Nice Little Touches:the Southron Gaard “Persona Gubbins*” A&S Challenge
“The object of art is to give life a shape.”
We know that sometimes people find it hard to “use” their persona at events, or to make their persona relevant to their SCA “game play”. In this challenge we invite you to use your persona (or someone else’s) to investigate that persona’s world, in order to create small items that you might carry to or use at events to enhance our SCA “game”.
*Gubbins, meaning small items, easily picked up and carried about (mid-16th century word, from the obsolete gobbon ‘piece, slice, gob’, from Old French; probably related to gobbet). Not to be used in connection with live small animals.
Thanks to Shakespeare and others for the quotes used here throughout.
This Challenge is brought to you by Meisterin Christian Baier, Baroness Isabel Maria del Aguila, Lady Amabillia Threxton, under the gracious patronage of Her Excellency Baroness Ginevra.
We would like to thank Lady Cecily for the inspiration of her excellent and amusing A&S Pentathlon upon which we have shamelessly, but with permission, borrowed.
We would also like to thank those Southron Gaard Laurels who have kindly offered to sponsor small prizes or tokens.
The Challenge:
What to enter: You may enter the challenge by completing one (or more) small objects or items from the categories below.
“Small” may be defined as you choose, and may include “medium”, “large”, and “gosh, look at the size of that thing” projects.
Entries should be new projects (i.e. not entered in previous competitions/challenges).
All items should be for use at an SCA event.
Items may be for your persona, or for the persona of the person for whom the item is intended.
Who can enter: Anyone!
Entries are welcomed from adults, children and youth.
For any who are not members of the populace of Southron Gaard, please note that her Excellency has decided this Challenge is also open to entry from those not resident in our fair Barony, as it is not your fault that you are so disadvantaged.
Items may be made or performed by an individual, or by a group.
How to enter:
Submit the following information to aandschallenge@sg.sca.org.nz
1) a photograph of the item, and
2) a few brief notes about the item and the persona that inspired it. OR
You might find the form below useful as to suggested content of those notes. The form can be found here as a google form, or requested via the above email address, or from the August 2019 edition of From the Tower https://sg.sca.org.nz/docs/ftt/ Formal documentation is not required, but is welcome (because we’re all curious people who want to read it).
Child and youth entries should be entered with assistance of parents.
When to enter: Enter now! All projects must be completed by Baronial Anniversary 2020 Midwinter 2020. Challenge Extended
Your recognition: All entrants will be awarded a special token at Baronial Anniversary 2020.
Those entrants who complete three projects, and those who complete five projects, from at least two distinct categories listed below, will receive an additional token.
Some of our local Southron Gaard Laurels have generously offered to award small prizes or tokens to the entry of their choice.
Categories:
1. Do you think because you are virtuous, that there shall be no more cakes and ale?
An item of food or drink your persona may have grown, prepared, consumed, or known of.
2. With silken coats, and caps, and golden rings, with ruffs, and cuffs, and farthingales, and things.
A garment your persona may have worn.
3. When I am forgotten, as I shall be, and sleep in dull cold marble, … Say, I taught thee.
The teaching or sharing of knowledge or skills that your persona would have had, for example, classes, published articles etc.
4. With scarfs, and fans, and double change of bravery, With amber bracelets, beads, and all this knavery.
An accessory your persona may have owned, made, used, or gifted.
5. All the world‘s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
A performance of a persona-appropriate piece (song, poem, play, saga, tale, dance, etc); formal or informal, individual or group.
6. What revels are in hand? Is there no play, To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?
Games, toys, and other such entertainments.
7. ‘Fore God, you have here a goodly dwelling and a rich.
Items your persona may have had in their home: housewares, furniture, feast gear, table wear, lighting, and such like.
8. This is the excellent foppery of the world
Develop a repertoire of vernacular language, appropriate to your persona, for use at events, e.g. oratory, witticism, oaths, braggery, vernacular phrases, boasts, etc.
9. To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet,…
At your toilette: hairstyling, make up, beauty products, skincare, ointments, unguents, perfumes, etc. Also items associated with bathing, cleanliness, etc: e.g. soaps, cleaning tools or products, laundering, etc for people, houses, livestock etc.
10. Is this a dagger I see before me?
Items for self-defence or martial activities.
11. Get thee to a nunnery
Religious or spiritual items, e.g. momento mori, devotional items, etc.
12. A garish flag, to be the aim of every dangerous shot.
An item of heraldic display.
13. Throw physic to the dogs; I’ll have none of it.
Items associated with health, medicine, or wellbeing.
14. I do remember an apothecary…
And in his needy shop a tortoise hung,
An alligator stuff’d, and other skins
Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves
A beggarly account of empty boxes,
Green earthen pots, bladders and musty seeds,
Remnants of packthread and old cakes of roses,
Were thinly scatter’d to make up a show.
An item used in an occupation, trade, or task, e.g. a tool, equipment, etc.
15. I’ll note you in my book of memory
A written item or document of some kind, e.g. a letter, a piece of calligraphy and illumination, etc.
In particular, we would also encourage you to put together your own commonplace book or similar item relevant to your persona (a commonplace book is a collection of notable extracts from other works, and everyday handy knowledge for your personal use at events e.g. song lyrics, game instructions, recipes to share, etc).
16. Sweet are the uses of adversity” NEW CATEGORY
Research or practice an art, craft or past time that your persona might have undertaken whilst whiling away a siege (or plague). (Please note that we cannot support the mis-use of live chickens as a plague cure (probable true story)).
Southron Gaard “Persona Gubbins” Arts and Sciences Challenge Entry Form
Name(s) (SCA and/or Mundane): …………………………………………………………………………………
If Child or Youth Entry (16 years and under), age:……………………………..………
For Child or Youth Entries, I ……………………………………………………………………………….. as guardian, give consent that the details, pictures and/or photos of this entry can be publicly displayed via the Southron Gaard A&S Challenge internet blog (note: personal mundane information will not be published).
Category (number(s)/name(s)): ………………………………………………………………….
Project (title and/or a brief description of the item):
Materials and techniques (how was the item made and what materials were used):
Persona Inspiration (when and where is the persona from, and how might they have used / experienced this item):If you are presenting this item as a surprise gift, to avoid spoiling that surprise, please advise the date the gift we can safely publish this item in the blog:
This was so much fun, I would also like to enter this item in the Southron Gaard Baronial Arts and Sciences Championship 2020 (please see also the entry criteria for that Championship):
Yes please! / Not this time thanks