Gulf Wars XI

March 11-17, 2002

A week-long party with your best friends (potential and kinetic), doing the stuff you've always liked best. Travel strange lands! Meet interesting people! Dance with them!

Gulf Wars is officially a war between two kingdoms within the SCA, hosted by a third kingdom entirely. It takes place in rural Mississippi, about an hour north of New Orleans, in a huge campground called King's Arrow Ranch. Attendance topped 5200 people this year, from all over the world.

The Official Gulf Wars Home Page

This is the main fort where the fighting took place. Every year, the fort is built anew, and taken down at the end of the war. It was situated right near the horse pens and near the main battlefields, a big expanse of open field. The fence you see in front of the fort was for practicing heavy fighting on, probably for the Live Chess Match that was later that night -- knights had to practice fighting without moving a single foot!

Lady Irena and members of South Downs Rapier. Their tabards, appropriately enough, have magnolias on them.

Campsite, sweet campsite. The tent is barely visible to the left. In this shot is also the set of lanterns we bought from a merchant there. I had no idea how we were going to get them into the car after how full we'd packed it just to get there, but we managed.

Equestrian events are a big deal at Gulf Wars. I saw well over 20 or 30 there. It was an incredibly impressive sight to see them all in period tack, barrelling down a field, banners snapping in the breeze. I found myself gravitating toward the equestrian field (just to the left of the big fort) pretty often. That probably explains why I have so many horse pictures!

It was neat to see so many rapier fighters at the war. The field was near the fort as well, and the rapier fights were nearly constant. Some of the participants wore some very elaborate period costume with their garb -- it was amazing to see women in gamurras in fencing helms. Very inspiring! The waterbearers made a very good showing here, as always. Several pavilions were set up for visiting royalty and peerage off to the right side of the fighting, but I had a nice view right where I was.

Ben, on the first morning there, wearing his new light giornea, beige farsetto, and a new cloak made of grey fleece, edged in black velvet. Ben spent most of his time at the Herald tent, helping people with devices and names. Funnily enough, someone from SCA-Garb saw us walking down the road to the merchant area that morning and recognized Ben from the pictures I've had up. I'd never met her before, but we couldn't hide!

Me, on the first morning there. I was wearing a new linen gamurra, my Florentine necklace of amber and clear glass beads, and my trusty silver cloak with the green hood. I felt pretty loaded down, though -- between the pouch full of necessary supplies and the camera bag, I felt like I was a pack mule!

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This page last updated: July 10, 2009

All text copyright Vangelista di Antonio Dellaluna, except where otherwise noted. All portraits are understood to be copyright- free and are presented as research aids only.