The Barony of Cynnabar is the Ann Arbor chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), a living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century. Cynnabar is one of the many baronies in the Pentamere Region of the Middle Kingdom, the third oldest kingdom in the SCA, and covers all of Washtenaw county and the western part of Monroe county.
Geography
Cynnabar is bordered by the Barony of Roaring Wastes (Detroit metro, Lake St Clair and Downriver), Barony of Northwoods (covering Gratiot, Clinton, Shiawassee, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston and parts of Oakland and Macomb counties), and the Shire of Talonval (covering the Michigan counties of Jackson, Hillsdale, and Lenawee).
History
The history of the Ann Arbor SCA group stretches back to 1971 with Ann Arbor fencing instructor John Bailey, a member of the Ann Arbor Sword Club. Bailey {"Svea Wartooth") and his wife Mary, along with his students science fiction author Robert Asprin ("Yang the Nauseating") and Jacquline Sapulski {"Aleeia of the Two Swords") co-founded the SCA household (an unofficial group of members and interested persons) that be became the “Great Dark Horde”. Ann Arbor artist David Hoornstra ("Daibhid MacLachlan") joined them in 1974 and went on to help found the current organization.
The group that became known as the Barony of Cynnabar came into existence on 1978-07-23, on the main stage of the Ann Arbor Medieval Festival. The original group came about from the merger of the Hoornstra-led group, and another, led by Linda Glasscock, that were unknown to each other but both of which had chosen the 1978 Medieval Festival to make their announcement. The original name of the combined group was Dierne Ansilet, although it was seldom used and was rejected by the SCA's College of Heralds just a year after founding. The name Cynnabar was adopted in 1980.
Activities
Cynnabar hosts weekly events such as fight practice (heavy, fencing and youth), dance practice, and singing practice. They also host educational workshops before their weekly baronial meetings.
On the web
- Barony of Cynnabar web page
