People in Østgarðr participate in a wide variety of activities related to the Middle Ages. For some ideas, check out the Society's Medieval Arts and Sciences page and Arts of Combat page.
Archery is quite popular in Østgarðr. Mistress Ygraine of Kellswood maintains a Web page called the East Kingdom Archery Scorekeeper with information about Royal Rounds, rankings, archery marshals, etc. There's also an email list for archery in Northpass (the Westchester and Putnam County portions of Ostgardr); visit the Northpass Archery group or email northpass_archery-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
There's an intermittent interest group within Østgarðr called the "Dabblers' Guild", a place to learn a little bit of everything. To find out more, visit the Østgarðr Dabblers' Guild Yahoo group.
If you're looking for people to teach a particular topic, visit the Known World Arts & Sciences Directory. If you're willing to teach, add yourself to the database.
We've collected a number of book and movie reviews by Østgarðrians.
Many SCA events are centered around a tournament, royal court, or something like that. Other events are designed as opportunities for people to teach things to one another. Many of these class events (in the East Kingdom) are collectively referred to as East Kingdom University, or EKU.
The most conspicuous of the SCA's activities is generally what we call "heavy combat", in which fighters wearing reconstructed medieval- or Renaissance-style armor hit one another with swords, axes, and similar weapons. For safety reasons, the weapons are made of rattan rather than steel; they are wrapped to prevent splintering, and inspected before every tournament. Tournaments are not scripted or choreographed; the combatants, spectators, and referees have no idea who will win until that final shot gets through.
Visit the SCA Arts of Combat page, or for information on local combat activities, visit the SCA Combat NYC group or email scacombatnyc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. In particular, there's a fighter practice at McCarren Park in Brooklyn every Tuesday evening from 7-10 PM except in winter.
New would-be fighters are encouraged to attend a practice or two, watch what's going on, and get some instruction (different kinds of blows, how to use a shield, footwork, etc.) without armor. Once you're ready to try fighting for real, contact John the Bear to arrange for loaner armor that you can wear.
In recent years there's been increased interest in historically-accurate sword techniques, as reconstructed from surviving manuals written by 14th-16th-century sword masters. For some video demonstrations, see ARMA Training Videos.
Very little is known about medieval European dance, but there are surviving dance manuals, specifying steps and music, starting from the mid-15th century; see the SCA Dance Page for more information. Østgarðr holds an indoor dance practice at a church in Astoria, Queens on alternate Tuesdays in the winter, and outdoor dance practice every other week at Belvedere Castle in Central Park in the warmer months (watch this space for details). There's also frequently some dancing in connection with Union Square fighter practice on Tuesday evenings in the warmer months. Some may also be interested in Elegant Arts, a non-SCA group in the area dedicated to historic dance from the 15th to early 20th centuries.
Although the majority of SCA events are "for ourselves", allowing us to educate and entertain other SCA-folk, Østgarðr also provides demonstrations for schools, museums, churches, etc. For example, for almost thirty years we've done an annual demonstration at the Huntington Unitarian Church Renaissance Faire; 2003 marked the end of this ancient tradition, but we have some pictures of the 2003 faire.
We also frequently have a presence at the annual medieval faire held at the Cloisters, in Manhattan. I'll put up some pictures when I get them....
We've also provided numerous demos for school groups, covering such topics as clothing, food and cooking, spinning and weaving, leatherwork, herbs and medicine, calligraphy and illumination, archery, armor and weapons, and (always popular with children) combat using swords, axes, spears, etc.
The East Kingdom embroidery guild is called Athena's Thimble. It's not specific to Østgarðr, but a number of Østgarðrians are active members).
Many people in the greater Østgarðr area enjoy period games: dice games, card games, board games, and outdoor sports. For example, Galen MacByrne holds a monthly "gaming gnight" (largely, but not exclusively, period games) at his home in Cornwall, NY.
There are also groups within the SCA dedicated to particular periods. For example, a number of Østgarðrians are active in the Gilded Pearl, which studies the years 1450-1650.
Mistress Ilaine de Cameron maintains a Web page for Arachne's Web, the Renaissance lacemaking group.
Østgarðr has a variety of ongoing musical activities.
Here's a page of links and information on Medieval and Renaissance Music (so far this is John and Rufina's stuff)
A term encompassing the making of cords, laces, braids, etc. as practiced in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. There's an email list for practitioners in the East Kingdom; visit the Narrowwork Guild or email . Mistress Thora Sharptooth (not actually a resident of Østgarðr) maintains a lovely web page on a particular technique called fingerloop braiding.
Several of our members are actively interested in the construction and decoration of medieval-style pavilions; see Reconstructing medieval pavilions.
There's a Provincial theatrical group, focused on medieval and Renaissance forms of performance such as the Italian commeddia dell'arte and the Spanish interludes. To see some of what we're doing, visit the Company of Corybants.
A movement within the SCA in the past few years has been the formation of "tourneying companies", intended to recreate the style and feel of medieval tournaments. One such operating in our area, in which several Østgarðrians participate, is the Company of St. Michael.
Back to Østgarðr
Send mail to the Chronicler (newsletter editor), D. Peters, seahorse
at ostgardr dot org,
or to the Deputy Chronicler (technical advisor, webmaster, etc.),
Stephen Bloch.