What's in a Name?

 As many readers will be aware, the Barony recently ran a poll, which closed on January 17, 2024, with respect to changing the Barony’s name. There were 53 respondents voting, nearly 80% of which were in favour of a name change.

Concurrently, there has been much discussion about what the new name should be.  The Honourable Lady Morag, the Baronial Seneschal, complied a list of suggestions from various discussion forums and sent the preliminary list to the Ealdormere College of Heralds to help eliminate any unregisterable options.

The following names have been reviewed by a team of Heralds and are held to be potentially registerable options for our deliberations. This list is presented alphabetically, with no implication of merit associated with position on the list. Any supporting information provided below was supplied by the submitter or the Heralds.

Alþingishóll
Originally submitted as “Althinghaugr”, Old Norse for “Althing Hill”.  The original name of Skraeling Althing has always said to have been a playful reference to Parliament Hill. This name would keep the reference without the sly humour.

Alþingis-straumr
Originally submitted as “Straumr Althing”, Old Norse for “River/Stream Althing”. This name was suggested because all of the Strongholds and Cantons in the Barony are along rivers and because three rivers converge in Ottawa.

Aquae Aureliae
Originally submitted as Aurellia Surleau, Roman for “Aurelia’s waters”. The original submission was intended to be “Aurelia on the Water”, another reference to the river, and to our first Baroness Enid Aurelia of the Tin Isles.

Caerdydd Newydd
Welsh for “New Cardiff”

Eldinga Alþingi
Originally submitted as “Elding Althing”, Old Norse for “Lightning Althing” or “Old Age of the Night Althing”. The original submission was offered as Elding meaning dawn (a reasonable English translation of “old age of the night”) and thus the translation would be Dawn Parliament, or Parliament of the dawn. This was explained as a reference to Baroness Enid (since many a song and poem refer to the Dawn as golden), and because, as the first Baroness, she represents the figurative dawn of the Barony. Benefits of this name were listed as being the same syllable pattern so it would work in the existing songs and poems.

Gasteiz Beria
Basque for “New Gasteiz”. Gasteiz is a city in the Basque area of Spain.

Gullin Alþingi and Gilden Alþingi
Originally submitted as “Gullen Althing” and “Gilden Althing” respectively, both are Old Norse for “Golden Althing”. These are both a reference to Baroness Enid, as Aurelia is derived from the Latin word for golden.

Héragarðr
Originally submitted as “Heragaard”, Old Norse for “Hare’s Guard”. Offered by the submitter as “place/city of hares”, benefits were named to be easy to spell and pronounce, keeps it Old Norse, and is “Hare-y”.  Since the intent was a name in Old Norse, the Heralds altered it to be the Héragarðr, as “gaard” is in fact Dutch and would translate more to “Hare’s garden” or “Hare’s gate”.

Nafarroa Berria
Basque for “New Navarre”. Nafarroa is the Basque name for the area we know as Navarre.

Nieuw Brussels
Dutch for “New Brussels”

Terra Aureliae
Originally submitted as Terra Aurelia Choreas, Latin for “Aurelia’s Land”. The original submission included the Greek word for dances and was offered as “The golden earth dances” or “land where Aurelia dances”. The Ealdormere College of Heralds did not weigh in on the registrability of including Choreas, simply that “Terra Aureliae” could be an option.

Wabozwaaling
Originally submitted as “Wabozwaaning”, Anishinaabemowin, meaning, “cave of the rabbit”. This name has the benefit of being in the language of the original inhabitants and caretakers of these lands, and speaks to a defining element of our Barony’s identity.

 

Submissions are still open, and shall be accepted until March 11, 2024. Anyone is welcome to offer a name for consideration. Submissions can be made to the Seneschal via email, DM, or through the Baronial website.  All suggestions will be sent to the Ealdormere College of Heralds for a “first pass” evaluation, to ensure that the populace doesn’t get their hearts set on a name that isn’t registerable.

Some general rules to think about when crafting your suggestion:

·       There needs to be some precedence or justification for combining languages,

For example, none of the previous suggestions of Althing paired with a local Anishinaabe word are registerable.  However, there might be an argument to be made for Althing with a Inuktut or Kalaallisut word given Norse contact with these peoples in what is now known as Newfoundland, Labrador, and Greenland.

·       The name should include some location or place name element.

There are some exceptions to this, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind.

 

Upcoming Events

They say today is Blue Monday, the saddest day of the year. The theory goes that the holiday celebrations are over, the next holiday is months away, it’s dark, it’s cold, and there’s certainly enough snow here in the Althing.  In reality, this designation was made up as a marketing strategy to get people to book sunshine get aways, arguing that it’s good to have something to look forward to.  We can at least agree that it’s nice to look forward to something, so here are a few of the events coming up in the barony and out side it.

We often say that Winter is a time to hunker down and get to the A&S. Our next in Barony event can help you do just that.  Practicum is a day of classes on February 24^th, in Caldrithig. If you have a special interest that you’d like to share, there is still time to register to offer a class. Go to the Practicum website to fill out the form to let the team know about your class.

Once Spring graces our lands, the Canton of Greyfells has a chill virtual A&S event, MAYhem, on May 4^th. This Historically Adequate A&S Event which will feature 13 different non-traditional categories, where imagination, creativity, and fun are as important as technique and construction. This event is free and open to anyone, of any skill level, and is more about having fun and talking about shared passions rather than perfectly polished projects. In fact, incomplete and failed projects are also eligible for entry!  For more information, or to sign up as a participant or judge, please contact either Maister Colyne (Todd H. C. Fischer) or Baron Joffr (Jeff Hitchcock).

If you want even more and these two events are too far away, you could attend Blue Dragon Studium in Ard Creag this weekend.  And don’t forget that Kingdom A&S Competition is March 23 in Rising Waters.

If you’d rather stay cozy in your home, you can attend the virtual DEI Collegium this weekend. But if you’re down for a drive and enjoyed Feast at Lombardy, you should check out Masque by Moonlight on the 27^th in Der Welfengau.

The first combat tournament of the year is Tournoi du Coeur du Glace on February 3^rd in Bastille du Lac, followed by Winter War in Trinovantia Nova on March 2^nd.

Winter has a little something for everyone in our community.  Make plans, make things, make friends.

Upcoming Baronial Council Meeting

Greetings to the Barony.

 
As many of you have heard already, I have recently stepped up as your Baronial Seneschal. I look forward to working with cantons to keep things running smoothly.

 
It is coming up to the time we should have a Baronial council meeting. Therefore I’m setting a date of October 29th at 1900.

 
Agenda items include

 
- Baronial name change discussion. Information about the issues with the current name are up on the baronial website.

 
- Upcoming events

If there are any other agenda items that need to be added, please contact me and I will happily add them. 

Hope to see everyone at the meeting.

It is an honour to serve.

 
The Honourable Lady Morag Taylor

Baronial Level Officer Positions

By THL Constance of Caldrithig

We serve the Crown. But without a Seneschal, the Crown has no weight. Without an Exchequer, the Crown has no funding. Without a Herald, the Crown has no Voice. Without a Marshal, the Crown has no might. Without the Minister of Arts and Science, the Crown has no beauty. Without a Chronicler, the Crown has no lineage. Without a Clark-Registrar, the Crown has no reach.  And without a Chatelaine, the Crown has no new subjects.

The SCA is a volunteer organization, as we all know. In order for our groups to maintain their status and to continue to do things like have Armoured Combat or Fencing Practices and hold events, we need a few officers at the helm to keep the business end on course.

The Barony is a local group unto itself, but it is also an important mid-step between the Canton/Strongholds and the Kingdom. Baronial officers offer advice and guidance to the Canton and Strongholds’ officers, and offer timely reminders on reporting deadlines, in addition to filing their own reports.

Currently the Barony has a couple of open positions:

The Chronicler is a required position for Baronies by Kingdom Law. Maister Colyne has been filling in for some months now, but this position is available right now.  Duties include publishing a quarterly Chronicle according to Society guidelines, and maintaining the new Chronicle blog.  You do not need to produce all the content yourself, other members can absolutely write articles, poems, and contribute artwork.

The Chatelaine is many members’ first contact with the SCA.  Deemed the SCA’s “welcome wagon” a Chatelaine eases a person’s entry into the group. Baron Duncan will be stepping down on July 31. Our Barony has gotten a name amongst local festival planners as a fun group to have participate. The Baronial Chatelaine can choose to organize these demos or delegate them to a Canton/Stronghold Chatelaine, or other contact. Largely an email based job, this is a good one for anyone looking for a soft introduction to working an officer position.

The Seneschal is the “president” of the group. Seneschal is a required position as per Society rules. They run meetings and sign contracts. They are the legal representative of the group.  This sounds scary, and it can feel like a lot of responsibility to manage the calls for bids and organizing agendas and spearheading projects. In reality, at the Baronial level, it can be a pretty chill job.  There are few events hosted by the Barony – most are hosted by the Canton and Strongholds. Lady Petronill’s term is up in November. Applications are appreciated before the end of August.

The Exchequer is the “treasurer” for the group. Exchequer is a required position as per Society rules. They maintain a ledger and financial policies, prepare an annual budget, and write cheques for the Barony’s expenses.  Oh, no! Math!  Truly, all the math is done for you.  You are given reports to complete in Excel, with all the formulas already there. If you can manage your own money, you can be an Exchequer.  My term is up in November. Applications are appreciated before the end of August.

Both Caldrithig and Greyfells are seeking Exchequers as well. The Canton/Stronghold level is a little busier than the Baronial level, since these groups have local practices and more frequent meetings.  The position is no less important, and both have been open for some time.

The Minister of Arts and Sciences is the cheerleader for our artistic endeavours. The Honourable Noble Estienne is on their second term in this office and will be seeking a successor early next year. The only required duty for this position is to file reports, but there is scope for so much more. 

If you have any questions, you should reach out to the officer currently doing the job or someone who has done it in the past. You will have all the info you could ever want and more. 

I want to end with a heartfelt thank you to all the people currently holding offices and others who held them in the past.  The time they spend outside of the game enables us all to attend events and practices locally. Officer positions can seem like a lot of work and responsibility for little reward, and it’s true, this work sometimes goes unnoticed more often than others. Again, thank you to them, and to you who are considering taking up these roles.

Court Report War of the Trillium, July 1, 2023

Event: War of the Trillium
Presiding Baronials: Joffr
Herald: Maister Colyne Stewart, herald of Skraeling Althing
Date: July 1, 2023

Notes: HE Jogffr was invited into kingdom court to carry out these two pieces of business.

EVENING COURT

The Honourable Galfrid Thynne, Order of the Hare Salient
Calligraphy by Lady Giana Gabriella di Milano. Illuminator unknown. Wording by Baron Colyne Stewart.

The Honourable Galfrid Thynne, Order of the Black Hare
Calligraphy by Lady Giana Gabriella di Milano. Illuminator unknown. Wording by Baron Colyne Stewart.

Court Report for Spring Crown May 27 2023

Event: Spring Crown Tournament
Date: May 27, 2023
Location: Canton of Caldrithig
Presiding Baronials: Dubhessa and Joffr
Presiding herald: Baron Colyne Stewart

Petronill, Seneschal of the Barony
Update regarding potential name change for the barony, outlining the path forward.

THL James Edgarsson and Mistress Emelote of Calais
Given the gift of chocolate for their tribute to Dame Enid Aurelia of the Tin Isles, of beloved memory, included as part of their Crown introduction.

Katrina Prebensdottir, Friend of the Hare, 2023
Calligraphy and Illumination by Dame Siglinde, wording by Colyne.

Iohn Spooner, Friend of the Hare, 2023
Calligraphy and Illumination by Dame Siglinde, wording by Colyne.

David the Younger and Barbara Taylor (the spawn of Morag), Carrots of Excellence
For their service to the barony.

Brayla la Vienette, Hare Valiant, 2023
Illumination by Lady Mary de la Wode, calligraphy by Baroness Thorfinna grafeldr, wording by Colyne.

Thanking Event Staff

Baronial Meeting Announced

Next Baronial Council Meeting: 

Monday May 8 at 7:30pm

Everyone who is part of the Barony is welcome to attend. 

Zoom link to follow. 

Draft Agenda:

1. Name poll process

         Part 1:  Should we change the name

A.    Online consultation process running parallel (similar content as meetings, on webpage)

B.  Series of meetings,

a.   Zoom mtg

b.   one in person meeting in Greyfells, Caldrithig, and Tor Brant,

c.   final Zoom meeting

C.  Poll regarding change

While that may sound like overkill, I would really like people to feel they can participate in a way that makes them comfortable, hence the mix of options.

         Part 2 (If answer is yes) Change the Name

A.   Set Criteria for submissions

Heralds will give us guidance on names and what we can and can not have.  Because many people have already indicated a preference for “Althing” be maintained, I am hoping that there will be greater clarity on what the name can and can not be.  There are rules applicable because of “Althing” requires a historical exemption as well the usual as language, space, and time considerations.

B.  Open submissions for name change.

C.  Share the list of submissions that meet the criteria

D.  Create short list with input from Populace

E.   Vote on new name with back-up

F.   Submit both to the College of Heralds

2. Bids for summer events (if any)

3. Meeting schedule- Because of the meeting regarding the name change I propose that General Baronial meeting be every quarter, shortly before the Seneschal’s report is due.  They will be via Zoom.  Suggestions welcome for how to have annual in-person meetings to increase accessibility

4. Update from kingdom seneschal's meeting (haven't received the minutes yet):  Main point is that there are new event forms.  Commentary on how well they are working is still possible.  Refresh on rules, mistakes are happening with some groups.

5. Volunteers (Discussion only): We do not have enough volunteers at the Baronial Level, as people are repeating offices and not taking breaks.  I believe this is also true for the groups that make up the Barony.  One solution proposed by the Kingdom Seneschal for groups with this problem is to reduce the number of offices to the minimum.

6. Draft DEI charter proposed by their Excellencies (Introduction).

7. Update on inventory

         a) Replacement request for coronets the "old and venerable" set

8. Other business (Only minor issues for this)

9. Questions from the populace 

To clarify: People can and should participate in all of the other agenda items, this item is more for people to raise issues, thoughts, etc. that are of concern but perhaps not yet something that the Barony has discussed.

[originally posted to the Greyfells Facebook group by Petronill, Seneschal of Skraeling Althing, April 30, 2023]