From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V2 #1099 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Saturday, September 25 1999 Volume 02 : Number 1099 In this issue: [scribes]: ArabicEnglish ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 10:45:25 -0500 From: Dawn Vukson-Van Beek Subject: [scribes]: ArabicEnglish Johannes and Christofano, I appreciate the level of politeness in which you both state your opposing opinions. It is shining example of the courtesy and chivalry that represents the writers of this excellent newsgroup. Christofano, I enjoy the pseudo scripts as imaginative methods of representation. I have seen an excellent scroll calligraphed by Countess Ariake in a most convincing appearance of Japanese. I am so impressed by the amount of talent and scholarship of the participants of this list. The amount of collective knowledge here is astonishing I enjoy every missive of this list- I continually learn and have been scribing for over twenty years. But - I must agree with Johannes. The "Creative" anachronism we proudly tout as why we have fun and are different from reenactment groups are the same reasons the SCA is laughed at and disdained by the academic community. We strive to understand and re-create medieval manuscripts yet we use them primarily for a purpose entirely different than the originals were created. There are those who create awards after the grants of arms- but they are few. We are using a religious medium out of context. I feel such a dissonance of scholarship and "creative" aspects of the SCA. What draws me to the SCA is very different than what attracted me fifteen years ago. Then, the Arthurian romance and chivalry was very compelling. Now that I can separate the fantasy from history, the history is much more compelling. I feel my "magic" SCA moments not bowing before my monarchs, by feeling the wool clothing on my body, sitting on a wooden bench and hearing the scratch of my quill on parchment. The closer to history I grow, the more I understand. This is why I want more authenticity. Johannes, I think to say that pseudo-scripts is part of the "self-centeredness" is a little backward, I think that these scripts are trying to bridge the parts of the SCA that impossible to achieve historically- A Celtic King and Queen awarding an honor to a crusader era Muslim. These problems are actually inherent in the structure of the Organization- too broad of scope and fantasy structure to bridge the disparity. One should ask me why I bother to participate if I feel this way- Because I cannot replace the camaraderie, scholarship and sheer joy of friendship I have with my friends in the SCA. It is in my case, the next best thing to heaven, albeit imperfect. All I can do help to encourage good discourse and urge others closer to a historical ideal, as I strive myself. Remember, the day we stop growing and learning is the day we start to die. Clare de Saint Denis, Northshield, Barony Nordskogen modernly known as Dawn Vukson-Van Beek ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V2 #1099 ******************************