In February of 2020, the Barony of Bjornsborg (San Antonio, Texas) hosted a Romeo and Juliet themed event. I entered the arts and sciences competition with a research paper investigating what poison Romeo might have taken. I won, the first time I've won a baronial championship.

Warning label on the front of the binder holding the research paper. But seriously, don't try this at home.

Me holding the championship scroll. I love the artwork so much! Photo by Kristin Hammock (Mistress Osanna van der Linden)

Juan de Oñate and the 1599 Acoma Massacre

The time period covered by the SCA is generally agreed to end at 1600, or maybe 1603 with the death of Queen Elizabeth I, but generally not much past that. Unlike the folks living in Europe, the majority of people who live in the United States do not have local history (stories, buildings, artifacts) having to do with Europe within the SCA time period.

There are, however, exceptions. A few settlements along the eastern seaboard have their origins within our timeframe, though in-period they typically were still tiny, new, and struggling. St. Augustine, Florida was founded in 1565 - well within anyone's interpretation of our time limits.

And then there are the conquistadors. A few years ago a minor conquistador - or rather, the controversy surrounding a statue of him - was in the news in New Mexico. These days, many people in New Mexico regard Juan de Oñate to be a founding father of the state. But in 1599 he oversaw the gruesome Acoma Massacre, involving the murder, enslavement, and mutilation of over a thousand people from Acoma Pueblo. 

According to Wikipedia: 

In 1606, Oñate was recalled to Mexico City for a hearing regarding his conduct. After finishing plans for the founding of the town of Santa Fé, he resigned his post and was tried and convicted of cruelty to both natives and colonists. He was banished from New Mexico for life and exiled from Mexico City for 5 years. Eventually Oñate went to Spain, where the king appointed him head of all mining inspectors in Spain. He died in Spain in 1626. He is sometimes referred to as "the Last Conquistador."

The City of El Paso, Texas erected an enormous equestrian statue of Oñate in 2007.
I was introduced to the story of Juan de Oñate, his statue, and his crimes by the podcast 99 Percent Invisible, episode 331 Oñate's Foot.

Black Widow Pockets

You know what Black Widow, member of the Avengers and super spy, needs with her outfit? Pockets. She needs pockets. Just... don't ask what she's keeping in there. You probably don't want to find out.

Norse Apron Dress

Our local group's fall event was Norse themed. I usually wear much later-period clothes, so out of an abundance of caution I tried on my Norse outfit ahead of time. The blue linen 10-gore dress I made with Ysabeau of Prague's help several years ago (perhaps my second piece of SCA garb) still fit, but the snug gray herringbone weave apron dress was no longer an option. Time to make a new apron dress!

A Little Bit of Norse

The event this weekend has a Norse theme, so I’ve spent the past week hard at work in a new apron dress. More details and photos to follow after the event.

Black Widow Doublet

Elfsea Baronial College was at the end of September. I was intrigued by the prospect of a full day of A&S classes (like a mini King's College!), but I was really hooked when I learned that they were having a "Disney your garb" costume contest. Any Disney-owned character was fair game. Some friends and I decided to go as Avengers. Chris was Dr. Strange, Franchesca was Pepper Potts, and I was Black Widow. The pockets, and the to-be-made sleeves will have their own posts, later, but here I'll show the doublet I made. It was pretty, functional, and carried the theme of the character well.

I did not win the costume contest, but I enjoyed playing with the techniques and exploring how the dress in the painting might have been made.

Landsknecht for Robert de Bray

This was my first time making Landsknecht, and Robert was my very patient guinea pig. The project started with a lot of research, since I didn't really know much about the style (other than a general impression that the aesthetic was "MORE is MORE!") He wore this outfit to Coronation in October of 2017.