By Myron Love
As one who has been a lifelong student of history, I have sometimes wondered what it would have been like to travel back in time and experience life in different eras and cultures. While the technology for time travel does not yet exist, the Barony of Castel Rouge does offer modern a sampling, beyond historical TV series and movies, of what life was like in the medieval world.
I first (and last) wrote about the Barony of Castel Rouge roughly 40 years ago for a publication called Winnipeg Magazine. So, it was lovely sitting down BCR citizens Amanda and Neil Whiteley and learning all over again about the role-playing community.
According to Amanda and Neil, and BCR’s history from the community’s website, the Barony is one of the member groups of the international Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) which was founded in 1966. It was in 1970 that one Ardythe Packer came into contact with SACA members at a Worldcon (science fiction) convention, became interested in the concept and started a chapter here.
Amanda, who is the barony’s seneschal (administrator) reports that the Barony of Castel Rouge encompasses an area that includes all of Manitoba. It is part of the Kingdom of Northshield, which includes Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario as far east as Thunder Bay, North and South Dakota, Minnesota and part of Wisconsin.
Amanda and Neil both became citizens of the Barony while university students here. After many years living away, she as a civil servant in Ottawa and he as a member of Canada’s military, they retired three years ago and returned to Winnipeg where they immediately rekindled their citizenship in the BCR.
“We were welcome back with open arms,” Amanda says. “It was as if we never left.”
Citizenship in the Barony is open to one and all. And you can become anyone you want to be, she notes, as long as your character is derived from the world as it was before 1600 and is not based on a real historical person.
“For years, our characters were all from European history from the Middle Ages (circa the 5th to the end of the 16th century).” Amanda says. “In recent years, we have expanded our criteria beyond Europe and from any time before 1600. Our current Baroness, for example, is from the Fatimid period of Egyptian history.”
Amanda’s persona is based on a 4th century British Roman model while Neil is kitted out as an 8th century Vendel.
Amanda points out that Barony of Castel Rouge members largely create their own apparel choices – or get help from fellow members with the necessary specialized skills. She, for example, shows off her flowing robe that she herself has done in the style of a cultured woman from her era.
Neil has the armour and weaponry of a typical Vendel from his chosen time. His helmet is modeled after one found at the Valsgarde archaeological site in Sweden. Neil’s helmet is inspired by the helmets found at Valsgarde – with modifications for purposes of safety. The interior, for example, has soft padding and the visor has bars across the mouth and eyes for added protection.
Some of our activities do feature combat with solid rattan swords,” Amanda points out, “but we focus strongly on safety.” All martial activities – also including fighting with lighter rapiers and archery – takes place under the watchful eye of marshals (of which Neil is one) and at a safe distance from spectators. Women do engage in sword fighting as well as men, although the heavy swordplay does require greater strength than some other activities.
The extent of each member’s period apparel depends on what the member chooses. Some members may opt to wear only simple tunics. The period clothing members may reflect one’s status in society – be they individual knight or squire, master weaver or apprentice, for example.
There is a strong educational component to all the Barony’s activities comprising of research into one’s characters and era and the development of different skills and crafts. “We have activities for all age groups including children,” she adds. “Some SCA members in our kingdom are third generation citizens of the organization.”
While there is a membership fee, one doesn’t have to be a member to participate in the Barony’s activities, many of which are free. Membership bestows on the citizens of the barony of Castel Rouge a discount on events that do require payment.
There are activities a couple of times a month. “Once a week, some of us engage in arts and craft programs together,” Amanda says. “During the Covid-19 lockdowns, we began having our programs on Zoom and we continue to do so for some of them. It cuts down on the costs of renting facilities and allows more people to participate.”
There are two major annual events in the life of the Barony of Castel Rouge. The first is “12th Night” which is held in early February and is a celebration of the new year. The second is the three-day gathering at Gimli on the Labour Day weekend. This year’s theme is “Constantinople to Istanbul”.
“Both are a lot of fun,” Amanda notes.
Amanda and Neil and other BCR members also go to Society for Creative Anachronism gatherings elsewhere in North America. Six members of BCR, for example, including the Baron, recently returned from trip to Mississippi to participate in the annual Gulf Wars XXXII, which is held about 45 miles east of New Orleans. Gulf Wars includes a youth combat tournament.
The big one though is Pennsic War, an annual two-week Medieval re-enactment, which takes place in the fall at Cooper’s Lake in Pennsylvania and attracts up to 15,000 participants from around the world.
Readers who may be interested in learned more about the barony of Castel Rouge, can contact Amanda at [email protected]
