[Archers] I'd like to point out.....

[John Atkins]

Let me share a personal experience concerning this train of thought.  In
Trimaris is an individual named Roulant.  If you have been to Pennsic or
Gulf Wars you know his work.  He is the guy who carves those horns that
are absolute works of art.  Roulant has been crafting this quality art
in horn and leather (if you have never seen his leather work you have
missed some true master pieces) for many, many years.  In Trimaris,
years back, I saw him sitting in court wearing a belt of unfinished,
untooled leather, simply a strip of leather two inches wide.  I chided
him about it with something like "The best leather worker in the SCA
wears a belt of raw leather?"  He responded that is was his personal
"statement" to the Trimarian laurels.  In short, he was stuffing it up
their nose that his work was of master quality but they could not find
it in their hearts to include him in their exalted order.  As you can
imaging, the laurels were resoundly offended and it was many years
before Roulant became a laurel.  In fact he became a laurel because when
Mittion once again assumed the Trimarian throne he recognized Roulant's
skill and artistry and made him a laurel, thereby side stepping the
laurel community.
 
I relate this story only in that I feel if the archers have their "black
sheep" order/award for work done but gone unrecognized we are flaunting
our displeasure of the lack of adequate recognition in the face of those
who could/would recognize us.  Thus I would be more in favor of an
approach that made it known to the "powers that be" the amount of work
that goes into being TA MIC or a skilled archer.  I feel too many,
including some archers, simply think that at an event the archery range
simply "appears".  Add water, poof, archery range!  They do not see all
the work done off site, pre event making the targets.  Then the setting
of the range, the marshalling all day long, the taking down of range and
the carting home and recycling targets as best possible or carting to
trash dump.  As in times past, no one gets good at archery without lots
of practice.  How many are aware of the hours spent on the practice
range working on perfecting technique, making arrows, tuning equipment,
making bow strings, and practice, practice, practice.  I still hear the
king of the East at Pennsic many years back, "I did not have a high
respect for archers but I decided, as king, I should learn archery.  I
now have a deep respect for what you archers are able to do."  A queen
remarked to me on numerous occasions she was amazed that I was able to
hit a 4 inch wide wand at 30 yards consistently.  Again, had I just
picked up a bow the week before she would not have said that!
 
I believe we need to spread the aspect of how much goes into being a
good archer or good TA MIC for an event that happens behind the scenes
and NOT at the event.  If fighters get awards and recognition for
winning lysts, a product of many hours at the pell and/or practice
developing skill, then archers should also be known for their same
dedication.  This can only happen through education and that, as I see
it, is our job.
 
cog

-----Original Message-----
From: archers-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:archers-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of
fenrisulven at comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 2:54 AM
To: loreleielkins at aol.com
Cc: archers at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [Archers] I'd like to point out.....



Lorelei:  Many of us have discussed on and off about the lack of
recognition -
 
 
Maybe we can have some fun with it, to take the edge off?
 
Several of us have been competing to see who can accomplish the most
WITHOUT being recognized. Points are awarded for service,
events/brackets won, final eight at KA, champions team at Pennsic,
highest current average score per month, etc. A kingdom level award
knocks you out of the running. We could always extend it to include more
archers.
 
Or perhaps award a quiver favour symbolizing a black sheep (The
Blackened Fleece?). When the bearer is finally recognized by the Crown,
they must pass it along to whoever they feel is most deserving.  From a
practical pov, it could be used to spotlight those that have fallen
through the cracks, so the rest of us would know who to spam the Crown
about.
 
Someone wiser than me once said: "If you're not having fun, you're doing
something wrong"  
 
Cheers
Fen
 
  

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/pipermail/archers-atlantia.sca.org/attachments/20100916/324b561f/attachment-0003.htm>