[Nordskogen] Regarding demos: LONG

[Giovanna]

Greetings.
   
  After the Caponi demo last year I started thinking that perhaps having some general guidelines for demos would be a good thing.  I spoke to several people who agreed that it was a good thing, so I am sharing my ideas with the Barony and Cantons.
   
  Please note that these are MY thoughts on the subject of demos and should not be viewed as opinions by the organizer of the Caponi demo, the Barony, or the SCA in general.
   
  What is our Goal?  I feel our goal is 2-fold: one is to provide a group of individuals demonstrating period activities to add color to a Shakespeare weekend and the other is to inform the public of the SCA's existence to provide legitimacy to our organization and also to attract possible new members.
   
  How to meet these goals/ how do we present ourselves?
  It is my opinion that the Caponi demo provides Nordskogen with the chance to present ourselves as a professional organization. With this in mind I feel that each participant should take it upon themselves to be the best representative of what the SCA has to offer by doing the following: 
   
  1) Leave your modern stuff at home.  Modern foot ware, modern clothes, modern furniture, modern tools, modern tents/ shade flys, etc.  This includes discussion of modern topics.  Things exempt: modern medical needs (glasses, canes/ crutches/ hearing aides, epi pens, medication).  If you only have modern things, please keep them under cover or in something else so they are not strewn about.  
   
  A personal pet peeve of mine is the use of Camp Chairs (also referred to as bag chairs).  There is nothing period about these chairs and no amount of draping/ covering/ etc. will make this chair attractive in any way.  Using a wooden chair, stool, bench, box or even sitting on the ground are all far better choices and I would encourage each of you who typically use this item to consider one of the above as an alternative.
   
  2) Have something to do.  Bring a game and invite visitors to play.  Bring weaving and invite people to try it. The purpose of a demo is to engage people so bring things that allow you to interact and allow new people to try.  This is not a social event but a time to speak to modern visitors.  
   
  3) Arrive early so you have plenty of time to ready yourself before the public arrive.  If you are arriving after the demo has begun, come dressed and ready to go.  
   
  4) Bring period items to dress up the site.  Banners are great.  Period tents/ shade flys are wonderful, period chairs, tables, etc.  
   
  5) Wear your best stuff.  By this I mean wear the items that are most appropriate for your persona and are made out of the appropriate fabric.  Try your best to eliminate cotton (unless that is a correct fiber for you), poly (this is just a good idea in general), and all other non-period fibers.  Use linen, wool or silk.  Accessorize with appropriate items, which includes period head coverings and period hairstyles.  
   
  If you are uncertain about your kit, or need help, or would like to demonstrate something and all you have are modern implements, let me know!!!!  There are lots of people in the Barony who have period items that can be shared.  If you want to participate, there are those of us who can make it happen!
   
  It is my opinion that anyone can meet these goals.  For those who may consider this to be unreasonable I have included the requirements for people participating in the SCA section at the Fisher Renaissance Faire in IN.  The Barony of Sternfelds (home of my apprentice Margaretta) has been contracted for the second year to provide a period display of artisans/ craftsman and fighters.  Below are the standards for their participation.
        
<begin Requirements> 

Dress/Garb
What is wanted are people using natural fibers of the medieval period in garb that is cut to period patterns. This gets a bit complicated by the fact that we have some SCA regulations that are harder to get around (see references to fencing and heavy below).
If you are doing a craft or being color that will interact closely with the patrons, all of your visible garb needs to be of period materials and patterns. 

The most common period fibers in Europe were linen, silk, and wool. Use those. There are a number of sources to get such cloth inexpensively. No cotton, cotton/poly blends, or man-made fibers. If you have an outfit that requires material that would be outrageously expensive, it is permissible to make a non-period substitution. Cotton velvet in place of silk velvet is an example of this. Linen/cotton blends are another example. Such substitutions should be kept to a minimum. Filler material that can’t be seen, such as interfacing or the interior layers of a jack or arming coat can be any material.
Seams that are visible need to be hand stitched or at least look like they were hand stitched. Using a hem stitch or blind-stitch machine attachment will do this. Hidden seams can be machine stitched.
Please note that this is not the same as “skin-out” authenticity. What you wear under your garb is up to you. Hand stitching everything is encouraged (and applauded!) but not required. 

Shoes
Shoes need to look NOT modern. Having a non-treaded rubber sole to reduce wear from modern surfaces (concrete, crushed gravel, etc.) is fine. 
  
Fencers and Fighters
If you are fencing, your fencing gear is armor and will not have to be changed. Four layers of cotton trigger is the armor standard and there is no need to see if other fibers will pass a punch test.
If you are fighting heavy, then “nothing obviously modern” is the rule.  Light and heavy fighters both will still need to meet the Midrealm armor standards. Where this conflicts with authenticity, the armor standard wins. For instance, hand protection was not used prior to about 1300 AD. However, it is a requirement to fight on the list field. Therefore, even if it is an anachronism, you need to use hand protection of some kind that meets the armor standards. Likewise for the fencers: Fencing helms would be great but fencing masks will be just fine for this. 

Tools
The tools of our craft should look period. While they don’t have to be museum-quality reproductions, they will have to look akin to examples from the appropriate period. To that end handles should be of wood (if appropriate for the tool) instead of plastic. It probably should not be neon pink wood. Choose steel/iron tools over aluminum, etc. If you are using modern tools such as screw clamps to hold work, you need to find how it was held by medieval craftsmen.

  Furniture
Furniture needs to look period and cannot be made of plywood. Dana doesn’t want it to look like it came from a patio set. Directors chairs and bag chairs are also not allowed. Tables can have a modern top if they are covered by a cloth but still need period legs/trestles/support.

Modern items
Essential modern items are fine; this includes eyeglasses and hearing aids. The committee doesn’t want to deprive anyone of their senses. Non-essential modern items are out; watches, tobacco, and cell phones, etc. Put them in a chest so that you can access them if you have to but so the public can’t see them—and turn off alarms and ringers.

  What we cannot have
Obviously modern, non-essential accoutrement's.
Obviously modern shoes.
Blatantly modern armor unless required by our rules. Fencing masks and cups are in.
Modern boxes, tools, or other implements on display. Once you are done using the #2 Philips screwdriver to set up your table, put it away.

What we have to do
We need to give good demonstrations of period arts and sciences. 
Use period tools and techniques. Try to brush up on the history of the craft. Be prepared to answer questions about it. A craftsman that is doing beautiful work but can’t answer questions such as “How long have people done that?” “What do these patterns mean?” “How much were you paid for this work?” isn’t educating the public very much. 

What we cannot/should not do
Other than answering questions about where to find out more about our wonderful organization, we should limit “SCA talk” to private areas away from the patrons of the Faire. It is just more anachronisms that we can’t explain easily.
Keep our SCA items that denote SCA-specific association or rank out of sight. Tuck away the Laurel medallion or the Dragon’s Tooth. We are all proud of the symbols of our achievements, but they are SCA culture, not medieval culture. Colored belts are fine, but please remember that the Middle Ages didn’t identify dependants with belts—i.e., a green belt is a green belt, not an apprentice belt. 
  <end requirements>
   
  This post was not meant to keep people at home, but simply to provide another way of thinking about this and other demos.  If you would like to discuss this topic with me I will be at the business meeting on the 19th and the meeting on the 26th.  
   
  In service,
   
  Giovanna




 		
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