Keeping the Hours at War

[cormac]

https://webspace.utexas.edu/gem/www/monks.htm

This is a fascinating project that was done in Ansteorra: "brothers" in habits observing the canonical hours at an SCA event from Matins to Compline. I think that with a bit of tweaking this would be a wonderful thing to do for a day at either GWW or Estrella.

I've got a ton of brown linen, and patterns; is anyone interested?

Comments

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Actually, yes. This is a simular format that I use for keeping Brigit's Flame in terms of the meditative hours, and I could see doing a process like this at a war.

[lady_songsmith]

Fascinating to read! I've always been intrigued by the hours in light of the last question posed in the write-up -- how does productivity continue with 3 hour interruptions? It would be interesting to have a period way of telling time at a war, too, seeing as most people would have marked the day by the nearest church bell. I've thought about it since I used to listen to the 6 o'clock bells growing up - the town was in a very echo-y valley so I could hear them from my house.

[mysryael.livejournal.com]

As someone who has had the interesting misfortune of working strange hours...

Your mind and body become accustomed. I used to work from 04:00 to 12:00 and then again from 17:00 to 22:00. If I become awake and aware anytime after I've had about 90 minutes of sleep I have a hard time getting back to sleep.

[blackbirdsings.livejournal.com]

Ansteorra, you say? Surely not.

They're all barbarians...

;D

[cormac.livejournal.com]

[persona hat]
Oh, most assuredly, Ansteorra is full of a barbaric people, most of whom speak a strange foreign tongue colloquially referred to as either "Murrken" or "Tech-Sun." However, Christ did command us to go out among the heathen horde and pray for their salvation, so I see it as a grand thing that these blessed brothers are doing. I look forward to the day when I might walk through the fields of war as an emmisary of the Prince of Peace.
[/persona hat]

So shall I make you up a nun's habit? I imagine your voice would add much to the plainsong chant. :)

[shaunacarrick.livejournal.com]

That is WAY cool!

[the-celestia.livejournal.com]

I've been to a number of events at Castleton and it is a FANTASTIC site, and I know a couple of these guys.

However, the concept of people actively observing the hours throughout the public areas of an event is pushing the limits and not in a good way. One of the main reasons I stuck with the SCA over other activities is that the SCA keeps religion out of things for the most part. Of course it was an integral part of life in the Middle Ages and there is a time and a place for study and re-enactment of it, but I feel something like this should be more of a 'publicise it so people can come observe it in our camp' sort of thing rather than on parade throughout the event sort of thing - same as you can have a wedding or a religious observance IN your own space at an event (and in my camp at Pennsic we have an Orthodox Xtian Priest who holds services...IN his pavilion - and THIS does not offend me because that is HIS space) but not, say, in Court, or across the road from camp in the public areas.

I have no problem with people observing religious beliefs or re-enacting them in their own spaces at events, but every three hours throughout the day in the public spaces would get old real fast. This sort of thing is better handled by holding it where people can come see you not the other way around, IMO.

YMMV (and Cormac I am aware we're on opposite poles on this and always have been)

[shaunacarrick.livejournal.com]

How about doing it in an area like the 'Enchanted Ground' - which tries to be much more authentic than the average camping area? Just a thought - and if it is in the literature of the event beforehand, all have been warned.

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Not so opposite, actually. I do feel that small observances/re-enactments in public areas are fine so long as they are unobtrusive. But I also agree that walking in procession through the war site seven times a day, chanting in Latin, swinging incense and ringing bells would be obtrusive, even if we were hitting our heads with boards.

Hence "with a bit of tweaking." Such tweaks may include:

- Chants, incense etc. happening in a campsite, rather than through the event. Processions, if done at all, would likely be silent and bell/incense-free.
- Getting permission from the surrounding campsites/autocrats to ring a "call to worship" bell at the canonical hours except compline and prime (because we're not cruel) and encouraging the autocrat to let people know that the bell is a useful secular timepiece.
- Advertising what we're doing, if people are interested in what's going on beyond "it's noon."
- Doing the observation of the hours (and other monastic observances) as accurately as possible once in the campsite, because if we're going to do it, we might as well do it right. Essentially, attempt an "enchanted ground" with a monastic focus.

For those of us on the other side of the aisle...

[sasha-khan.livejournal.com]

Sir Ustad the Dredded did an SCA-centric version of the Hajj at Pennsic several years back:

http://www.legiodraconis.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Journal&file=index&jop=browse&mode=view&id=48&POSTNUKESID=fb9f42c3d6fa09fe320309bbc1a95a73

Re: For those of us on the other side of the aisle...

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Very, very cool. I did something similar in concept (though not nearly so well researched or involved in practice) when I went to Pennsic. I immersed myself in the mentality of the mendicant, tonsured myself, and treated the trip as a pilgrimage. I got a lot out of the experience, and learned a valuable lesson on silly haircuts in the process.

[czina.livejournal.com]

I think this would be an excellent 'learning experience' as well. Since we ARE an educational group, you know.

Esp. since you don't have to push 'THE CHURCH' element of it, by actively trying to convert people, or something. But since this would be a part of normal life in the middle ages, it should be presented in a factual context. What they are devoted to isn't so much the point as the ACT of devotion, to teach and experience, could be very valuable.

And as long as you don't interfere/proselytize/blow up other people while doing it ... have fun storming the castle.

Although - having the boards and hitting your heads during the most 'active' time would be awesome - just to teach the silliness of some traditions.

And if you come out to Ansteorra to preach to the masses - bring it on, grin! Our vikings will out sail you in their longship, or something :)

[cormac.livejournal.com]

You know, you're the second person to mention it. I really hope people don't think I'm actually trying to prostelytize.

[czina.livejournal.com]

Oh no, I don't think you are. But some people are more sensitive to ACTIONS as proselytizing, so you would want to be careful. I think it can be made clear you are 'learning by doing' the experience of a monk, w/o trying to convert others, if that makes sense. 'Getting into the medieval mind' is often necessary to really understand why things were done in that way.

Now if you were to adopt a hairshirt and do some of the more extreme things (and things that involved no bathing) - that can go a bit far.

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Aw man! No mortification of the flesh? What kind of monk would I be?

Besides, in the nod-to-the-SCA jousting society of Romero's "Knight Riders," there's that scene at the beginning where "Arthur" is in the river, naked, self-flagellating, and screaming about defeating the dragon. I figure if it's good enough for late an early fictionalized Aten king, it's good enough for me. :-P