SCA MEMBERS SAY CHIVALRY IS ALIVE AND WELL, THANK YOU

If the Middle Ages had a publicist, it would have been Megwyn Sanders.

The Southeast Missouri State University sophomore from Carthage loves to talk about the Middle Ages.

As a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, she even dresses the part of a 12th century Welsh noblewoman.

The worldwide organization was founded more than 30 years ago in Berkeley, Calif. Today, it has about 30,000 members who research and recreate aspects of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a period of time extending from 600 to 1600 A.D.

Sanders is a member of the Shire of Longridge, a Cape Girardeau and Sikeston based group of the Society for Creative Anachronism.

The local group has about 10 members, including some who are members of the Current Middle Ages Club at Southeast. Sanders heads up the student club.

Sanders was among a handful of Society members who dressed up as knights and ladies and demonstrated some of the skills of the Middle Ages at a Medieval Faire Saturday on the parking lot and lawn behind the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

Organizers estimated about 50 people visited the Medieval Faire.

"It is kind of like a big game of pretend," explained Sanders.

But she said Society members don't go overboard with their role playing.

"We are not psycho about it. We still drink Cokes at the events," she said. "We take showers."

Sanders said the Society focuses on the positive aspects of the Middle Ages: the chivalry and honor.

"Lots of people have a fascination with King Arthur," she said.

The Society ignores the negative aspects of the Middle Ages such as the plague, she said.

No one wants to be a peasant either. "All of us are nobles," said Sanders. "It is a lot more pleasant to be in the nobility."

Three Society knights demonstrated the sword and spear fighting skills of the Middle Ages during Saturday's event.

The knights wear metal helmets. But they use wooden swords and spears during such demonstrations instead of the metal ones that would have been used in battle.

"The fighters generally don't get hurt, but they do get some nasty bruises," said Sanders who has been involved in the swordplay herself.

Traditional male and female roles don't apply with this Society either, she said.

Steven Haldeman of Anna, Ill., is a member of the Shire of the Far Reaches, the Society's Carbondale, Ill.-based chapter.

The Shawnee High School teacher participated in Saturday's event, dressed in his head-to-toe suit of chain mail.

Haldeman made the chain mail out of electric fence wire. There are 40,000 links in his chain mail.

The leggings alone weigh 25 pounds. The entire suit weighs about 60 pounds, he said.

He said metal helmets and the other attire worn by the knights are uncomfortable in the summer heat.

The breezy, cool weather Saturday was perfect weather for a knight, said Haldeman. "It's a good day for fighting."

The fighting isn't choreographed and today's knights suffer their share of injuries.

"I have seen people with a lot of broken thumbs," he said.

Haldeman said his attire was customary for knights in England, France and Germany from 1100 to 1300.

Chain mail didn't prevent a knight from being injured. "It was made to resist cuts. It would keep you from losing a limb," he said.

But knights still suffered serious bruises and broken bones.

Still, he said, the chain mail is more comfortable than a plate armor in the summertime.

In the Middle Ages, only wealthy people could have afforded armor.

Haldeman joined the Society after attending a Middle Ages event about five years ago.

Chivalry and honor appeal to Haldeman.

He and others skip over other aspects of the Middle Ages. In Society gatherings, there is no Black Death, torture, rape or pillage, he said.

"We have our own College of Arms that registers our coats of arms," Haldeman said.

Haldeman's is a red seahorse on a white background.

Haldeman and Sanders enjoy their role-playing hobby. "It is just a lot of fun," Sanders said.