SCA in Colorado

Cache Valley knights devoted to history
By DEVIN FELIX
24 November 2007
Associated Press Newswires


You may not know it, but your neighbors could be knights or merchants or swordsmiths to the guardsmen of the Holy Christian Emperor of Byzantium.

And you probably didn't know that if you live in Cache Valley, you live within the Kingdom of Artemisia and your king lives in Colorado.

If you did know these things, chances are good that you're familiar with the Society for Creative Anachronism, an international group of people who love medieval history so much they try to live it. Group members specialize in medieval combat or arts and meet in local chapters called "shires" or "baronies." The SCA world is divided into 19 kingdoms, with Utah, Montana, southern Idaho and parts of Colorado and Wyoming making up Artemisia.

Cache Valleys SCA chapter a shire known as Cote du Ciel is perhaps best known as the people sometimes seen fighting in armor outside the Whittier Community Center in Logan. Every Wednesday night, about 25 people gather at the center to partake of all things medieval. Some practice ancient arts and sciences, such as calligraphy, clothing- and armor-making, or cheese-making. Others don historically accurate helmets, gauntlets and breastplates and compete in different forms of combat. Jenn Rhoades, a Cote du Ciel member, said she and her husband, Bruce, like the Cache Valley group so much that they drive to Logan from their home in Ogden nearly every Wednesday to take part. The group is friendly, family oriented, and its members get along well with each other, she said.

Jenn Rhoades said she takes part in the SCA because of the opportunities it provides for creativity and learning. She makes floral wreaths to sell at SCA fairs and events and designs historical clothing. She also participates because of the friendships shes formed, she said.

"I've met people in the SCA that I never knew people like that existed, people I would literally be willing to jump off a cliff for," she said.

SCA members adopt different names and personas when they join the organization. Inside the world of the SCA, Jenn Rhoades is known as Lady Flora of Heronton, a 15th-century traveling merchant. Her husband Bruce is Lord Aghren the Brus. SCA members are more likely to refer to each other by their SCA names than by their real names.

SCA members are sticklers for historical accuracy. At their feasts, they try to avoid foods like potatoes and corn, because those crops weren't yet discovered in medieval Europe. Some make clothes out of wool they sheared off their own sheep and spun themselves. And most of those who fight make their own armor.

The SCA carries out several forms of combat, the most dramatic of which is called heavy list fighting, or rattan stick fighting. Combatants use swords made of rattan, a type of wood, to strike at each other. For safety, the fighters are required to be covered head to toe in protective armor. Most also carry shields adorned with painted crests. When a fighter is struck on a limb, he or she is no longer allowed to use the limb. A shot to the torso or head is considered a killing shot. Members also participate in fencing, rapier fighting and crossbow and archery fighting. To prevent injury, SCA rules require that a marshal an experienced fighter also wearing armor be present to officiate each fight.

SCA members organize massive wars and tournaments, some of which draw people from hundreds of miles away, where they gather to do battle on a large scale. Some war or tournament takes place nearly every weekend, said member Dan Watson.

Befitting a group devoted to history, the SCA has its share of myths and legends. Member Dan Lind repeated a story well-known among many SCA members. One day, a woman trained in SCA combat was walking home through a big city the story is unclear on exactly where this happened after an SCA meeting, carrying her rattan sword under her cloak. A man stepped in front of her with a switchblade knife and demanded her wallet, Lind said.

"The legend states that she now has that switchblade mounted over her mantle," said Lind, also known as Einarr Hakonson the Christian.

Lind said he is drawn to the SCA because its members are polite and concerned about chivalry, and because theyre fascinating.

"You find the most unique people here. You find the most talented people here," he said.

Jenn Rhoades agrees: "This is our family of choice."