Society for Creative Anachronism
The Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA for short) is a not-for-profit organization with corporate offices in Milpitas, California. Its activities largely involve Medieval and Renaissance-themed historical re-creations and re-enactments. The primary focus is on Western European culture from the 900's to 1600, but also included are other regions, such as the Middle East and Japan, with which Western Europe had contact. The SCA is generally described as a Middle Ages arts revival recreational organization.
Description
The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a historical reenactment and living history group approximating mainly pre-17th century Western European history and culture. The SCA’s roots can be traced to a backyard graduation party of a medieval studies graduate in Berkeley, California on May 1, 1966. After several more backyard medieval parties, the SCA was formed and over the last forty or so years, the SCA has grown to tens of thousands of members all over the world. While some people say the SCA is still just a big medieval costume party that has been going on since the 60s, the scholarship and historical documentation of many members are professional. Unlike strict reenactment groups, the SCA will utilize modern elements when necessary (like plastic-framed eyeglasses) or to promote safety (like replacing steel swords with rattan during combat) this is “Creative Anachronism" at its best. An oft-quoted though unofficial SCA motto is, "The Middle Ages as they should have been" - that is to say, lacking such undesirable elements as religious persecution, bubonic plague and open-pit sewers. The level of historical authenticity in the SCA varies greatly from casual participants to participants who are historically exacting and detailed. For instance, new members may make armor from plastic or garb (clothes) from poly/cotton broadcloth to save money, while others may spend weeks creating museum-quality items. Many SCA participants see these open requirements as one of the main strengths of the SCA, allowing members to choose their level of commitment and enjoy playing with others in the SCA.
Some participants have also described the SCA as a large group of people with interlocking skills and hobbies that are rarely used or needed in a technological society. Some have joked, that after leaving Boy Scouts, where else can people still use all their merit badge skills but in the SCA? During a typical SCA event one can see such interactions. Dancers can work with the musicians in a performance. Cooks plan and prepare meals for feasts. Weavers and costumers find people to wear their creations. Leather and metalsmiths make combat armor for fighters, and so on. Because of the diversity of SCA members, most medieval trades or hobbies are practiced and valued within the SCA.
Membership Levels
- Sustaining Membership ($45) – available to US and APO addresses. Sustaining members may purchase printed publications and subscriptions for an additional cost.
- Associate Membership ($30) – Associate members may not purchase
printed publications or subscriptions.
- International Membership ($56) – same as Sustaining, for non-US addresses
- NOTE: If you live in the UK/Republic of Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Australia, or New Zealand, please visit the membership registration pages for those SCA Affiliates
- Family Membership ($10 each, $30 cap) – can be purchased by Sustaining or International members for family members residing at the same address.
See also [ RenFaire ]
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Society_for_Creative_Anachronism ]
External links
- https://www.sca.org/ Homepage
- Event calendars
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