Category: Miscellany

One of the things which I think can be overwhelming is understanding exactly who people are and what they represent in the Society. It’s not just a challenge for newcomers but even for SCAdians who have been active for a while but who don’t travel to events outside their area, for example.

All these coronets and crowns, and people wearing fancy jewelry who are called Master or Mistress, and then those guys in colored belts who aren’t called anything in particular but are obviously attached to something…….it’s kind of crazy! And how to talk to someone when you’re too nervous to approach them because of their finery? That’s not fun at all!

When we had our first Baronial Investiture in the fall, I knew that we’d have a lot of visitors, including Royalty and many royal cousins from other Baronies. Add in the mix of Peers of all sorts, and everyone else and I knew that there would be great people watching!

So I devised a class on visually recognizing East Kingdom award heraldry and tokens. We spent time in a room going over images and then a small clutch took to the event to people watch and be put to the test to see what they could find out by carefully looking at someone.

When the Kingdom 12th Night was nigh, I offered to do something similar as a youth class – a Regalia Safari. As it happened, no youth attended at all, but a varied group of newer, older, and interested SCAdians joined me in walking the event halls and accosting people who I knew, or whose display of their regalia could tell my group a lot about who they were – without a word.

I made up these sheets and everyone had one. Soon they knew who was a Baroness and who was a good fighter (Tygers Combatant). The could see who would be courteous (Queen’s Order of Courtesy) and who might lend a hand (Pelican or Silver Crescent) if needed. They could see who served as Royalty. Noted members of the Queen’s Guard. Looked for “tricky Laurels” whose leaves were subtly displayed in a coronet or in trim. Knew the dangerous fencers and archers. They asked Knights questions and asked Peers and Barons and others what their regalia meant when they didn’t recognize it. I think that people learned something and I hope they will always feel comfortable approaching someone if they have a question. It went longer than I anticipated – nearly two hours – but overall it was a good first run!

Some folks wanted to know if they could use the sheet I made to help do something similar in their areas. So, here it is!

Safari hunt 2.0 pdf. (This document prints 2-up on legal sized paper.)

How to Have a Regalia Safari of Your Own

Version One – With an Experienced Guide

• Print up a set of copies of the above Safari hunting guide. Give one to each participant.
• If you have more than 8 people, recruit a knowledgeable assistant.
• Meet someplace quiet at first and introduce yourselves to each other. If for children (or really new adults possibly) go over the Rules of Engagement.
• Give a quick overview of the sheet and explain how it’s arranged (Royals, Coronets, Peers and their students, Orders of High Merit conveying an AoA, and then the other awards and recognizable tokens or regalia.)
• Take a walking field trip as a group. More than 8 people requires a person to take up the rear of the group and answer questions at that end.
• Ask the group what they see – they will look largely at coronets to ID the category at first but will look more closely as they continue. Point out any obvious regalia around (politely!)
• Approach people with displayed regalia – Greet them appropriately (Master/Mistress/Sir/Excellency/etc) and explain that you’re on a Regalia Safari and would like to please see X or Y medallion. It’s a good time to ask them what an award means if you’ve not gone over it yet. When done, thank them very much and move on.
• Continue until you’ve seen most of the major award regalia.
• End someplace quiet to field questions.

Version Two – SCAvenger Hunt Version

• Print up a set of copies of the above Safari hunting guide. Give one to each participant. Have a writing implement for each person as well.
• Meet someplace quiet at first and introduce yourselves to each other. Go over the Rules of Engagement. Discuss appropriate forms of address by referencing the sheet.
• Do an overview of the sheet, especially noting the items without pictures.
• Choose a return time.
• Send out the group in pairs or triads to find as many of the listed things as they can, checking off the list as they’re seen.
• End someplace quiet to field questions.
• When the teams return, the group which has the most items checked should be given a small token – little favors or chocolate, etc…

http://mbouchard.com/misc/Creator-Of-The-Stars-Of%20Night2013Christmas-Midnight.m4a

I’ve tried to record something every Christmas – tonight after a long drive and unpacking and getting a boy in bed and, and, and….

We had an ice storm two days ago and even the slight breezes make the trees crackle. They sparkle like diamonds. The ground is all cold, cold squeeky snow and ice.  It is supposed to be -20 tomorrow with wind chill.

Right now it is cold and clear – the stars are brilliant and dancing. So I went to the driveway with my hymnal and sang this beneath the stars. It seemed appropriate to sing this particular ancient song there, into my ipad, under the beauty of creation.

I realized that I sang right into Christmas Day. You’ll hear my footsteps on the icy snowy walk back into the house.

Merry Christmas friends, may there be great joy for you and may the fellowship and love of this season remain with you throughout all the others.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

About the song:

“Creator alme siderum” was written by James A. Dominic Aylward, 1843-1850. It comes from “Conditor alme siderum” an Ambrosian chant from the 6th or 7th Century.

Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting Light;
O Christ, Redeemer of us all
We pray you hear us when we call.

In sorrow that the ancient curse
should doom to death a universe,
you came, O Savior, to set free
your own in glorious liberty.

At your great Name, O Jesus, now
all knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
all things on earth with one accord,
like those in heaven, shall call you Lord.

To God Creator, God the Child,
and God the Spirit, three in one,
praise, honor, might, and glory be
from age to age eternally.

Virtus, honor, laus, gloria
Deo Patri cum Filio,
Sancto simul Paraclito,
In seeculorum saecula.

(The song in whole, close to this but without the Latin, is available to read here…http://www.missionstclare.com/music/advent/Creator_of_the_stars/creator_of.html)

length: 7:51 min  |  download size: 11.3mg

Please feel free to download it! Merry Christmas!

For Rainilt (Lee Ann Posavad) who wanted Christmas music….

I did not record anything new, but I DID go and look up the recording of last Christmas morning’s preludes and offering hymns from Christmas morning 2012. They are all very old carols accompanied by Kevin Birch at the beautiful Hook pipe organ at St. John’s Catholic in Bangor.

The songs are sections of :

This Endris Night (15th century)
The Carnal and the Crane (Child Ballad 55, believed to be much older than its first text)
Personent Hodie (1582 from the Piae Cantiones)

and the whole of the

Heuron Carol (c.1650).