Welcome!
Being in the The Society for Creative Anachronism is easy. Really there is nothing required for someone to consider themselves involved and part of the group. Really, the only standing requirement is that when you are attending an Event of the Society, you must be in clothing that makes a good faith try at being an outfit that may have been worn by someone somewhere before the seventeenth century CE (which is anytime up to midnight december 31st 1599). Of course, just saying that you are in the group doesn’t feel like much of anything, so here are a few things you can do to feel more involved and start enjoying what the group is all about.
Keep in mind when you look at this list that there are both members of the SCA who do most of these activities, and Members who do just one. It’s completely up to you what you want to do, since it’s your society too.
You can come to a Armored Combat or Rapier Combat Practice.
The Barony of the Bridge hosts a practice on Tuesday evenings in Hope Valley, RI. Details can be found here and the Calendar will show if Practice is happening on any given day.
You can come to a Archery and/or Thrown Weapons Practice.
The Barony of the Bridge hosts a practice on Thursday evenings during the summer in Ashaway, RI. Details can be found here and the Calendar will show if Practice is happening on any given day.
You can come to a Dance Practice.
You can come to an Arts and Sciences craft night.
You can become a paying member.
You can get some garb to wear.
There are a lot of ways to get the clothing that we wear at events, which we call garb. In general, to get started you want each person to have a tunic and hose, or a dress to cover their body, and a belt to go over those at the waist. The belt can be any black or brown leather that looks medieval to you. When your getting started, socks and underwear and even shoes are usually just your modern ones, but you can try to pick simple black or brown shoes to look less modern. If the event you are looking to go to is outside in the spring or fall, you will wants a cloak. This can be as simple as just a solid color small blanket to throw over your shoulders. Even the “hose” could just be a pair of jeans or khakis since they are likely to only show from the knee to the shoes. If you want a bit of convenience, it helps to bring a simple tote bag or a belt pouch of some kind to keep things like your phone and money in. The Tunic (short) or Dress (longer) are then the only thing that you really need to worry about specifically for garb. So lets talk about where they could come from.
Recently, it has become possible to buy clothing for garb either at an event, or at a website online. It is a little difficult to figure out what to look for, but terms like “Tunic”, “Medieval”, “simple”, and “sca” are a decent start. Read the reviews and don’t spend too much until you know better what you are interested in.
Often if you just want to see if you are going to enjoy going to events and being in the society, it might make more sense to borrow some basic garb from the local group. This is a place where the local Chatelaine, who is in charge of helping new members get started, can probably help out. You can also ask around in the various forums online to see if anyone has anything they are not interested in keeping or that they could lend you.
The last option was usually the only option in the past. You can buy some fabric, and possibly a pattern, and sew your own garb. Usually this means using a modern sewing machine, since hand sewing is quite a time investment and not usually worth doing unless you have a well researched period pattern, fabric, and thread. Even so, it is best to stay with either linen or linen looking fabric or wool or wool blends that look like wool and they should be woven fabrics, not knit fabrics. This will really help the tunic or dress look more medieval in nature after you finish it.
You can attend an day event.
You can see what events are happening in the East Kingdom of the SCA here. With the location of the Barony of the Bridge within the Kingdom, events that occur in other Kingdoms are much farther away that the events that are within the Kingdom so this is the best place to look first for an event to attend. Read through the descriptions and pick something that sounds like you might be interested in and enjoy that is near enough that you can get there and back without too much trouble. In general you put the Garb you intend to wear at the event and, if it says there is a day board or a feast, some plates, bowls, and silverware into a bag and then get yourself and that bag to where the Event Announcement says the event is by either driving, taking public transportation, or catching a ride with someone else who is going. When you get there, there will be someplace marked or designated as Gate or sometimes Troll (It is sometimes called the Troll Booth because it is where you pay to enter the event). Tell them that you are new and don’t really know what to do and they will get you all set. This is where you will pay whatever fee it said the Event cost in the Event Announcement. The ask where you can change clothes, and go put on the Garb you brought to wear. That is about it! You are now at the Event. Look around, ask people what they are doing, see if you can help, let people know you are new so they can help you better, and have a great time! When it all winds down, help clean up then get home. Hopefully you will leave with a few new activities you want to do, and few things you want to get or make, and a few new friends you will see again soon at another event.
You can attend a weekend camping event.
You can come to A Market Day at Birka
OK, so this is like attending any other event, and totally different all at once. This is a really big event that actually happens in a high rise Hotel in New Hampshire. Yes, the Armored Combat Tournament and Rapier Tournament happen in the Hotel Ballroom! There are a huge number of Merchants selling all things medieval and SCA, and you can get a drink at the bar in the Lobby. Look for the Event name in the month of February here.
You can come to the Pennsic War in early August
You can make a take a local Office in the Barony
You can submit a entry to an Arts and Sciences competition
You can make a scroll for someone’s Award
When our group wishes to recognize the efforts or accomplishments of our members, we often give awards that come with a scroll that documents the recognition. Someone needs to write the words that will be written on the scroll and read in court, someone else has to write the words in a “hand” of calligraphy that is appropriate to the situation, and finally most scroll include painted illuminations that are drawn onto the scroll and then painted in the way pictures were added to manuscripts throughout or period. You could become involved in any or all of these contributions by becoming a scribe in our group.
You can sew yourself some garb
You can make yourself shoes or outfit accessories
You can fight in Crown Tournament to try to become King
You can cook a feast for an event
Have you ever cooked dinner for 200 people with a group of volunteers? It’s quite a challenge, but that is what makes it worth doing.
You can join a Guild
You can become a Protégé of a Mistress or Master of the Pelican
You can be yourself
For help with any of these ideas, you can email our newcomers contact which in the Society is known as the Chatelaine. Another great place to find help to get started is the SCA Newcomers Portal.