Show erhaps you’ve seen them in front of "TTa D the Whittia center clad in their resplendent armor heraldry fluttering in the wind Perhaps you’ve seen these young lords and ladies bashing the heck out of each other with wooden swords or fencing with slender rapiers and wondered have I just traveled back in time? If you had happened by the Whittier last Saturday you would have experienced a serious case of time shift The local chapter of fee Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) held its annual Renaissance fair and was out in force Forthr uninitiated the SCA is a group of time travelers who seek to recreate the European Mid- -' die Ages through dress speech and bashing each other with wooden swords “The SCA came from two professors at Bake- ley who wanted to see how much force it would e a sword to kill somebody said Catherine Griffith who was the club “Autocrat” in charge ' of last Saturday’s festivities “They were crafting ' helmets and armor to test their theories and it ' v grew from there” from both Cnthrrine and her husband Paul Providence attended their first Renaissance fair : twoyears ago and jumped into tiie immersive hobby with both feet ’ “We went to the fair and Paul saw the combat ' and armor” Catherine said “He turned to me arid said Pfeople actually do this?’” ?' Catherine is a professional seamstress Paul " y said and he’s always had a fascination for the of the Middle Ages Theclub’s mission was a ’ 'V perfect fit “My wife has always wanted to make the pretty dresses from the past” Paul said “Nobody dress-e- s ' up these days and so she is now able to make beautiful gowns from thepast” A And as for himself? “There are three kinds of people” Paul explained “Those that live in the past those that ) ' live in the present and those that look to the "V II ' If ' V - ’ - : - his-tor- - " future” A V- - Seeing Paul and his wife handsomely arrayed m their period dress — he in armor she in a simple-peasant dress — it’s hot hard to figure out what category these two fit in The local chapta meets bi weekly at the Whitti--a to work on swordplay and crafts and to discuss tiie history of the period ' arguably one of Western culture's most fascinat' ' f V ing ' Although the sword battles are the most eye: catching aspect of the club’s events Catherine is quick to say the group is much more than that “We work on skills that are being lost to people” Catherine said “We share our skills and grow our talents together” The local chapta known as the “Shire Cote d’yciel” is part of a larga “Kingdom of Arieme sia” that encompasses the Intermountain region members Catherine said the 500 and p "‘ “club is open to anyone interested and invited the curious to attend a Wednesday night meeting The only requirement she said “is a love of history” 9 For more information call period-specif- ic f ' dues-payi- ng 752-696- i i i 'i i Clockwise from top: fair lut week William Long right and Paul Griffith fight each other at the Renaissance her children watches Tianna Baroness The name the Nikki McCorristin who goes by play at the fair Benjamin Tanner designs his coat of arme i i Jltrirg bg Uercmg Jluglj IJlfotos by Jilt 'Jbuccro |