Michael Lacy (mike@srmdel.demon.co.uk)
Thu, 2 Dec 1999 03:44:58 +0000
>Perish the thought Rob,
>
>Every one to their own of course and no slight intended to the SCA but if
>that happened Id take up collecting bus tickets or something! (or
>the marshal art that uses Rattan - Kendo i think?).
That would be martial art, and no, Kendo uses bamboo primarily. In the
East, Rattan is used by people who mean business, like the Indonesian riot
police.
>As a matter of interest I always thought that the UK/European SCA fought
>with Steel and the USA SCA were the Rattan Kings
>due to American Laws and Insurance and stuff? Am I incorrect?
Yes.
Many of the SCA over in the UK (myself included) do fight steel, but the
SCA proper is strictly rattan. This has more to do with the fact that most
of the techniques we use would be extremely dangerous, if not lethal, if
used with even blunted steel blades than it has to do with legal
considerations. There are many American groups which do fight with steel
weapons (Adrian Empire, Markland, etc.), but in a less competitive form
than SCA combat.
Essentially, if you want to re-create medieval combat and not get medieval
results (i.e., heaps of slain) you have to compromise somewhere. Steel
groups compromise power, technique and target area, the SCA compromise
weaponry (although, I would assert, this is the same way our medieval
forebearers compromised when they wanted to train or enjoy a bit of sport
without hacking each other to bits - see The Behourdium Tradition:
Historical precedents for SCA Combat
http://www.srmdel.demon.co.uk/FlameWar/Behourdium.htm)
At any rate, I doubt that this bad samurai craziness will have any lasting
impact on the UK re-enactment scene; it is already down to a tiny side
column in the Times. But then again, one should never underestimate the
stupidity of politicians...
But before you take up bus ticket collecting, you really should give rattan
combat a try. If done properly, it _is_ a martial art, and allows you to
do far more with your billhook than wave it at your opponents legs.
Michael Lacy
(aka Earl Michael de Lacy, KSCA)
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