Announcements

Commentary Request – Governing Documents – Marshallate Content

April 10, 2024 | 

SCA Communications

The Board of Directors is requesting commentary on proposed changes to Governing Documents proposed by the Society Marshal. These proposed changes aim to update the Governing Documents related to the Marshallate.  The authorities, roles, responsibilities, and functions of the Marshallate occur in several sections of the Governing documents, and have been added to or updated over the years. However, they do not fully reflect the breadth of current SCA martial activities and the evolution of our administrative and safety practices.  These changes will (a) include all SCA martial disciplines, (b) incorporate the current and modern practices that have evolved over the years in our rules and the application thereof, and (c) ensure consistency throughout the several sections, while preserving the kingdom flexibility that enables the uniqueness of our kingdom cultures.  

Updates include

The proposed changes are listed below but a PDF of the proposed changes is also available at the following link: https://www.sca.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Gov-Dox_Marshal-Proposal_all-marshal-elements_2023Q4.pdf

Notes on Edits:

There are also changes are minor grammatical corrections and wording change for consistency in the document.  Examples:

THE CORPORA OF THE SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE ANACHRONISM, INC.

VI.     SOCIETY OFFICERS

VI.D.  Marshal of the Society Marshal

(Area of Authority)

(VI.D.)  The Society Marshal’s  of the Society’s area of authority is all martial and related activities practiced in the Society , both those described by the handbooks approved for the office and proposed as additions to those handbooks. 

(Responsibilities)

(VI.D.)  The Society Marshall will work to encourage the participated participation of all in the Society’s martial activities and striveing to expand and improve those activities for the benefit of the Society and its members. The duties of the office also include:

Functional Change:  Clarifies the scope of the Society Marshal and the Minister of Arts & Sciences (MOAS) in regards to non-competitive martial activities. Wording is adopted from the approved “Rules for the Study and Education of Historical Combat Techniques within the SCA,”  approved by the Board 7/15/2005.    Ref:  https://www.sca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/AandS_martial_public_proposal.pdf .  

   ALT – This section could be included under Section VI.E  Minister of Arts and Sciences MOAS

Reasons for Change:  There is increasing interest and activity in historical combat techniques (e.g. cutting demonstrations, replication of historical plates), that may be otherwise prohibited or beyond the current scope of the Marshallate.  The set of rules, approved by the BoD in 2005, strives to define the responsibilities between the offices of Arts&Sciences and the Marshallate, and should be incorporated into our functional documents. 

(VI.D.)  The Board authorizes the Society Marshal to make interpretations and clarifications regarding the Rules of the Lists and the Society handbooks for martial activities, with the proviso that such rulings must be reported to the Board at the following next regular quarterly meeting. The Marshal’s rulings will stand until and unless overruled by the Board, and upon approval must then be incorporated into the relevant handbook.

Functional Change: Clarifies the responsibility, ability, and timeline of the Society Marshal to interpret and clarify rules in the Society handbooks in addition to the Rules of the List.  While responsibility for interpretation of the handbooks is implied by the last sentence, the wording not specific and clear. 

(VI.D.)  The Board specifically authorizes the Marshal to conduct well documented and monitored experiments with new weapons, armor materials and martial formats in order to advance martial activities in the Society. The Marshal will keep the Board informed regarding these experiments in their quarterly reports.

              No Changes

VII.  KINGDOM, PRINCIPALITY, AND LOCAL OFFICERS

VII.D. The Earl Marshal

(Area of Authority)

(VII.D)  The Kingdom Earl Marshal’s area of authority is all martial and related activities practiced in their Kingdom, both those described by the Society handbooks approved for the office and proposed as additions to those handbooks.   

(VII.E)  The Minister of Arts and Sciences is responsible for supporting the study of art forms, technologies, and those aspects of culture relating to their use, both in period and in Society activities, and the non-competitive study and controlled demonstration of historical martial arts, systems, and principles.

Functional Change:  Same change as noted for the Society Officers in section (VI.D)

(Responsibilities)

(VII.D)  The Kingdom Earl Marshal bears primary responsibility for promoting both the safety and the historic authenticity of the martial and related activities in their kingdom,  but and works with other officers in their areas of mutual interest. The Earl Marshal is responsible for issuing and maintaining oversight and management of authorizations for all participants and warranting marshals for their kingdom.    Oversight and management of authorizations includes ensuring that all martial activity authorizations are properly documented and that authorizations are completed according to the rules set out in approved Society handbooks for each activity before any such authorization is issued. 

Functional Change:  Clarifies the Earl Marshal’s responsibility in respect to authorizations in their kingdom (e.g processes, documentation, and recording).

Reason for Change:  Proposed by the Society Seneschal and President, this wording change and proposed changes to Section IX clarifies the responsibilities and better captures the intent of the Society Seneschal’s Corpora interpretation regarding the authority of a Kingdom Earl Marshal to issue or confirm martial authorizations (July 24, 2022).  If there is a question on the validity of the proof of an authorization, they are responsible for and the ultimate arbiter for confirming that yes, a person did authorize properly (and thus were properly issued their authorization), or no, they did not authorize properly.  But they cannot singularly grant an authorization themselves unless they are a Warranted Authorizing Marshal in that discipline.

IX   SOCIETY COMBAT  MARTIAL ACTIVITIES

IX.A.  Society Martial Activities

(IX.A.1) Martial activities in the Society are defined as armored combat, armored steel combat, fencing, rapier, cut & thrust, combat archery, siege engines, target archery, and thrown weapons, equestrian, and youth combat, and marshaling. Other activities clearly falling within the scope of the above are also to be considered martial activities.

Functional Change:  Identifies all the current martial disciplines which are large or distinct enough to have their own separate handbook or deputy society marshal.

(IX.A.3) (IX.A.2)   The Society handbooks define the minimum requirements and standards for marshals, authorizations, weapons, armor, and equipment. Kingdoms may define additional requirements, standards, marshals, or types of authorization (such as weapons forms) as they deem necessary, but may not reduce or disregard the requirements and standards delineated in the Society handbooks without a variance from the Society Marshal approved by the Board. 

Functional Change: Originally section IX.A.3, which only included additional types of authorization.  Expanded to identify where requirements and standards related to the martial activities reside, include the ability of kingdoms to create additional restrictions or standards, and clarify the hierarchy and scope of Society and Kingdom rules.  Identifies the variance as one of the methods to manage differences between kingdom and society rules that may be needed due to regional differences or international restrictions.

Reason for Change:  While there are several references to the handbooks, Society and Kingdom requirements and standards, it is not consistent for all the major marshal functions listed in various subsections in these governing documents. Also, the hierarchy and methods for variances are implied but not clearly identified, which can and has caused confusion.  This section plus adding references to the handbooks and requirements to the other subsections will create that clarity and consistency.

(Marshals):

(IX.A.2)(IX.A.3)  The Kingdom Earl Marshal shall warrant marshals in order to conduct martial activities within their kingdom.  Warranted Marshals are officers of the Society and shall be warranted in accordance with Society procedures laid down for warranting officers and meet requirements delineated by the Society Handbooks relevant to that discipline.  In addition, Marshals shall be warranted or designated with particular authorities as defined by the Kingdom Earl Marshal and the handbooks, whether those be by discipline (e.g., armored vs. rapier fencing), role (e.g., field marshal or authorizing marshal) or other defined roles in the chain of command (e.g., Deputy Earl Marshal).   

Upon warranting, that warrant shall be registered and tracked by the kingdom, and proof of warrant shall be provided to the participant. This proof may be a physical warrant, or an accessible online system shall be available to the marshal, other marshals, and list officials in order to validate their status as needed. If a physical warrant is issued, that warrant must be shown to any marshal or list official upon request.

Functional Change: Clarifies that only warranted marshals are required to be officers of the society. Not all marshals (e.g. field marshals) are officers or warranted. Clarifies that marshal authorities can stem from Society or Kingdom handbooks, or from the Kingdom Earl Marshal.   

Reason for Change:  Current wording has created confusion about when warrants are required, different marshal types, responsibilities and authorities. It has often been interpreted that all marshals need to be warranted as officers, which is inconsistent with the Marshals handbook that has long provided guidance for specific functions that require warranting, or that marshals-in-charge can create unwarranted marshals as needed for their event.     

For Reference:  Per the Marshals Handbook, specific duties that require the Marshal be warranted include:

“It is relatively common for a marshal-in- charge to draft anyone he or she feels is competent to serve as field marshals during an event. Whether these individuals are warranted marshals is a matter of kingdom choice.” (Marshals Handbook, XIII.A.3)

(Authorizations:)

(IX.A.2) (IX.A.3)  A participant in any of the Society martial-related activities requiring an authorization as defined above must meet Society and Kingdom requirements and be authorized by a marshal warranted and designated by the Kingdom Earl Marshal, Society Marshal, of a kingdom or their representative as able to authorize individuals in the appropriate activity.

(IX.A.2) (IX.A.4)   A marshal, before they are granted the authority to authorize individuals in an activity, must meet Society and Kingdom requirements and be warranted and designated by the Kingdom Earl Marshal, Society Marshal, or their representative.

Functional Change: Edited to include all marshal forms. Some disciplines (e.g. target archery, thrown weapons) require the marshals to be warranted, but not every participant needs to be authorized. In addition, there are martial-related activities (e.g. practice or classes) that do not require authorizations. Adds the Society Marshal and their representatives (i.e. Deputy Society Marshals) to those officers than can warrant marshals, to include society-level run activities (e.g. wood jousting). It will also enable the Society Marshal, other KEMs, and deputies to support a KEM in establishing or relaunching martial activities that may not exist in their particular kingdom.  Currently KEMs are restricted from using marshals and experts outside of their kingdom to help with authorizations in many of the martial forms.  Clarifies that all marshals, including Society Marshal, Kingdom Earl Marshals, and deputies must meet specific requirements in order to authorize people.

Reason for Change: Safety in our martial activities is a function of the application and adherence to our rules, standards, and conventions. Both participants and Authorizing Marshals must meet requirements, and then be approved by the appropriate officer.  Authorizing marshals evaluate people to ensure compliance, and must meet requirements which include being trained in and demonstrating a good working knowledge of the marshal processes and specific content within that discipline.  In the past, it was sometimes assumed that the Kingdom Earl Marshal or the Society Marshal had the authority to singularly authorize people in any martial discipline, even if they were not an authorizing marshal or had no prior experience in that activity.  The SCA has 9 different martial disciplines, plus 2 youth programs, all of which have specific rules and required expertise. While some of the martial forms do have similarities and overlap, there is significant variety and complexity that an automatic authority to authorize people, without specific training or working knowledge of that martial discipline, undercuts our structure of safety.  

(IX.A.3)   Requirements for authorization for all marshal activities are delineated several in the Marshal’s handbook. Kingdoms may define such additional types of authorization (such as weapons forms) as they deem necessary. 

Functional Change:  Moved to the beginning of this section, and expanded to include all martial forms, identify that kingdoms may define additional restrictions, clarify hierarchy.

(IX.A.4)  Authorizations shall be registered with and kept on file by the Earl Marshal or other designated official of each kingdom.   

Functional Change:  Redundant with IX.A.7 and VII.D

(IX.A.5) (IX.A.6)  Waivers, indemnities, or other required documents must be signed as appropriate before training for authorization, being authorized, or participating in any SCA martial activities. Proof that the required document, if applicable, has been signed must be presented before an individual may participate in the above-mentioned activities. (For more detailed information on waivers, see Corporate Policies of the SCA, Inc., section IV – VI.)

Functional Change:  Minor change to ensure all martial forms are included, as not all forms require authorization.

(IX.A.6) (IX.A.7)       Authorizations shall be properly documented and completed according to the requirements set out in the Society handbooks and kingdom before an authorization is issued.  Upon authorization, that authorization shall be registered and tracked by the kingdom, and proof of authorization shall be provided to the participant. This proof, which may be a physical authorization card, or a list, or an accessible online system, shall be available to the participant, marshals, and list officials in order to validate authorization as needed. If a physical card is issued, that card must be shown to any marshal or lists official upon request. If there is a question on the validity of the proof of an authorization, the chain of command goes through the person’s kingdom earl marshal, who is ultimately responsible for confirming that they did or did not authorize properly.   The Society Marshal shall establish standards for the issuance of combat martial authorizations. 

Functional Change:  Added language to be consistent with (VII.D). Clarifies the role of the kingdom earl marshal with respect to authorization.

Minor authorizations:

(IX.A.7) (IX.A.7)  No person who has not attained their sixteenth (16th) birthday may be authorized in armored combat. No person who has not attained their fourteenth (14th) birthday may be authorized for fencing. These restrictions do not apply to Youth Combat, Youth Fencing, Equestrian activities, or to Target and Thrown Weapons.

(IX.A.8) (IX.A.9)   Prior to the authorization of a minor in any Society combat martial related activity that requires an authorization, the parent or guardian of the minor must witness the activity, discuss it with an authorizing marshal for that activity witnessing marshal, and execute a waiver, indemnity, or the required document for the minor.  The witnessing marshal must be explicitly authorized to perform this function by the Earl Marshal of the kingdom.  The marshal who authorizes a minor person for any form of Society martial-related activity must be the Kingdom Earl Marshal or the Principality Marshal, the Kingdom or Principality Deputy for that martial activity, or a deputy designated by the Kingdom earl Marshal to conduct minor authorizations, and they must be an authorizing marshal for that activity.  This need not be the same person as the witnessing marshal.

 (this section is also repeated in the Corporate Policies, “V.A.1 Waivers for SCA Combat-Related Activities”)

Functional Change:   Clarifies who is required to be part of the authorization process, and requires that a warranted marshal of that discipline conduct the authorization. This is consistent with the authorization requirements for adults, but with the added requirement for the authorization to be issued by a Kingdom Officer or a specially appointed deputy.   

Reason for Change:  The role and function of the “witnessing marshal” is unclear. It likely was intended to enable a separate marshal to conduct the authorization process while still requiring a Kingdom Officers to sign the final authorization paperwork.  In practice, minor authorizations are conducted by the Kingdom/Principality Earl Marshal or the Kingdom/ Principality Deputy for that martial activity.  The new wording reflects that process more clearly, while still enabling the potential appointment of a deputy who is not a kingdom officer if needed. 

(IX.A.9) (IX.B.10)  Any minor involved in Society combatmartial-related activities at an event must have a parent or a properly executed document designating some adult person present at the event as able to authorize medical treatment for that minor in the case of any emergency.

Functional Change: Minor wording change for consistency

Add to GLOSSARY

Reason for Change:  Not defined elsewhere, and is referenced in several areas concerning waivers and authorizations.

IX.B  IX.C   The Rules of the Lists

(see separate document on proposed changes to the Rules of the List)

——————— Other areas of the Governing Documents that refer to marshal areas —————

II.  EVENTS

II.D. Individuals in Charge of Events

…. Events including Society combat martial or combat martial-related activities must have at least one warranted marshal, designated by the Marshal of the sponsoring branch, in attendance and responsible for those activities.

II.G. Waterbearing

The activity of providing beverages to combatants participants and spectators at SCA Combat martial activities is not regulated, warranted, organized, controlled, or sanctioned by the SCA, Inc. or any affiliate or subsidiary entity. Any warrants, authorizations, or other formal recognition of this activity which may currently exist are by publication of this change revoked. The change does not address or This does not restrict any volunteer activities regarding providing beverages to combatants participants or spectators at SCA Combat martial activities nor the methods by which such provisions may be made. This does not preclude or affect SCA award recognition.

IV.  ROYALTY

IV.C.8   The Sovereign supervises combat on the field of honor.  

Functional Change:  Removes unclear and redundant language covered by existing rules.  The Crown’s responsibility for martial activities are already defined in the sections on presiding over Crown List (IV.C.2, I), supervising Officers (IV.C.7), and the Rules of the List (IX.B).

THE CORPORATE POLICIES OF THE SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE ANACHRONISM, INC.

V. WAIVERS – COMBAT MARTIAL ACTIVITIES

A. Waivers for SCA Combat-Martial Related Activities

Waivers are required for participation in SCA combat martial and related activities. The SCA. General Membership waiver is the text required for use in the United States. Alternative texts and requirement for proof may be approved by the Board for use in other countries. Proof of waiver will be established as follows:

  1. To be authorized, or to engage as an authorized participant in SCA martial or related activities, a person must present a current valid membership card indicating that the appropriate waiver is on file with the SCA, Inc. or they must sign a waiver with the same text and comply with all the provisions of that policy.

Functional Change:  Not all martial disciplines require authorizations.

Functional Change:  (SAME AS WORDING FROM SECTION IX.B.9)

V.B  Medical Authorization for Minors:

Any minor involved in SCA combat martial related activities at an event must have a parent or properly executed Medical Authorization Form for Minors designating some adult person present at the event as able to authorize medical treatment for that minor in the case of any emergency.

VI.  WAIVERS – PROCEDURES

Corpora, including the By-Laws, can be found in its entirety here: https://www.sca.org/resources/document-library/govdocs/.  

Please email all commentary to

[email protected]

and use the title “Proposed Marshallate Changes” in the subject line.  

NOTE: Do not use attachments in your commentary. Attachments will mark your message as spam and it will be rejected by the server.  

You can also send commentary by mail, Postage-Prepaid, to:  

Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.  

RE: Proposed Marshallate Changes  

P.O. Box 611928  

San Jose, CA 95161

Feedback should be received by 10 June 2024.

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