CONTENTS:
1) Featured Article: Welcome to the Current Middle Ages
2) FYI: May Celebrations and Observances
3) History Links
4) Current Events: May 9 through June 13, 2004

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1) Featured Article submitted by Shirley Roper
* * *
Welcome to the Current Middle Ages
(04/27/2004) (adapted from http://www.westkingdom.org)

*Where did the SCA come from?*
The avowed purpose of the SCA is the study and recreation of the European Middle Ages, its
crafts, sciences, arts, traditions, literature, etc. The SCA "period" is defined to be Western
civilization before 1600 AD, concentrating on the Western European High Middle Ages. Under the
aegis of the SCA we study dance, calligraphy, martial arts, cooking, metalwork, stained glass,
costuming, literature... well, if they did it, somebody in the SCA does it (Except die of the
Plague!). As you can probably guess, the thing that separates the SCA from a Humanities 101
class is the active participation in the learning process. To learn costuming, you design and build
costumes. To learn SCA infantry fighting, you make armor, weapons, shields, etc., and put them
on and go learn how it feels to wear them when somebody is swinging a (rattan) sword at you. To
learn brewing, you make (and sample!) your own wines, meads and beers.

You will frequently hear an SCA person describe the SCA as recreating the Middle Ages "as they
ought to have been." In some ways this is true -- we have few plagues, indoor plumbing, few
peasants. In the dead of winter we have other things to eat than King's venison, salt pork and
dried tubers. However, a better description is that we selectively recreate medieval culture,
choosing elements of the culture that interest and attract us.

The SCA was started in 1966 in Berkeley, California by a group of science fiction and fantasy
fans who wanted a theme party. Following the party, a group got together to discuss the idea of a
medieval re-creation and re-enactment group (which has ended up being much like the Civil War,
Revolutionary War or Buck-skinning re-enactment groups that were beginning to form in the US).
In Britain, medieval and British Civil War recreation societies had existed for any number of years.
The Californians incorporated as a non-profit educational society, started forming groups, and
away they went.

*Fighting in the SCA, or Why are those people hitting each other?*
Fighting in the SCA evolved from what happened when two armed knights were unhorsed and
had to fight on the ground. It resembles nothing so much as medieval foot tournaments. There
are two basic types of SCA fights: single combat, and group or team battles, known as melees.
SCA fighting does have rules. The first, and most important rule, is that each and every fighter on
the field has honor. The fighter keeps faith with his honor by accepting blows that would be killing
or wounding

*Why do you all have such funny names?*
Every person in the SCA picks a name to use in the Society. It could be something simple and
familiar (John of Wardcliff) or something elaborate and exotic (Oisin Dubh mac Lochlainn). Most
people pick a time period in the SCA "period" (pre-1600) and a country (any place that can
documented and proven to have had trade with western civilization during the period), and
choose a name from that. Some SCA members try to create a "persona" which could have lived
in some time and place within the scope of the SCA, and fit their garb and activities to that
persona; some people try to live at events as if they were their personae. Other folk simply pick a
name and go ahead with life in the "Current Middle Ages."

*Rank in the SCA, or How come she is wearing a crown?*
The SCA has an elaborate system of rank, awards, and honors, which are granted to individual
members by the royalty in return for various kinds of service to the Society. SCA rank is earned,
not inherited: Everyone is presumed to be minor nobility to start, but any noble titles or honors
used in the SCA must be earned in the SCA. Many new members (and lots of long-time
members!) find the SCA's system of rank to be rather peculiar, in that it differs rather radically
from medieval practice. Like many of the SCA's institutions, our system of rank wasn't so much
planned as evolved. It seems to serve our needs most of the time, but don't be surprised to hear
people discussing how it could be improved.

*Feasting, Dancing and Merrymaking*
One of the most interesting parts of the SCA is "events," our word for the times when we put on
our medieval clothing, go out and dance those dances we've been practicing, flirt, eat, talk, and
generally have a good time. Events are held almost every weekend of the year somewhere; some
weekends there may be as many as a couple dozen events scattered around the SCA. Most
groups hold at least one event per year; some larger groups will hold two or more. At events there
are often tournaments, art exhibits or competitions, classes on all manner of medieval skills,
workshops, and, later in the evening, a medieval feast, Royal or Baronial Court, and dancing.
There are many different kinds of events, and the common pattern varies from place to place and
season to season. The events are the most fun to most folk, because you get to go and show off
all the things you have been learning in the past few months.

*What kind of person joins the SCA?*
SCA folk tend to be people like you and me -- just plain folks, but people who enjoy doing
something more with their weekends. It seems that a high percentage of SCA members are
involved in high tech fields -- Computers, Aerospace, high energy physics, etc. Perhaps the
attraction the SCA holds for them can be attributed to the fact that people who spend all week
with highly complex, modern technology find it relaxing to spend their leisure time working with a
different kind of technology, in a less modern setting. There are lots of people in all fields in the
SCA -- historians, writers, secretaries, law enforcement personnel, teachers, programmers,
insurance agents -- the appeal of the SCA is widespread.

*How you can get involved*
We welcome you to attend our local meetings and our events. You needn't join the SCA, Inc, to
attend and participate (although if you decide to be with us regularly you may wish to join). The
only requirement to come to an event is that you make some attempt at pre-1600 costume -- and
most groups have "loaner" costumes for people who want to come to their first event. Each SCA
participant remembers the day s/he started, and most people are happy to help out a newcomer.
Many local groups have officers whose sole duty is to help new members find their way into the
SCA. In Northkeep (Tulsa), our Hospitaler is Laird Ian Dun Gillan (j.t.herring @ sbcglobal.net).
Check out our website at http://northkeep.ansteorra.org/ , or the SCA website at
http://www.sca.org/ .

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2) FYI written by Karima Webb
* * *
May Celebrations and Observances
(05/06/2004)

May was the 3rd month according to the early Roman calendar, and March was the first month.
Later the ancient Romans used January 1st for the beginning of their year, and May became the
5th month. At the beginning, May was given only 22 days, then 30, and finally ending with 31.

There are differences of opinion as to how the month got its name. The term may come from the
name of the goddess, Maia, "brightest of the Pleiades," mother of Mercury, and the deity of
"growth and increase." Maia is said to have been the daughter of Atlas, who held up the earth,
and a sea nymph. On May Day it was customary for Romans to march in a procession to the
grotto of Egena, where they carried out ceremonies honoring the revival of vegetation, and to
assure abundant crops. Other authorities maintain that May was named to pay tribute to the
Majores (or Maiores), the older branch of the Roman Senate.

The Saxons called May Tri-milchi. On May Day they turned their cows out to pasture. Because of
the abundance of grass, the milk was of finer quality, the cows yielded much more abundantly,
and so had to be milked 3 times each day. It was in May that they began making cheese. Since
May Day was symbolic of a return to life, of the defeat of the hard winter, with new hopes for good
planting and rich harvests, the people, during the time of the Druids, made special sacrifices,
even including human beings in these rites. They built great bonfires on hillsides, leaped over
flames, or drove cattle through them. It is said that this custom continued in some parts of Britain
as late as the 18th century.

Since ancient times, May 1st has been a day for outdoor festivals. The English have observed
May Day since medieval times. All classes of people used to rise at dawn to go "a-maying." They
would return laden with flowers and branches of trees to decorate their homes. A May Queen
was crowned to reign over the games, dancing, and festivities. Tennyson referred to the custom
in these words: "For I'm to be Queen o' the May, Mother,
I'm to be Queen of the May." The queen danced around a Maypole with her "subjects."
Celebrating May Day has also become an annual custom in the U.S., especially at schools and
public playgrounds.

The hawthorn and the lily of the valley are considered the flowers for May. The birthstone is the
emerald.

"Then came faire May, the fayrest mayd on the ground,
Deckt with all the dainties of her season's pryde,
And throwing flow'res out of her lap around..."
--Edmund Spenser

"Yesterday, being the first of May, a number of persons went into the fields and bathed their faces
with the dew on the grass, with the idea that it would render them beautiful." --a London paper,
1791

A snowstorm in May is worth a wagonload of hay.

Better Hearing Month ** National Arthritis Month ** Freedom Shrine Month ** National Hamburger
Month ** National Physical Fitness & Sports Month ** Better Sleep Month ** Mental Health Month
** National Photo Month ** American Bike Month ** National High Blood Pressure Month **
Correct Posture Month ** Foot Health Month ** Touring Theater Month ** National Strawberry
Month ** Older Americans Month / Senior Citizens Month ** National Salad Month ** National Egg
Month ** National Book Month ** National Barbecue Month ** National Allergy Awareness Month

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3) History Links (submitted by Janece and Becky)

Influence of Dramatic Climate Shifts on European Civilization -
http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mandias/lia/index.html
The Renaissance Connection - http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/index2.cfm
Historical Timeline - http://aprairiehome.com/homeschooling/spirit_led/historynotebooks.html
National Postal Museum - http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/educators/4b_curriculum.html;
(educator's form: http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/educators/4b1_curriculum_form.html)
George Washington - http://www.georgewashington.si.edu/kids/teacherguide.html
Voices from the Days of Slavery - http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/vfshtml/
White House Kids - http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/
PBS: Liberty! The American Revolution - http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/

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4) Current Events

Sunday, May 9 - *NO Game Day this month - Mother's Day holiday*

Saturday, May 15, 2-4 PM - SCENE Monthly Meeting @ All Souls Unitarian Church "President's
Room", 2952 S. Peoria, Tulsa. Recurs the 3rd Saturday of each month. *SCENE welcomes the
Society for Creative Anachronism for a special demonstration!*

Sunday, May 30, 2-4 PM - SCENE Bowling @ Mickey's Bowling, $7/person, Eastland Mall (21st
& 145th), Tulsa. Recurs the last Sunday of each month.

Sunday, June 13 - SCENE Family Game Gathering @ Hardesty Regional Library, 8316 E. 93rd
St., Tulsa. Bring the family and some games! Recurs the 2nd Sunday of each month.