ARTS & CULTURE
Student, alumna go medieval for Missouri event
KANSAN.COM
Top: Society for Creative Anachronism member John Brooks stands with Quicksilver, his deer falcon. Falcons can be trained to take down other birds such as ducks.
FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAIN
Bottom: Jerry Harder's dogs Freya, Kira and Axel work to spin a barrel of tanned leather. Harder's shop is part of an SCA event known as the War of the Lilies, an annual war lasting nine days, held in the Kingdom of Calontir (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Northern Arkansas).
KATE MILLER
@_Kate_Miller_
Once a year, the Smithville Lake campground in Smithville, Mo., is overtaken by people dressed in medieval garb hauling bows and arrows, pavilion-sized tents and bearing household and kingdom arms all ready for a week of celebration called the War of the Lilies.
This is the Society for Creative Anachronism, a non-profit organization dedicated to recreating medieval culture from pre-17th century Europe. A worldwide organization, more than 30,000 members are involved across 20 different kingdoms.
Lawrence is known as the Shire of Carlsby and sits within the Kingdom of Calontir, which has hosted the annual War of the Lilies for 29 years. This year's event runs for nine days, serving as the longest event for the Calontir King-
eval weapons at a young age.
dom during the year. The Kingdom expects 1,200 members to attend this week's event.
"Since I've grown up with it, my family are these people," Lewis-Neff said. "I have my direct family, but these are people I've know all my life. These are my best friends and I really enjoy spending time with them. This hobby gives me the opportunity to spend a week straight with these people and go on vacation without costing thousands of dollars."
Lewis-Neff, who graduated from the University in 2011, has been part of the SCA since birth. Like many others in the organization, the tradition has been passed down through her family. Young children run freely around the campground, learning how to safely handle medi-
"We are historical- and educationbased," said Miranda Lewis-Neff, event steward. "We want to do research and find out what they would have actually done and try to recreate that in a period fashion. We do this for ourselves and not for other people; unlike the Renaissance festivals, we don't try to make money off of what we are doing."
Safety and family are two of the biggest values for SCA members. In reenactments of battles, all participants are covered in heavy armor with no skin left uncovered. Nonmember guests to SCA events are
LARRY BROW
Founder of Lawrence SCA group
ushered through by tour guides and watched closely. The magic word "hold" is ingrained into every member's brain. The word calls for everyone to freeze until safety issues
have been resolved.
Battles are only half of the story, though. The site also includes a food court and market area, allowing members to sell their goods although the barter system is more common. Members trade their goods among one another rather than exchanging currency, said tour guide Tola Rufusdoger.
But that's not her real name. Upon joining, members get to choose their own SCA name, and many only know their fellow SCA members by these medieval names.
Members also pick household colors and devices to display upon their coat of arms. Purple and gold, the Calontir coat of arms, flies from
SEE MEDIEVAL PAGE 07