The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a practical history society and members recreate arts and skills of pre-17th century Europe.
The SCAdians are not to be confused with live action role-playing or larping. In SCA, people interact with each other as they normally would for the most part, but perform customs of period people, for example, greeting each other with a bow or a curtsy.
The SCA has had a Greater Victoria chapter since 1976 and currently has 94 members. Some members of the group are archaeologists, anthropologists and historians. Some have made period history their lives work, and some members just enjoy period history and culture as their hobby.
Everybody in the SCA picks a name to go by in the society. Member of the Greater Victoria SCA, Leslie Eaton, picked the name Aniko, because the name Leslie didn’t exist in the 16th century.
Kingdoms of the SCA exist all over the world, and the Metchosin group belongs to the Kingdom of An Tir, which includes B.C, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Oregon, Washington and the northern tip of Idaho.
The group, which gets together for archery within the SCA, has scheduled archery with three, three-hour sessions each week. Anyone is welcome, the youngest participant they have is five years old, Eaton said.
Within the SCA, all the members have different names and ranks within the activity they participate in.
Beginning archers can work their way up to to a goose, and then can be voted to become an archos or arquarius archers.
To reach archos or arquarius people need to demonstrate their commitment to the support and the community and achieve a minimum standard of skill in the sport.
The archers use natural materials such as wood and feathers in the bows and arrows to remain as true to the period as possible.
Eaton said safety is very important at the range and people can only use their bow and arrow once they have been marshalled to the line by a high ranking official within the group.
Within the SCA there are many activities people interested in period history can participate in.
There are arts and sciences, SCA armoured combat, fencing, combat archery and equestrian activities.
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lindsey.horsting@goldstream