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ickaimpWhen I first joined the Tir Ysgithr Archery program, I was warned that Archery was the SCA's red-headed stepchild.
I laughed. Partly because I -am- a red-headed stepchild. But also because I couldn't think of an event where archery -wasn't- involved in Southron Gaard. Heck, we managed to set up archery at an event in the backyard of a church once, next to the hardsuit/rapier field and shot when they weren't on the field. And pretty much everyone, including the stick jocks, came and took a turn shooting.
I couldn't imagine Archery -not- being part of the SCA.
And then I got active in the SCA Stateside. Wow. Culture shock. Suddenly Archery was the exception, not the norm.
It took me a year to figure out why. It was an off-handed comment at Southern Crusades.
What we have in our hands when we fire a bow and arrow, is the mediaeval equivalent to a gun.
That satisfying 'thwip THUNK' sound when an arrow flies cleanly off the string and embeds itself halfway up the shaft in the butt? That's dinner, the difference between your family eating tonight or not. That's a dead man on the battlefield. And if you're firing a longbow? That's an arrow through armour. Plate mail, om nom nom nom.
Suddenly a different mindset, isn't it? Target Archery is the only SCA sanctioned lethal weapon. There's no blunts on the tips, there's no rattan wrapped in duct tape striking padded leather or metal. It's a projectile with a sharp metal tip flying through the air at speeds faster than you can most likely move.
In the States, a bow and arrow treated as a firearm. The main protection we have is our heads and our safety regs, making sure the pointy end is pointed -away- from people. Archery can only be done where it is permitted, which means outside of cities. You can't do it in the park next to the fighting field.
Meeting times are irregular, due to we can't shoot when there's other events. It also costs us $5 per person every time you want to shoot. Plus equipment. It's not something many of us can legally practise in our backyard (unless you live outside of the city), and certainly can't go down to the local park every week and do for free.
But despite all this, we have a pretty good Archery group here in Tir Ysgithr. We're a small, fun-loving, cheerfully blood thirsty group who love to show off our string bites, talk about garb and drag other people into the history of Archery.
On Tuesday during Fighter Practise, when I approached one of the people running for Baron and Baroness if they were going to come out and visiting other Baronial Martial Program, the blank perplexed look and response of "I hadn't thought of it. Maybe. It's awful early in the morning, isn't it?" was a bit of a surprise.
Ye-ah. That explains why no one's been out to practise to get our vote, doesn't it? Except for Thyra and Frohdi and that one couple who showed up for a half hour at the first day of practise four months ago and has hence been known as 'that one couple who showed up for a half hour at the first day' because we've never seen them before or since and can't remember their names.
Last night, I sent an e-mail out about tomorrow's practise being the last chance for people running for Baron and Baroness to come out and rally for the archer's votes before polling. Didn't expect much to come of it really.
This morning, there's notification that some members of the press are coming out to Archery tomorrow. Suddenly, this week's practise is OMG A Big Deal and people are totally showing up.
Hands up, guesses on how many Baron and Baroness hopefuls are going to be there now? *facepalm*
So, yes. C'mon out and support your Baronial Archers more than just at the Start and Stop of the Season, even if it just because the media is there.
But unless you're stepping up to the line to shoot, do it from behind the safety zone.
I laughed. Partly because I -am- a red-headed stepchild. But also because I couldn't think of an event where archery -wasn't- involved in Southron Gaard. Heck, we managed to set up archery at an event in the backyard of a church once, next to the hardsuit/rapier field and shot when they weren't on the field. And pretty much everyone, including the stick jocks, came and took a turn shooting.
I couldn't imagine Archery -not- being part of the SCA.
And then I got active in the SCA Stateside. Wow. Culture shock. Suddenly Archery was the exception, not the norm.
It took me a year to figure out why. It was an off-handed comment at Southern Crusades.
What we have in our hands when we fire a bow and arrow, is the mediaeval equivalent to a gun.
That satisfying 'thwip THUNK' sound when an arrow flies cleanly off the string and embeds itself halfway up the shaft in the butt? That's dinner, the difference between your family eating tonight or not. That's a dead man on the battlefield. And if you're firing a longbow? That's an arrow through armour. Plate mail, om nom nom nom.
Suddenly a different mindset, isn't it? Target Archery is the only SCA sanctioned lethal weapon. There's no blunts on the tips, there's no rattan wrapped in duct tape striking padded leather or metal. It's a projectile with a sharp metal tip flying through the air at speeds faster than you can most likely move.
In the States, a bow and arrow treated as a firearm. The main protection we have is our heads and our safety regs, making sure the pointy end is pointed -away- from people. Archery can only be done where it is permitted, which means outside of cities. You can't do it in the park next to the fighting field.
Meeting times are irregular, due to we can't shoot when there's other events. It also costs us $5 per person every time you want to shoot. Plus equipment. It's not something many of us can legally practise in our backyard (unless you live outside of the city), and certainly can't go down to the local park every week and do for free.
But despite all this, we have a pretty good Archery group here in Tir Ysgithr. We're a small, fun-loving, cheerfully blood thirsty group who love to show off our string bites, talk about garb and drag other people into the history of Archery.
On Tuesday during Fighter Practise, when I approached one of the people running for Baron and Baroness if they were going to come out and visiting other Baronial Martial Program, the blank perplexed look and response of "I hadn't thought of it. Maybe. It's awful early in the morning, isn't it?" was a bit of a surprise.
Ye-ah. That explains why no one's been out to practise to get our vote, doesn't it? Except for Thyra and Frohdi and that one couple who showed up for a half hour at the first day of practise four months ago and has hence been known as 'that one couple who showed up for a half hour at the first day' because we've never seen them before or since and can't remember their names.
Last night, I sent an e-mail out about tomorrow's practise being the last chance for people running for Baron and Baroness to come out and rally for the archer's votes before polling. Didn't expect much to come of it really.
This morning, there's notification that some members of the press are coming out to Archery tomorrow. Suddenly, this week's practise is OMG A Big Deal and people are totally showing up.
Hands up, guesses on how many Baron and Baroness hopefuls are going to be there now? *facepalm*
So, yes. C'mon out and support your Baronial Archers more than just at the Start and Stop of the Season, even if it just because the media is there.
But unless you're stepping up to the line to shoot, do it from behind the safety zone.
Adding ot the Rant??
Date: 2009-01-09 10:46 pm (UTC)I will be submitting recommendations to whoever our new Baron and Baroness is for some changes in the expectations of the Archery Champion for the very reason you mentioned. We can not get even him to come out and promote archery so how can we expect the other Marshal Arts to take us seriously.
Lady Þyri, I have been continuing your battle with the attitude and perceptional problems that seem to come with Target Archery.
Part of the problem is that the Heavy Fighters do not like Combat Archery and do not make a clear distinction when they are expressing their opinions (or do not make the distinction themselves) so others who hear them just lump all archers (CA and Target)in one category.
Part of the problem is that, as Icka stated, we can not have archery at 99% of the events and even when we can, Target Archery is stuck out on the back forty where even the water bearers don't go, let alone the pointy hats and the rest of the general populace. When the Royalty dose come out to shoot at an event like Estrella, it is on a special day set aside just for them. Do the Royalty that fight heavy only fight on a special day with other Royals and not get out there with the common folk?
And a big part of the problem is with the Target Archers themselves who only want to go to events that have Archery and are not willing to get out there and let the rest of the world know that there is a third Marshal force in the Kingdom and help promote archery.
All of this puts a wall up between Target Archers and the rest of the SCA and it is a hard wall to knock down, but it is one that we all need be aware of and keep chipping away at.
YIS
Johannes