Symmonne Deccarrete de Villette

Symmonne, Symonne, Symmone, Symone

I am a member of the Society for Creative Anachronisms (S.C.A., Inc.). An anachronism is something out of its proper time. The S.C.A. is a world-wide, non-profit educational organization whose purpose is the recreate the Middle Ages (600 A.D. to 1600 A.D.).

Within the S.C.A., I was originally known as the Honorable Lady Darbie of Ironmaid. I reside in the Barony of Wealdsmere in the Kingdom of An Tir. My Coat of Arms is registered with the College of Heralds of the S.C.A. My personal interests are mostly in the area of the Arts: needlework, sewing, painting, calligraphy, illumination, music (bardic), story telling, dance, heraldry and culinary, not necessarily in that order.

There is one odd characteristic that is hard to recreate in the middle Ages. I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years. My persona, therefore, is basically a very religious person who is always honoring the Lenten diet.

Members of the Society are strongly encouraged to give Service. I received my Award of Arms on June 27, A.S. XXVII/1992, during the second reign of Gunnarr and Gabriell.

After serving a term of two years as Seneschale of the (then) Shire of Wealdsmere, I was admitted (September 24 A.S. XXIX/1994) by His Majesty Rorik Gunnarrson and Her Majesty Berengaria into the Right Noble Order of the Goutte de Sange and given my Grant of Arms in recognition of substantial Service to my Kingdom, An Tir. I have also been admitted (September 28, A.S. XXXII/1997) into the Right Noble Order of the Jambe de Lion by Their Majesties Sven Gunnarrson and Signy Oxendahl.

My path of Service continues. On August 9, A.S. XXXI/1996, I was accepted by Master Sir Aaron de Mantel a member of both the Knights of the Society and the Order of the Pelican, to become his protégé. If I have performed any service with which you are pleased (or not!), he wants to know about it!

The Baron and Baroness of Wastekeep, Ulrik and Meagan, saw fit to grant me membership into the Order of the Blasted Tree (October 21, A.S. XXXV). The Baron and Baroness of Wealdsmere, Brandt and Kelta, recognized my contributions to the Arts and Sciences with membership into the Order of the Golden Acorn (March 31, A.S. XXXV).

Having stepped down as the Minister of Arts for the Barony of Wealdsmere, I continue to serve our Society as the web mistress for many of the branches in the Inland Region.

My crab badge was passed the College of Heralds in 1999. Some of the people I know might say I'm a little crabby, now I'll be advertising it at every SCA event I attend! I am very active in my support of Heraldry in the SCA with 3 registered names and 6 registered devices, including an homage to one of my favorite books, the Cullen badge from Twilight. (remember, in the S.C.A., 'Creative' is our middle name!)

I have personal experience in the construction (or making) of four pavilions (and you can clearly see how I love my heraldic display):

• My first pavilion was a 13 foot tall Viking pavilion (A frame).
  
• My second pavilion was a small French Arming pavilion. (I called it my personal pan pavilion, because it's big enough for one!) After the above picture shown, I expanded the pavilion with a sleeping alcove out the back (with windows decorated with goutes and crabs) - it made the small area much more livable.
  
• My third pavilion was not authentic: it is based on the 10-foot square merchant canopy available at Costco. I have, however, embellished it so that it still has a medieval feel. I have included windows decorated with goutes, to tie into my badge and award. I have painted red and black Celtic knotwork on the walls. I love it, though, because it is so large! I can breathe, I can sleep, I can comfortably stay out of the rain. I hope that you will drop by and visit if you see my dragons and crabs at an event.
  
• My newest pavilion is a standard umbrella pavlion. Its frame is a 9' umbrella. The umbrella has a lovely 11" skirt with acanthus leaves painted in four colors of blue (if you don't know by now, I hardly ever do anything the easy way!). Its white canvas walls extend out to a 15' octagon. Of course, it has the 'stained glass window' look, based on my fleur-de-lis badge.
  

Time passes and my voyage of discovery in the Current Middle Ages has evolved. I moved on to develop a late period French persona, Symmonne Deccarrete de Villette. I have recently been working on a new persona, Katla járnkona, an early period Norse/Viking woman (I'm getting back to my roots).

 

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