Medieval Club hosts fifth annual faire (Photo by Brittany Oswald, The Daily Campus)
The SMU Nova Mensa Rotunda Medieval Club hosted its 5th annual Medieval Faire Wednesday afternoon at the flagpole. The event was open to all SMU students and faculty and featured various activities with medieval influence.
This year’s faire included everything from dancing to fencing. Dancers from the Highland Dancers were brought in to entertain the crowd with traditional costumes and dancing, and members from the Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA) flavored the afternoon wearing robes and dresses from the medieval era.
Dedman Law School librarian May Foreman, also a member of White Rock Weavers, enhanced the afternoon with weavings reminiscent of the era. Also present was Pursuers of All Things Holy and Sacred, or PATHS, an SMU sponsored organization supporting earth-based religions and spirituality. Group members read palms and offered taro readings.
Members of the Medieval Club were also present to enjoy the event, some in their own personal era costumes. One member’s T-shirt described the event perfectly with the phrase “Wake Me Up– 500 Years Ago.”
With students and adults wandering around the Hilltop in medieval garb and traditional music serenading any and all who wandered near, it was impossible to ignore the faire, which is exactly what the Medieval Club was hoping for.
“We try to bring as many people together as we can to display the attitude and activities that were exhibited in springtime faires in the middle ages,” said Medieval Club President Ava Franks. “Our goal is to bring old ideas, practices and activities to SMU students in a new, interesting and informative light.”
Though it is academically based, the Medieval Club strives to “create a balance of lectures and events to get the SMU campus aware – that academics can be fun,” stated Franks. It does this by offering various lectures and other events like the spring faire to SMU students.
This year, some of those events have included an annual Halloween party with a lecture on the origins of Halloween and a lecture on the history of Valentines Day. Events are always free and open to everyone.
The club is also open to new members. “You don’t even need to know anything about medieval times,” said Franks. “I didn’t when I first joined.” Members come from multiple disciplines with very few actually majoring in medieval studies. All that is necessary to join is a desire to learn about the middle ages.
“The group is an enhancement to your studies,” describes member Patricia Ash. “There’s just not enough time to take the classes you want so it’s extra fun.”
This year there are 50 registered club members, which double the membership from last year. The club is celebrating its 26th year on campus. For more information, contact Ava Franks at [email protected].
