Prince Rupert could be going to war with Smithers. That鈥檚 if members of the Society for Creative Anachronism decide to play it that way.
The territorial conflict comes after 10 medieval-minded Rupertites held an exploratory meeting Monday, Feb. 25 and voted unanimously to establish a local SCA group.
The SCA is an international non-profit organization headquartered in California that is devoted to the research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat and culture.
According to Prince Rupert resident Greg Butts, the city currently lies within the boundaries of an existing SCA shire called Tir Bannog, headquartered in Smithers.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a long drive for somebody from Prince Rupert,鈥� Butts said.
Also known as Lothar the Gregarious, his SCA persona, Butts is the leader or 鈥渟eneschal鈥� of the new Prince Rupert SCA group formed Monday. After the meeting he sent an official email to the Tir Bannog seneschal requesting that they sponsor the Prince Rupert SCA.
If they accept, members of the Tir Bannog shire would shadow members of the would-be Prince Rupert shire for six months and recommend to the larger kingdom of , which ecompasses most of B.C. and other parts of the Pacific Northwest, whether or not the Prince Rupert SCA can separate and stand alone.
Butts said that although the Prince Rupert SCA and Tir Bannog can decide to play war, the shire borders will likely shift peacefully after the six month period.
Either way, there will be a lot of paperwork.
鈥淚t isn鈥檛 just as easy as collecting a few members together and then paying for your memberships and boom,鈥� said Butts. 鈥淣o, it鈥檚 like let鈥檚 say the Rotary Club or any other club, you have a board of directors, you have a president and an accountant. We just call them different things.鈥�
Butts has been involved with the SCA for more than 20 years and has lived in Prince Rupert for two. He and his wife Katherine, who is also involved with the SCA, moved here from Hamilton, Ontario when Katherine got a job working as a senior fisheries biologist at the Lax Kw鈥檃laams Band office.
Butts waited two years to hold the exploratory meeting in Rupert because he wanted to ensure he was staying here before starting something he couldn鈥檛 commit to. And beginning a new SCA group does require a big commitment, he said.
鈥淲hen we get it fully operational, during a week there鈥檒l be armoured combat practice, archery practice, arts and science,鈥� Butts said, adding that SCA members will also be kept busy with monthly meetings, offering educational demonstrations at schools, planning all-ages, themed events for the community, such as feasts or tournament fighting, even optional participation in the annual Pennsic War in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania.
鈥淭ens of thousands of SCA camp out for two weeks and the war takes place in an enormous, open field,鈥� said Butts, who has participated in the event. 鈥淭hey fire a cannon off way over on the hill and then, just like you see in the movie Braveheart, these two lines of combatants just鈥︹�� collide, Butts demonstrated by clapping his hands together.
Fighting is done with pliable weapons, and there are rules for acceptable and unacceptable hits. Injuries and fatalities are re-enacted on an honour system.
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Like many members, armoured combat is the aspect of SCA that initially drew Butts in. Listen to him talk though and it becomes clear that history and community are what has kept him involved for a couple decades.
鈥淚 like the fact that I can find somebody if I鈥檓 reading and I鈥檓 interested in something like, pick a subject, Viking n氓lebinding, a form of very early knitting,鈥� Butts said. 鈥淚 wanted to make a pair of socks and then I found someone in Kitchener who was able to teach that skill to me.鈥�
Now, in addition to armoured combat, Butts forges his own armour, plays period games, sews period clothes, does inkle weaving and makes period-correct shoes. His 鈥渓ady wife鈥� Katherine develops recipes from medieval cookbooks.
Butts is quick to add that if Katherine were in an armoured combatant, she could fight for his honour because the SCA is an inclusive society.
鈥淐ompletely acceptable,鈥� he said. 鈥淭wo women, or two men, just as long as you鈥檙e putting on armour and swinging a stick, you can participate.鈥�
The time frame 鈥� 500 to 1600 鈥� is the only limiting factor, he said.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l find that pretty much anybody will find an interest within that time frame. Whether it鈥檚 medieval Europe or the samurai in Japan, there鈥檚 something,鈥� he said. 鈥淰ikings, Mongolians, whatever it is.
鈥淚鈥檝e never seen somebody come to an event and walk away not having fun, not even a new person.鈥�
Those interested in 鈥渟tepping forward into the past鈥� should pick a time and place between the years 500 and 1600, create a persona, and contact Butts through the Facebook page.
The next meeting is expected to take place on Monday, March 25.
karissa.gall@blackpress.ca
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