Why New People Don't Join The SCA
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- čas přidán 16. 02. 2018
- In this episode, Stelios and Lilah dig into some of the reasons why new people don't join the SCA. It's no secret that membership numbers are dwindling Retention has been an issue and many new people aren't joining. In this podcast, Stelios and Lilah talk about why they think new people don't join and what can be done to fix it.
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I'm a period bronze/silver smith, so I wanted to join the sca as such. I was informed that I couldn't join as a smith, even though they didn't have one. I had to join as a "peasant" and "prove" my self to be a smith, but also provide free bronze and silver work for the sca group. I told them to fook right off.
That is INSANE. This organization really does have a tendency to take advantage of artists and volunteers. I'm glad that you stood up for yourself and said no. I would love to see your work though. I think it's absolutely asinine that someone would tell you that you have to "prove" yourself to them to be a smith. Do you work with metal? Guess what? You're a smith. I can understand being told that one is unable to use titles such as Baron, Knight, King, Queen, ect as those titles have criteria that must be met. But to deny your occupation? Absolute madness.
-Stelios
Yes, they are very much like that. They allow merchands to sell metal headbands but then you're not allowed to wear them....unless your " nobility" ...pointy hats. They can be so snobby and pretentious.
Should proof read first 😂....some spelling errors....oops
Shout out to "Shadowlegion"
That is an issue at your local level for sure because in the SCA everyone is assumed to be some kind of minor nobility unless they specifically state otherwise.
The SCA is a very diverse group, but one thing everybody in the SCA has in common: we are History Geeks. Let's face it, geeks often don't have the best social skills. With that in mind, the advice to "go out of your way to meet new people" is some of the best advice I have ever heard.
Sure, history geeks that hate christians and conservatives. That shows how much they really like and value history. A quick look into their forums will show hundreds of posts stating this exact fact.
The snobbism is a good point. I attended just once, in 'street' clothes, no attempt at costume because I was testing the water, to see if the group was a good fit. Given my treatment (froze out would be an apt description) I decided it wasn't. I know several EX-SCA members, but no current members. Any group that can't recruit, or even retain those who have already invested in it, is headed for extinction.
Im sorry you got the cold shoulder, but I would think that if you had gone to the trouble of wearing 'period' clothes, you likely would have gotten a warmer welcome.
Aint gunna knock ya, I welcome ya in costume or normal clothing, I want you to get a feel for the company see how we armor and carry ourselves ect ect like a meet and greet, Q&A and if ya liked us sign up brother Blood and gold!...if not best of luck see ya on the field...but ya man sorry for your treatment
You get beat up with rattan but words are what made you leave??
I attended my first event a little while ago and I don’t know if it’s just where I live but everyone was super nice to me, like me and my sister got given a gift during court as first time attendees, I’m definitely sticking around. :)
Good! More of this!
I am a former Westie that moved from Okinawa Japan to Ansteorra in 1996. We went inactive for about 25 years actually. and had thought about going back to it but we never got around to it.... raising kids work etc you all know how it goes. Anyway we went to our first event in Ansteorra, it was Candlemas, and it was beautiful we were not in rent a Garb but we were not as grand as we used to be. The Queen was there (The king had to work) and she called up everyone who was at an S.C.A. event for the first time. they were welcomed by her Majesty as honored guests and given gifts and told that as long as there is an S.C.A. chapter in this Kingdom they would be welcomed. Then she did something I didn't expect, the Herald called all members and Veterans of the Military to come before her and receive their Sable shield, a token that while holds no rank or precedence it's given to we Veterans that have served and those that still serve as a token of respect and honor. to show those that we served or are serving to protect those that are trying to preserve the " Dream". It was incredible and I have never in all my years in the SCA seen this happen, but i hope it keeps happening over and over!
I have not attended an SCA event in almost 30 years, but have continued to reenact other time periods. People in other reenacting communities tend to be a bit friendlier. I do want to give a shout out to the circa 1980s Baron and Baroness of Darkwood who, upon seeing this lonely, unsure teenager standing in the middle of the feast hall at his first event, in his hand me down garb, sent over one of the ladies in waiting to invite me to their table. That event is one of the most memorable I ever had and still feels me with joy.
You hit the nail on the head with this, i left long ago when the only two people who were helpful moved to another kingdom. The "politics" of smaller groups is ridiculous along with the cliques they just dont want anyone new in. Shout out to South Downs in Meridies.
Costume Nazis are a pain. In my group we know who they are and everybody just says "uh huh that's nice" and go about our business. We also have loner garb. Usually old but good condition garb people donate when they get new garb. Newbies can use it as long as they want
Unfortunately that's apart of human nature, not just in SCA but all parts of life. Pretty much that's the way they are in their regular lives. Don't let the actions of a few people, or some one's opinions ruin what may be an awesome time. I'm going to my first event this summer and was told by the people I met, don't worry for the first while you have to get a feel for it first.
@@WilliamWolfe70 I don't let them bother me, I have been going to SCA for about 40 years. Also I am a "Viking"; I just say I stole it. Now a days I mostly stay in my booth; I am a blacksmith/bladesmith
I personally don't understandwhy it's so important to have loner garb as a newbie if you're not sure this is a hobby you want to take part in. I know it's supposed to be immersive but forcing clothing on a person to fit in their first exsperinces isn't welcoming it's more like a "do it our way or you don't fit in" . I just had that happen to me at clothiers. I politely declined and said I had kit at home I just rushed over after work. People were still trying to push clothing on me at a event about clothes making 🤦♀️
I completely agree, we treat new comers horribly. Which is why the Kingdom I joined has created the Welcome Home movement which is where at troll we offer new comer belt tokens so that our citizens can see them and befriend them and offer help
That's a wonderful idea! What kingdom are you in?
Just under my first year. A lot of what you guys are saying a lot of stuff that hits home for my SCA journey. I feel like I’ve had an easier time having joined in as a member of a Warband (HORSEMEN)
Love the show!
I'm not even in SCA and this parallels my journey with two or three LARP groups. WERE I In SCA, I'd help ya flip a revolution. Were I to be independently wealthy, I'd help ya make an SCA that isn't SCA ;) All I'm sayin' is as an outsider, thanks for this. People don't like to talk about the bad things, but if you don't, then you cant get good things to happen.
I think it's very dependant on kingdom. I live in the East and have been in since 1978. You are accurate. When I moved to a different area the locals simply ignored me. Even now if I manage to make an event (I dont drive :P) its still not friendly. Its sad. When I was younger, it wasnt like that.
It’s June 2024 and just found this video. I’ve been a student of History all my long life and was excited to find about the SCA a couple years before the Covid pandemic. I joined, decided on a persona and sewed a couple of well researched outfits. But the problem I found was that it was very difficult to fit in as an older (late 50s at the time), single woman. Most people I saw were couples or people that had been in the organization for years, so they knew each other. I did talk to people and tried to find a niche but was unsuccessful, mainly because there was no follow up whatsoever on recent arrivals and my offer to help the Chatelaine in an attempt to solve the situation was refused. After attracting unwanted attention from someone I stopped attending MOOT meeting and then Covid happened.
These days I am thinking about rejoining and I might be more successful with the new set of people in charge. Wish me luck.
Greetings. I'm a former SCA member who stumbled onto your channel while surfing CZcams. Listening to a couple of your posts brought back a lot of memories, good and bad. Just to cite my own experiences, it sounds like petty political power grabbing is still a thing in the SCA; to one extent or another, the Society has always been susceptible to that. I belonged to (what was then) an incipient shire in (what is now) the Kingdom of Northshield, during the middle-to-late 1980's. The main problem in my shire was fighting between two dysfunctional individuals who expected everyone else to take sides. I also heard more than one story about Baron So-and-So or Duke Whats-His-Name acting like their titles were real-life things once their garb was on. Nothing new there, I'm guessing.
It's what I heard in another post of yours that really brought home the intrusion of the worst of 'society' into 'The Society". I got involved because I've always been a history buff, and I still am. It was the petty power-grabbing and dysfunctional spirit in my shire that drove me out of SCA, never to return.Now, even if I wanted to get back into the Society, I just don't have the time and resources to seriously devote to it. And, the way it sounds, there are one too many people in the Society who have forgotten that it's supposed to be fun and educational, and go out of their way to make everyone else miserable in the process. It's also very sad to see the current racist and other separatist tendencies of the 'outside world' infect the SCA. I applaud you guys for sticking with it and I wish you the best in the future. I couldn't do it now. It looks like the SCA is becoming yet another victim of the current crap that's floating around, and that is truly sad.
That's it for now. No point in dragging it out. I'm just happy to have "met" someone who's still a part of the Society and still "fighting the good fight". I wish you peace.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. I've never been to north shield, but it seems like the problems encountered in the organization don't exist in a vacuum like some think. Lila h and I scaled back our play to about 3 events a year. Maybe. And it's been good for us. Like you said, people forget this is supposed to be fun.
Then again, some people's idea of fun is subjugation others...
Similar experience in Northshield. Similar era. I was quite directly snubbed. Sad, kinda.
Sir Neil Greenstone was the most welcoming kind person to help me and my wife out soo well
I think the reason a lot of people don’t join is because SCA isn’t all that known or advertised, I had to learn about it through a rumor that a friend heard about that was not very known in the area anyways. I think it needs to be pushed and advertised more
This. I just learned about it at a Celtic festival on the East Coast and while I don't reside close enough to have a meaningful start I'll be moving closer to a pretty popular area for SCA events, and I can't wait to start my journey!
absolutely agree!
I think too much advertising brings in people who are just looking for "new entertainment". As it is, there's more of a shared passion to the events.
I fear the effect Riverdance had on real Irish music.
My dad got into the SCA when I was around 7 or 8. We were active in it until I was 17. There are people in my life that I love dearly that are still active in it, but after ten years, we stopped attending and lost a bunch of our friends because so many of the people we associated with played the political games and never understood why we wouldn't pour every bit of our time and money into the organization. There's people I know that couldn't pay their rent or properly feed their children, but somehow managed to take a a two week vacation for a war event. It just never made sense to me. They took care of the SCA before they took care of their real life obligations and responsibilities and because we didn't conform to that mentality, we were considered "less than" within the community.
yeah some people can't realize its a sport and not life
That's wild! I'm a parent and my families needs for food shelter are more important than an organization.
I always felt I wasn't period enough, I wasn't service enough, I wasn't fighter committed enough. After years of playing and thousands of dollars spent. I never felt I was enough for the SCA, so I slowly drifted away. The problem that I see mostly in the SCA is the fact that I work 5+ days a week and I was working that much for the SCA and it became work not fun.
I am of the opinion I am enough the way I am and I do need to work on things but if you don't like me it's not my fault as I'm a genuine person who tries to be gracious to people. If you dont like me it's not my fault it's just not a good fit. Maybe finding what helps you feel whole is not sca but maybe therapy and or other pursuits. I would suggest getting therapy though to work through feelings of inadequacy and were they stem from
There is also loner armour for people who want to try fighting. And we go out of our way to make newbies welcome. I've been playing for 40 years. And I still have some of my original garb
If people look at newbies and judge them and make comments and push them aside.. then the Châtelaine really sucks at their job and the branch deserves to die out. If you want your branch to grow or new branches to be able to be started then bring the newbie in and welcome them and introduce them to other people.
Here's a good site for some info about stuff that gets told and it's wrong.
chatelaine.eastkingdom.org/wordpress/common-misconceptions-please-read/
I just got back from my first SCA event Barons Ball in Wastekeep. and the only time that the eddicate was required was during court and some of the more experience people offered me ques when to bow and stuff. also the King and Queen had all us first timers come up and gave us a mug and an arming cap. the queen even picked out one that matched the hood i got at a vendor early that day. then during the rapier tourney they had all the IRL Military vets and service members come up and they gave us a small token to say thank you, but what was more important was that they not only the vets that went overseas but also thoes of us who did not deploy which had never happened to me. also i was in a "ground pimple" as you say but i was welcomed and surround by the rest of the barony in the camp i was not pushed to the edge.
At the end of the event when we went to get dinner at a restaurant (which I was invited to join) I ended up joing the SCA right there.
It all depends on the group you're involved with. I had the luck/pleasure of getting started in the Mists back in 1976, where the originals still played. It was amazing. I returned to the area 10 years later, and they were still the same happy bunch. I got involved, after moving back and forth twixt Bay area and Puget Sound region, (I'm in the latter) with a group where I now live, and have to say that, save for brief intervals, vicious internecine politics, status-whoring, and award-chasing have become too much the norm. I didn't really complain when Saturdays became work-days at my job, taking time off was no longer worth it. At this rate, the SCA is an organization on its way out unless folks realize it IS JUST A GAME and make it fun for those around them and themselves. What was once a group of historically-romantic geeks has devolved.
Nice to read comments by another person who's in the mists I was born into the SCA both my parents were in it for a long time we were technically Misty's for a bit now I think we're technically synagogues. I don't really care I'm a Cossack I get a note for which kingdom I fight for as long as that is good money good loot good people good booze and nobody's tried to steal my horse.
I know this video is now a year+ old and perhaps things have changed, but I recently attended my first event and was welcomed with open arms in more ways than one. I will admit, I attended with persons that are far more familiar than I am. As we arrived, the camp we were planning on being in was empty and the camp next door (with modern tents, period tents and Vardo style trailers) invited us to join them, immediately offered food and beverage and welcomed us to the group. Through the weekend, I met many other people who were more than welcoming. Sure, I was in garb, because I don't half-a$$ things and part of my attending was my girlfriend making me garb (heheheh), but I met several other newcomers who expressed much interest despite not having any garb. Over the weekend, I was welcomed, with open-arms, to several camps and "households" as were others who showed the slightest modicum of an attempt to fit in, whether that was garb, attempt to speak in an old english style, or those to whom this was a brand new experience and they were just asking questions to anyone and everyone that looked like they might know something.
Personally, I am looking forward to my next event, and get the feeling that I will be sucked in.
Good to hear a new guy had pretty good experience if you ever find yourself in California look up the kingdom of sonaga we tend to be very pleasant outgoing and friendly group. And if all else fails look for the pirates they tend to be a fun group just to hang around. Never really hanged out with the pirates but my sister did. And if that fails look for the people with bras dell around their neck that means they've been recognized by the principality and have been marked as somebody who doesn't know when to stop volunteering to help newbies oldies and people in the middle I can vouch for that because I was billed in both my parents were belled twice which according to the rules isn't possible but that was the only reward they could give my parents for doing another frozen over event in the mountains.
Brass bells
Hey, how about some best tips for people considering joining the SCA?
Ya know what? Yeah. We'll do that one!
and then they never did lol
Yet. -Stelios
Yeah, dont.
@@bashkillszombies let me guess...you said something racist or sexist and people decided they don't want you around anymore, right?
Bet I'm right.
You'll find no allies here.
Don't forget the children!
Camping with children is a whole nother beast
In my Barony there are no kids and families participating. It sucks
I first joined about 37-years ago when in university and even made it to Pensic XVII. When I left uni, I left it behind because I was not a part of a couple and it was like playing in Noah's Ark (single guy fighters welcome, single women not.) I joined again about 25-years ago and had a great time but got transfered away and life got in the way. In both groups, financial wherewithallto purchase lots of gear was a problem. Today, I live in an area that was dissolved 2 decades ago and I am restarting our group from the ground up. I got some great ideas from your discussions and from the comments below. Thanks!
When I joined cloth was $1.50 a yard ...now it's cheaper to buy garb ...
Interestingly enough these issues kind of Co align with some of the issue that Amtgard. Which for those that don't know, it's another larping group. More often than not people get too sucked into their world and status rather than help others.
I believe it. I play amtgard every now and then. I actually like the questing games.
Idk I'm joining the castlemere chapter and everyone so far has been very welcoming.
I honestly dislike all the "Sister Mary Seamcheckers" in the SCA. FWIW, there are just as many men who are just as guilty.
I was in the SCA a long while ago. It was connected to a college and there were regular meetings, holiday events and at least one major cross-group event hosted by it every couple of years. I was thinking of getting back into the group recently and...I don't even know if it exists anymore! The website hasn't been updated since 2010 and their event calendar doesn't link to anything . The closest group that still has anything of a recent presence online is over 100 miles away. (That's another problem with the SCA where I live. Everything in this region is so spread out. The kingdom is smaller than it used to be, but it still covers about three states and I have problems traveling. There may be one event that I could day-travel to every four months or so.) I dunno. Maybe people just aren't as interested in communal activities anymore or maybe politics (real world or personal) are stinking up the groups that do exist. I'd like to get back into it, but unless the people running these things make the effort to advertise or reach out to newcomers, these groups are probably going to die out.
I stumbled into an SCA group a couple weeks ago just practicing with swords in a park and they've been so welcoming. I don't have it in my budget to get any gear but if I ever need a new hobby I know where to go.
See if they have loaner armor. They very well might.
I listened to some of the complaints. Every social group has issues. What is described could happen in any group. Good luck wherever anyone plays and go in with a positive attitude, be humble, be gracious, be kind...best advice i can give.
You are right about a lot of this.
28 yrs I have been playing, watched a lot of people quit because of the BS and politics.
I have seen knights do deplorable things which just undermines everything they say they stand for.
White belts should not be wrapped around hypocrites.
That alone does more damage than anything I can think of to the Scadian image.
In the fringe we are a world apart from the BOD, Royal court, and anything official.
We give recognition and achievement to our own crew to show our respect and acknowledgment for excellence.
We have our own code of conduct and rules which also include those things praised by the Scadian lifestyle.
No, we are not Johnny Depp in the golden age.
We are in the correct time period.
We treat every one fairly and equally. The same respect to the newbs and pointy hats and everything in between.
Just this last war, two of my newbs got turned around at Estella war which is easy to do.
They approached a knight for help, seeing the white belt they were relieved.
His response was" fuck off! Your not welcome at this household".
I was beyond pissed off. They thought they had done something wrong.
We have had 11 friends quit because of issues like this.
On the flip side to this.
I have had some of the greatest times of my life at wars.
I have met so many people that are just amazing!
I do know pointy hats that give a damn and do the best they can with what they have and they work hard.
There are also knights who are living manifestations of knighthood in and out of scadian life.
A lot of awesome people give their time to keep this alive.
It is because of these people that the SCA still exist.
This is certainly an interesting social experiment.
It should come to no surprise for those who have been in it long enough.
This is simply reflective on aspects of our human nature, it will always be flawed.
Some of our traits at times at these events are embarrassing to say the least.
Other times we see amazing things happen when we least expect it.
Last but not least that magic, and you know what I am talking about.
When you get to war, that odd feeling like you just came home in some strange way.
This element that we all crave, in this day and age that bonds us with others, sometimes for the rest of our lives.
That is why I am still involved in the SCA.
I am getting involved in the SCA after a 4-year break to focus on living history and rebated steel fighting. One of the many issues I have had over the years with the SCA is the klicks. Because of certain attitudes in the kingdom I am in, no matter how much service I did it was never good enough (took me close to 14 years just to get an AoA) there seems to be a disconnect in recognizing people for what they do in the society, if they are not in the cool club.
I have seen the same, unfortunately. If you don't hang with the powers-that-be, (A name for that clique) you are just S.O.L. You are excluded from any real involvement beyond the menial.
Sadly if somebody who's born in the sca I understand what you're talking about My dad got his pelican and he's been trying to go for another one of the awards and he's pretty much convinced he's never going to get it and my mom still has hope she'll get her pelican but there are too many a****** clicks.
Then again this is coming from the guy who before turning 18 got the child's version of the pelican and won the right to have full membership and codified heraldry a thing you're only supposed to get when you're a adult member but due to my service improving my maturity I won that award.what I'm trying to say is I've met a****** members of the SCA problem is when you meet a couple especially in such a tight-knit group it can leave a bad taste for an entire kingdom. My family used to be Misty's a long time ago we're full-fledged synagogues now which is a damn good kingdom friendly faces friendly people if you've got the time and resources to attend an event.
@@MichaelBW-bn9gf i get voted into council positions with the Viking reenactment group iam in for two years running ( archery thane, and now combat thane) so i have again stepped back from the sca.
I am a six month newbie to SCA.
so far the group I joined is small. they all know each other but I have known one member for several years already through cosplay.
I do have a lot of sewing knowledge with cosplay costuming so I also had some viking garb already. I have been wearing that and I specialise in embroidery and other fibre crafts like weaving. my family unfortunately are not into it at all. My son is only dragged along because he's too young to be left at home alone and his older sister doesn't want to be stuck at home looking after her younger brother. My husband is not into anything "dress up" so won't come along....
I only can make it to weekly meetings on sundays.
and Only can do the once a month tournament days for the garb days. So far there has been the big yearly camp over christmas, and three other camps/weekends. Which I cannot afford to make it too. Even though I do have some eating stuffs that are appropriate to SCA camps I really hate camping at the best of times so I will not be forking out for a "Time appropriate tent or other stuffs" any time soon. I haven't made it to any crowning or big event weekends. My budget is concentrating on paying our normal bills, sending the kids to school, normal clothing for them as kids grow and other normal every day family stuffs.
so far its ok but I know Im missing out on a lot. but I have been making it to fibre craft sunday meetings and archery sunday meetings and come 5th in archer tournaments out of 8 competitors. so Im happy at present.
Only take on as much as you can handle. This is a hobby that can quickly consume you. People tend to forget it's a hobby.
-Stelios
I just stepped down as the Marshall for barony after 4 years of service. And had a local Duke that I interacted with for several years introduce himself when I got my AoA. He had no idea who I was. 4 years of service, turns out I was a ghost.
The Bureaucracy part of the SCA is annoying for sure. I was asking my local baron about kids groups in my area and it hasn't gone very far over a year. Alot of nearly deads in my area not many Young folks
Maaan after seeing these videos yall are making me not want to try and participate. I'm willing to buy my own gear. But I wanna get out there and fight. 😭
I have been part of the sca since i was born so i don't really know how it is to be new in the sca . Love from Polderslot (Drachenwald).
I'm trying to find my local group but the website links don't work.
I can help you but will need to know where you live. Town and state only!
I had the same problem with some group with in my kingdome in oklahoma and they black list me and would not talk to me. All over i ask help to do some thing i could not do
Do you guys do battle or is it like a renaissance fair?
There is fighting!
Not to split hairs here, but they tend to have 'jousting' tournaments at ren fairs, at least the ones I have been to.
I’m having a really difficult time finding an active SCA group (or chapter or canton or whatever the f they’re called) within like 500 miles of where I live..
but maybe It’s for the best 😐
Which sucks bc I only found out about SCA a few days ago
Buy blue plastic tubs, and old moving blankets on the cheap, as a fighting practice use light armors made out of that, using rivets.
I'm looking to get back into the SCA but need to make a cheap armor, I'd like to Levy/Skirmish.
Hard niche
its tough as an outsider😭. people are weird and dont talk, gotta do ALOT of research to get stuff and i joined right after the lockdown when there were still shortages on everything and everything is frkn expensive now. nobody to give me a heads up on anything or explain anything to me. when i do ask its tough to get a straight answer on anything. god dammit! they say its because people join and then disappear. also some trailers were stolen around the time i joined so i can imagine them being a little guarded toward outsiders. thankfully they were nice and cordial enough and i actually got to be somewhat established as a war fighter and i gained membership into a group so thats something. taking a break to focus on the homestead and to contemplate whether or not to continue because its still awkward with my group😅(too many chiefs, not enough indians i think). i feel like a forced my way in kinda. it could also be my etiquette: i expect people to introduce themselves to me and ask me questions rather than the other way around since im the outsider i dont want to push myself onto others, but i know other people dont go by that expectation and expect the opposite
I dressed terrible to my first event in 2019 but i made an honest attempt. I had a period-ish shirt given to me, some black shorts with clear white baseball pants underneath and dainty little shoes i picked up last minute. My lady wore a corset (and committed a grave sin i suppose) but we were welcomed and introduced and shown around. Everyone was very fair to us. Shout out to his Excellency, Baron Fergus of Starkhafn for supporting us in our time of need. We didnt even have feast gear! We didn't know!
This was Yule of 2019
So that is at least one more exception
if im there and your new just say hello and i will give you the time to get you more on the seen and i will even take you around and try to teach you more about it all.
That's the way to be!
Sad to see modern cliques and elitism has made such an impact on the SCA. I was raised in the Society from 9 years old and it really was the poor persons hobby and all were welcomed. We did have some issues with people coming in conflating it with dnd, but that was about it. The 80's and 90's hold fond memories of the SCA for me.
If you're new, feel free to come sit by me! I'd love to hang out with you.
I know this video is a little old. I just discovered SCA exists and have been welcomed into my barony FB group (but not my kingdom's, go figure). It's a little hard to find out how to get involved at a distance (yay virus of yuck) and I have zero idea of what to do when a local event gets underway. I have been in one zoom get together and they do seem really nice.
I'm in the kingdom of Calontier. People are geniunily friendly, but my local group the BFS is a lot of older folks. Not very many people with families . Im hoping to help change that. I went to clothiers right after work in slacks and a sweater and people offered me loaner garb which i found odd that at a event were you go to learn about making clothing if you come in regular clothes people look at you funny. Im used to being different and the "new kid" so it didnt bother me but the older folk kept offering loaner garb for the last 2 hours of the event. So weird
There being families would require there to be families.
Being single is increasingly common. Divorce rates are over 50% by the most conservative measurements. Birth rates have been below replacement values since the 1960s and fairly steadily declining further. What children are born are increasingly raised in single-parent homes. And all of this is against a terrible and worsening economy to say naught of any socio-political or ideological biases people may have against attending.
Having children and families at SCA events is probably going to be an increasingly rare luxury rather than the baseline for the foreseeable future.
I know someone exactly like this.
I’m an HMB fighter looking into the SCA. It can be expensive but so can buhurt. I am however interested in the system.
Oh hey! I'm actually training for buhurt now! The SCA combat system, as you know, is rattan based, so the armor requirements aren't nearly as stringent as buhurt or any form of steel. If you've got a steel ready kit, you're good to go for SCA.
-Stelios
Stelios & Lilah my biggest turn off, like mentioned in the video, is the people. So I’m more or less interested in the knowledge I can get from the SCA so I might just get a membership and access the information if I can.
@@Bloodclot955 is there any specific info you're looking for?
@@SteliosandLilah you going to nationals this weekend?
@@Hostility1812 unfortunately no. School is kicking my ass, so I can't afford fun lol
I have been around since 1981 and have lived in 7 Kingdoms from Ansteorra to Meridies I totally I agree with what you are saying sadly there are SCA'ers that are just like that. However in my experience they are a minority but a loud obnoxious one. I moved to the East in 2018 and have before the "GreatPlague: attended a coronation and several other really enjoyable events where "Newbies"(Yep I'm "OldSchool" and not PC)were welcome openly also had similar experiences in ATlantia. GULFWARS has always been my favorite event/war and the welcome of Most everyone. Yes there are those who turn up their noses at Non period tents, costume TTunics and all that(Hmmmm so that may be why I am looked at that way) Yes at our GulfWars Camp(Shire of Arenal,Meridies) mundane tents are not in the forefront but we are not exiled to the Boonies unless we want to be. Our camp is at the edge of the world almost. The RV area is a neighbor but so are Atlantia Kingdom camp and various TriMarians.
I hear a bell tolling.
and it tolls for thee!
i have wanted to join SCA for over 20 yrs but i cant afford it. i just stick to ren faires and larps at least there i am not judged
Red tape is a lot of the reason I left ...rules are ok but GGGEEEESSSE guys rely ??
Or Titled why they join and don’t stay. Short answer? You can’t EARN rank.
Interesting. There's a rank here in An Tir now called Sergeantry , where rank is earned. It cannot be awarded. But it might be just An Tir.
@@osborne9255 As a fellow (Currently inactive) An Tirian, I can share some history. The rank Sergeant was put in-place during the days when Wn Tir was an appendage of the West, and didn't have a K or Q. locally (See "An Tir Rebellion"). The rank of Sergeant was a "short-of-Knighthood" award that the local Prince and Princess could give. After An Tir became a Kingdom, it devolved down to a Baronial-level award, with trials to earn it. Many baronies no longer bother with it, and some have modified it to open it to non-fighters.
Gads...what happened? I joined in the West Kingdom Marches and stayed for ten years and was very active all because of how welcoming and *honorable* everyone was. This was counter-culture, not LARP-ing or Ren Faire immersive theater. It was glory, generosity, loyalty and somewhere much down the line fancy period clothing and camping gear. I left over life, divorce, custody fight to rescue my children, college and then five years as a teacher before I had free time again. Now I am back, and it is a bedroom community of old people like me, dear friends to reconnect with...but where are the kids like we used to be? I think people lost track of our DNA, we came out of a theme birthday party in Berkeley in the 1960s. They wanted a society of honor, authenticity, humor, and study. Over the last few years, I cannot see that people would not respond to the same appeals. We need to reclaim the counter culture of honor because shaming a newbie for newbie garb just ain't it.
Also...now I have a mysterious desire to play Skyrim...lol
Children involved would require there being children. Birth rates have been below replacement levels and gradually declining further since the 60s. What children _are_ being born are increasingly to strained single-parent households and the economy is in the gutter for everyone else.
Add in the socio-political and ideological factors of broader society, and this is really unsurprising.
I got to admit it's also a little worse coming from that too mundane world and back having grown up in the sca
Specifically having grown up in Thunder in the SCA where my matriarch is also my stepmother and where you got a million and one parents and seeing how much the culture has changed I understand a lot of groups don't like new people for that reason but if we don't show hospitality and honor then we're no better than the mundanes that exclude us
Yeah the kingdom I grew up in I got a bit lucky we have a million and parents problem is most of them don't know when to stop adopting we always find new people and just try to drag them in give them a 10 give them meal put garb on their back and let them loose problem is finding people that aren't soured or are actually interested in doing it.
I completely disagree. There are new people everywhere. You need to get with your local group before just rolling up to a huge event.
Overall membership numbers are dwindling.
@@SteliosandLilah Do you think maybe its a matter of advertisement and reaching out? Honestly, I wouldn't have made my first event had it not been for my relationships to people already involved. Before that, I hadn't heard of the SCA. Its one thing to get people to stay, its another to get them to hear about it in the first place.
@@nicholasplotts5770 reaching out and advertising are both issues. There isn't much in the way of SCA related media that is readily accessible, or very active. But, this is changing. More and more groups have begun to embrace social media platforms to build their online presence and become easier to find.
My first-ever event was the West Kingdom summer Crown Tourney in 1976, hard to find a larger event anywhere. I was treated wonderfully, folks answered my questions, can't beat that. It depends on the people where you are and how they do their SCA-thing. I have seen HORRID responses from small-branch local events, so there you are.
after 34 years I will say this... it all depends on the kingdom. Today people think they are special but in the SCA respect is earned. Your valued for your service and the more you know and do the better your accepted because those critics have already been there.
This is gacha verse
Another I have with the SCA is "WHY" is there only one kingdom? Why doesn't SCA also recognize that there are cultures where the people may have their own kings, own kingdoms, why doesn't have a semi-cultural exchange where the SCA folks in one kingdom can go and visit another kingdom, and make peace, treaties, do some country building, as part of their duties? Why doens't the SCA bother to accept other kingdoms, the real brits, French, and Spanish all had treaties with other nations and they did fine... Maybe the SCA can take a page from history. I'd like to see the SCA and their so-called kingdoms build relationships with others such as Micronations, Clans, Shires and others. or is the SCA a bit afraid that their version of the 1st to the 16th century may be overrun by barbarians, and all of the Anglo Saons would be awashed in having to relearn History from a bunch of so-called others??????
I have been in the SCA since 80. People, ESPECIALLY WOMEN, would drop by our fighter practices and become interested. The women, I think thought that by they themselves becoming fighters, that they would attract the guys who were fighting AND, That's been proven mostly true. BUT, Almost always, like 98% of women who have suited up, only do it a couple of times, and then there gone, usually for good.Your right tho, Its a VERY costly ontaking.. Im 70. Im still fighting in the armour I bought in 86. USUALLY, Once the necessities are bought, they tend to last. I now currently have 5 suits of armour, for when me, my son, nephew and 2 nieces fought. Once tho that they got married, got jobs, had kids, ect, they were gone.
I tried to join the SCA thirty years ago. People were pretty nice to me. I was interested in the A&S. But I have zero interest in fighting, or in a system of kingship won through yearly battle. That's just repulsive to me. But there wasn't enough support to become integrated into the A&S side of it. It was ruled by the laurels, and not really open to anyone not equipped with the thousands of dollars it takes to buy "period" materials, store rooms full of "period" gear, have closets full of rich "period" garb, and be willing to kowtow to a culture of peers I've never met and have not had a chance to establish respect for. I had to weigh whether it was worth it to join when it was obvious I could never hold office or win awards. It just wasn't worth it.
I always felt sad not to have had a way in. I like a lot of the kinds of things the SCA says they like. I love hand-sewing, and cooking, and researching old ways. But I'm a peasant. I'm a real-life poor person without the resources to really be involved much. I can't even drive to events because I don't own a car. Everyone I met in the SCA was very nice, but there just wasn't a way to interact regularly without spending tons of money I couldn't afford. I wish there was some way these things could be scaled down to a level I could reach. I wish I could win awards recognizing that I'm trying my best with the little I have. I wish I could be considered valid and worthwhile if I bring a dish to a feast that doesn't happen to have a documented recipe but just happens to follow all the rules of how they used to eat back then. I wish willingness to serve was as worthwhile as the ability to get and wear armor and beat each other up really well.
I have a theory about the people in SCA who snub their noses at others. I think they have been societal outcasts, most if not all of their lives, primarily because of poor social skills and interests outside the norm. The kind of kids who never fit in, who were made fun of, who possibly had no one who wanted to be friends with them. With a group like SCA, they now finally fit in somewhere and they’re not shunned for their idiosyncrasies or ‘nerdiness’. Unfortunately, they now have the chance to be the snubb-er, rather than the snubbed. They’ve a lot of hostility built up from years of ostracism and it’s time to turn the tables on the weaker ones, as they used to be. Sad.
I agree.
-Stelios
Or maybe the ones in this video are the ones who have social problems.
Carmen Peters I couldn’t care less about someone’s social skill level as long as they’re not in payback mode - being rude, condescending and bullying others - because they were bullied as a kid.
@@MalteseKat Nah. Socially, we're pretty good. It was a nice try though.
-Stelios
Because the fighting for king is totally rigged is my guess
Not in An Tir. Of course, the crown list here is always pretty big.
In order for that to happen, that means that many competitors would have to deliberately lose their battles. Usually that only is done for money or other similar motivation.
In my opinion you guys have the shittiest idea of the SCA that I have heard of in a long time and I've been in the SCA for 16 years let me tell you something I'm 22 years old and ansteorra never does anything like separation or closed camping for newbies we always welcome our new bees and we actually award are newbies for coming to their actual first events and second events
blah blah blah lizard people.
S unklerikoe czcams.com/video/-cEzsCAzTak/video.html&lc=UgzKDami5ieP2COy_n14AaABAg CA
You both dont get it at all.
Says we don't get it, fails to elaborate. Typical. You can believe what you want though. -Stelios
Why do you bother going to a group when you don't like what the group does? Don't you think it's a little obtrusive to expect a group to change what makes it the group that it is? No one forces you to camp . I always chose an event that has the accommodation I need. Seriously even if you form your own group you'd still complain 🙄
If nepotism, misogyny, racism and elitism make the group what it is...would you not seek to bring those issues to light? Or are we supposed to just let it slide? You seem to suffer from a strong case of "it doesn't affect me, so it's not my problem".
But it seems that us speaking on these issues and mobilizing to change policies has struck a chord with you. So, I ask you this...what exactly did you lose?
I LOVE HOW PEOPLE WHO JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE LOVE TO "HIDE BEHIND OTHER PICTURES" BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW WHO'S "LYING". WHY DON'T YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO SHOW YOUR FACE..???
...are you serious? We're on facebook. - Stelios
rue has a history of bullying
Rue just wants to be a bootyhead
My mom used to make my SCA clothing when I was little lmao
I totally agree with you guys too, lots of people think it’ll be like the ren fair; which it’s NOT!
I never felt like an outsider because I grew up in the SCA, I met some of my closest friends there