What is The S.C.A. ?
The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a non-profit educational organization devoted the the study of pre-seventeenth
century Western culture. It concentrates on the European Middle Ages and Renaissance, and members work to recreate the
arts and skills of this era. Some members study the Middle East and explore the interaction between Europe and Asia during
the period under study. The SCA was incorporated in 1968, but recognizes a tournament held in Berkeley, California on May
1, 1966 as its founding date.
An "anachronism" is something that is out of its proper time frame. "Creative Anachronism" takes the best qualities of the Middle Ages and selectively re-creates them in the modern world. Geographically, the SCA covers the globe, with the majority of its members living in the United States or Canada. There are 19 kingdoms, each with its own King and Queen chosen on the field of combat. You are a subject of a kingdom by virtue of where you live for the majority of the year. Your membership is with the Society, not with any particular local group. If you have any questions, contact the person who is listed as Seneschal of your kingdom. Their names appear in Tournaments Illuminated and in each kingdom newsletter.
The kingdoms are independent of each other, and there is a considerable amount of variation among them. Each kingdom has a body of written "law" established by the King and Queen, to define the specific rules it follows, and a larger body of generally accepted custom that gives each kingdom its unique personality. All the kingdoms build their own laws and customs on a framework called the Corpora, which sets overall rules for the Society. Kingdoms are divided into local and regional chapters called principalities, baronies, shires, marches, cantons, colleges, and ridings. The names of these divisions reflect the size of the membership and/or the larger division through whom the local group reports. Your local group might use one of these terms as part of its name.
