Ever wondered how it feels to fight like a knight in shining armour? Canberrans can swap keyboards for broadswords and find out this weekend.
The Canberra chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) will host an Introduction to Armoured Combat on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November at the Ainslie Scout Hall, giving adults a chance to safely experience full-speed, full-contact mediaeval fighting.
Lead instructor Ben Norman has taught the course for more than a decade. All equipment will be provided. The session is for adults over 18 only, but open to people of all skill levels.
Far from “impractical and highly stylised” Hollywood choreography, Mr Norman explains, SCA combat is a disciplined martial art. Combatants don full-plate steel, padded doublets, and leather; wield rattan swords, spears, and axes, mimicking the weight and feel of steel; and learn how to strike with real power without the risk of injuring their opponents.
Mediaeval combat has grown in popularity in Australia, but the SCA embraces the broader culture that surrounds a tournament: “an entertaining celebration with food and music, merchants and travellers from afar — much like the recent Queanbeyan Mediaeval Fair”.
Founded in the USA in the 1960s, the SCA has grown into one of the world’s largest living-history organisations, with more than 100,000 members exploring the art, craft, and culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Canberra’s branch, the Barony of Politarchopolis, includes students, authors, actors, doctors, lawyers, landscapers, engineers, and firefighters.
“Drawn together by their common interest and enthusiasm for mediaeval history and the intricate workings of daily life in the millennium between the 6th and 16th centuries, members of the SCA find immense joy in centuries-old traditions — both of peace and of war,” Mr Norman said.
“In the accelerated rush of the modern world, the SCA’s timeless appeal draws together a unique and diverse group of people of every age and from all walks of life together in a celebration of more fabled days of yore.”
The Introduction to Armoured Combat course: Saturday and Sunday 8–9 November, 9am to 5pm, Ainslie Scout Hall, corner of Ebden and Hassall Streets, Ainslie. Cost: $70 for the full weekend (membership options available). Contact: Ben Norman, [email protected].
For more information: Website. Event page. Facebook event. Booking form.
