Persona questions..

[kenshiro]

Greetings !!

I have a few questions (gasp !!) about portraying a Japanese persona in the SCA..

Do you portray that persona exclusivley ?? Or do you have other persona's you use ?? Do you fight (if you do ) as Samurai, or Ashigiri and then dress as a different persona ??

Where can I find more info about the customs, basic manners and greetings...

Do you use a tent , when camping ?? If so what kind ?? Just a basic pavillion style ??

Thats all the questions I can think of at the moment.. If I come up with anything else I'll ask.. Thanks !!!

[kenshiro]

I think I found what I was looking for.... Thanks !!!

[Date Saburou Yukiie]

My persona has always been that of a mid ranked Samurai in service to Go Daigo Tenno, the Legitimate Son of Heaven.

I portray myself as the head of my branch of the Date Family, and as such comport myself with a certain stature and dress.

I treat those around me as my rank and station would.

I work personally as a Squire to Sir Ogami Akira of Clan Yama Kaminari. As such I kneel to him, and only to him. He swore fealty to the crown...I swore fealty to him...therefore I support anything my Clan Master and Knight does. I do not kneel with both knees on the ground to anyone besides my Knight.

In my early days I was the sworn body guard and retainer to the first unbelted King of the East, Graf Victor Gottvhiers. I was made Captain of the Queen's Body Guard.

Graf Victor released me honorably to work with Sir Ogami Akira, and I would still guard his life, if Sir ogami would wish it.

I have never had another persona, nor would I really want one.
I am in service to my Lord, and he has say over my entire life. This is good, as it frees me from having to think too much, and he decides in any given battle if I live or die.

His suggestions are my orders...and when he says..."it would be nice if such and such a thing happened..." you can bet your last yen I will be on it...or die trying...

Except for the glory of my Knight, and the King he serves...and finally my honor, it matters not to me.

I live, breath, sleep, fight, and die as a Samurai in service to my Lord, Sir Ogami. How can a samurai think otherwise...?

One would be suprised as to how orderly life is when one gives up all to one's Lord.

Date Saburou Yukiie
Yama Kaminari Ryu.

[Kitadatedenka]

Yes, I portray a (now...) high-ranking samurai of the very late sengoku period exclusively.

The only times in the past, uh, many years that I have dressed in non-Japanese cloting were for a pair of school demos. I do also wear Eurpoean clothing when I choose to fence, but that clothing is of the same time period, and plausibly worn by the Portugese (well, I did wear it one night at Gulf Wars to watch Much Ado About Nothing, as my friends were putting it on, and I wanted to support them)

I wear exclusively Japanese armour, except as noted above.

True, as samurai lives to serve, but at my level is just isn't as clear-cut as in Date-dono's case. I hope my retainers fund such peace in duty as he has.

[Ki no Kotori]

No, actually. I suffer from multiple persona disorder.

Having been involved in the SCA for many years now, my interests have changed over time. Also, garb is one of my passions and I am interested in clothing from both the East and the West.

Recently, I have made my Japanese persona my primary one, since most of my SCA activities seem to be revolving around Japanese research and activities. This process occurred over the past two years or so. But my other personas are still around, and I may still bring them out from time to time. Winter, especially, since Saxon garb is nicely suited for the northeast Iowa cold.

Yes, it confuses people sometimes. But my friends know who I am, and that's all I really care about.

Follow your interests, and do what is fun for you. That is one great thing about SCA, it does give a person plenty of opportunities to explore!

--Ki no Torahime

[Saionji Shonagon]

kenshiro said:

I think I found what I was looking for.... Thanks !!!

I assume you're at www.sengokudaimyo.com then? The Miscellany covers deportment and how to kit out your camp.

I started in the SCA as Jehanne de Wodeford. When a friend of mine became interested in doing Japanese and I introduced him to another friend who was doing Japanese, I kind of got sucked into their enthusiasm. Since I have interests specific to both personae, being able to alternate gives me a lot of scope. Jehanne does music and hates writing European poetry, but Makiwara has been gleefully seeding e-lists with waka for a couple of years now.

The downside is when Jehanne and Makiwara both want to spend money on books and other items simultaneously. Time management can also be interesting. ;->

M.