the music, singing, food, and even got used to not being upset by the fighting. She would, however, sometimes heckle from the sidelines. She had a "presence" She understood to stay with "her" people, and move with the group.. Good times. Once upon meeting the king; and being asked about the chicken, I answered that I was, indeed, the poorest falconer in his kingdom. The following year....He had a lovely solid black hen to match his red/black dress kingly robes! I'm so sorry I missed his jokes! Thank you for sharing your experience! So many happy memories.
That looks like fun.
That was such a cool video! I enjoyed the shabbat and the song! No wonder he won! If you have any links or info for him I would love to hear more. ❤
He's a friend of Courtney's Partner and is called Grim, and that is all I know-- sorry!
Very lovely, glad you had fun.
I would like to see an reenactment event.
Thank you!
I really liked this video because I too have heard the about the issues with the SCA/ SMA groups. While i'm not much of a fan of that particular era, I may just go to a local event at some point. I was always worried about " Not doing it right", but the group seemed pretty welcoming.
You look amazing!!! Skirt goes spinny!! Your Bliaut and veils are super fab!
I hope you had an amazing wonderful time.
Thank you. What a great adventure, showing how groups make themselves inclusive to all kinds of folks. I am disabled by RA. Seeing you make accommodations that work for you has inspired me to do more of the things I love, the way that works for me without apology. Wow this rang ALL the bells for me. Very best to you all!
I’m glad you had fun. Your garments are lovely. As with everything the SCA is filled with a lot of individual people with different stuff going on. Kust like the real world it’s good to find the ones we connect with.
I think I need to investigate tablet weaving. That kind of trim would go amazing with the clothes that I make.
I live in Saudi Arabia and I’m pretty sure there is no SCA here. I could wear a lot of medieval clothing and fit right in though. I know this because I sew a lot of my own clothes and get my ideas from people like yourself and pattern my clothes accordingly. Simple chemise and over gowns work perfect. Later periods also work.
Oh, sewing with wool lace weight yarn has got to be tough. Have you tried waxing it?
Love the lucet! I use mine to make all my draw strings.
Wow!! Doing shabbat at an event is too cool!!! It was so beautiful. L'chaim!!! I didn't know there was a split either, but from following the hoo-rah about Pennsic, I'm not surprised. Sounds like all the crazy people left, which is good IMHO. A group founded on courtesy and chilvary doesn't need them.
Ahh, the response of the chronically pained "I'm not dead!"
That blue linen is gorgeous! And how cool that you can tablet weave!
Great Western War in Caid is fun but it can be very hot. There is also Potrero War in spring, and in February we’ll have Rapier War in Caid. That one is a newer and much smaller war, focused on all things Rapier (and I believe Cut & Thrust too!)
I've been to Gulf Wars, the event site is about an hour drive from where I live. Life got in the way, and now my local groups meet to far away for me to attend.
I've heard Gulf Wars is a really intense one!
Most of my friends who have been to Gulf Wars have loved it. My partner is sometimes the European dance coordinator for the event and they keep trying to get me to come.
Im glad you were able to come experience the sca! This is one of my favorite events 😁 inwas one of the folks participating in that giant tourney where everyone fights everyone.
Ahh it looked like a good time!
I love the green bliaut and the trim you made for it. Such a beautiful combination. It looks like you and your friends had a lovely time together. The event looks like a good one as well. :)
I was also a high school amateur foil fencer! 🙌🏻
[high-fives in "I sort of remember how to hold a sword"]
By an odd twist of the algorithm, your video and Cortney's popped up on my subscription feed back to back. It's so cool that you finally got to meet face to face. I considered joining SCA back in my youth, but I'm like you and have some health issues that preclude me from attending any event in my area. (Upstate Western New York near Lake Ontario but an hour and a half's drive east of the outskirts of Buffalo.) If you do decided to go to another event in another Kingdom, I hope you do another vlog of it. Oh, and your Shabbat gown looked great I hope you can fix it enough to wear it again without pain.
I had such a fun time seeing Courtney's video too! We got a lot of slightly different angles or segments of the same events.
I am so sad I didn't get to go this year. I would have loved a chance to spend time with you
Hello from the West Kingdom!
I think you might live in our neck of the woods. While in Kingdom events are certainly different from an inter-kingdom wars, you are always extremely welcome. If you'd like to see a very different side of the SCA from a war, we're having an Arts and Sciences fair in February (classes, displays, general geekery).
For the yarn untwisting issue, you may want to try working with either wool embroidery yarn or wool weaving yarn--those are more balanced for that kind of work. The yarn unplying has to do with whether the final twist is S-twist or Z-twist--sewing thread is always Z-twist on the final ply.
I loved the Shabbat you guys got to do! I did a similar thing at the Battle of Hastings this year, portraying a Norman Jew, wearing tallis and bringing "wine" (grape juice) and challah and discussing it with the public. Unfortunately I didn't have any candles but it was nice to observe it nonetheless
That looked like a lot of fun!
For what it's worth, I'm a medieval armoured fighter and at my last event, I got my bruises carrying my armour to the site from the van, not from my opponents :)
I need to get some more medieval garb made for next year's events, I have a short kirtle pinafore that was my proof of concept and I'm making a full length one in purple linen, and I've got an off-white cotton shift that I machine sewed years ago that had some fit issues so I'm gonna unpick it all, hand sew it and make it fit, take some length off the bottom and add some gores...
Oh, and doing the eyelets on that first kirtle is how I learned the thread twisting trick!
I somehow got a spectacular bruise from sitting, of all things! I didn't even get to play with swords.
I do performance with weapons so most of my injuries and wounds are self inflicted. I wish I could say that my worst injury isn't related to it but with my coordination issues, it has to be.
I appreciated this video so much since I missed BAM/WotR due to studying for finals.
Oh, and I recognized so many of those people!
I've thought about checking out the SCA. I'm in An Tir, in the Barony of Lion's Gate, and that covers a lot of ground--one event might be an hour or more away from me in one direction and the next the same amount of distance in the other direction. I was part of a Viking-era focused group for a number of years and many of our members were also SCA. We were inclusive in theory but most of our members were white. I ended up leaving that group earlier this year because we'd lost a lot of participants over the last few years and I was burning out trying to manage as one of the executives and planning events when we basically had the minimum number of people for the executive and that was it. I was also ready to explore other eras. Most of my costuming exploration has been on my own, though, since I really got into it just a couple years before the pandemic kicked off.
My thoughts on the sponsor 😆:
Lots of testing must be sleeping
How many different ways can I throw myself on the bed?
I am so glad you've done this! I really want to get into the SCA but aside from life being bananas, I'm also a little anxious about it. 😂
It's so beautiful to see the Shabbat. Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
I wish I could go but I am to busy
I know that feeling! Carving out time for this was not easy, and would have been even harder if it wasn't a work thing for me.
So glad you had a good time. I've been in the SCA off and on for over 20 years in 5 kingdoms. I was lucky b to avoid too much politics and was adopted by good people.
Seriously what is wrong with me lol. I may have started crying when they said they organized Shabbat. Im not even Jewish but the fact that your friends just wanted to make this experience special for you and everything