Society for Creative Anachronism

The Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA for short) is a non-profit educational organization devoted to studying and re-creating the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The primary focus is on Western European culture, but can also include other regions such as the Middle East and Japan with which Western Europe had contact during 800-1650 CE. The SCA is easily described as a Middle Ages Arts Revival Recreation Organization.

Description

The SCA is related to historical reenactment and living history groups in sharing an interest in history. However, the SCA does not concentrate on a specific war or event. Participants, as their abilities and interest allow, attempt to limit themselves to only historical facts and techniques. Modern elements remain when necessary (like eye-glasses) or to promote safety (like replacing steel swords with rattan during combat). An oft-quoted though unofficial motto is, "The Middle Ages - not as they were, but as they should have been."

Related Topics:
Historical reenactment - Living history

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In many of its activities, the SCA practices a less constrained minimum standard of authenticity than during public demonstrations. For instance, new members may make armor from plastic or garb from cotton broadcloth to save money. Participants see these minimal requirements as one of the strengths of the SCA, opening participation to more people. In the same breath it could be said that this lax attitude to historical accuracy encourages a lower standard of historical representation.

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Some participants describe the SCA as a large group of people with interlocking hobbies that are rarely used or needed in a technological society. The dancers work together with the musicians; amateur chefs feed hungry warriors; the weavers and costumers find people to wear their creations; leather and metal smiths make combat armor; and so on. Because of the diversity of SCA members, most medieval trades or hobbies within the SCA are practiced and valued. (See "Activities" below.)

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Persona

SCA members each create their own persona. For some, a persona is simply a costume and a name, an alter-ego for a weekend costume party. Others craft an elaborate personal history of a Medieval person who never lived, but might have, opening the door to years of scholarly research and hands-on re-creation. This focus on a persona can help participants to put a human face on what they learn.

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At events (see below) members may attempt to remain "in persona," speaking only of things that their period alter-ego would know about (assuming they have researched these things). They may use code terminology to refer to modern or "mundane" items such as automobiles ("chariots" or "wagons", sometimes "dragons") or telephones ("farspeakers"). A certain amount of cognitive dissonance is accepted, such as when dealing with an 8th-century Norseman wearing eyeglasses and a wristwatch.

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