Golden Swan Tournament
The Tournament of the Golden Swan is held annually on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in Appledore.
Golden Swan is a persona development challenge for female personas. It is sponsored by the Shire of Appledore in the Kingdom of An Tir within the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), a world-wide historical recreationist group. The first Golden Swan was held in Kelowna, B.C. in 1984.
The purpose of Golden Swan is to foster knowledge of the lives of women in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Its aim is not merely to confine itself to women's history and women's issues, although these will, of necessity, form part of the research most candidates will do. A successful Golden Swan has acquired a level and depth of understanding of what a woman's life was like in a given time period that may be unequalled even in the highest academic circles.
In addition, the candidate will have a certain amount of acting ability, to stay in persona for a period of 36 hours. The judges and event organizers try to create a supportive atmosphere during the event for those undergoing the Golden Swan competition.
Golden Swan is held on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in south-central BC.
Applicants must submit an application to the Shire of Appledore by June 30 of the year in which they wish to compete. This will consist of a general persona introduction (name, age, date and place of birth, marital status, occupation or occupation of father or husband, social standing, and any other relevant information), and a general bibliography. Applicants should also indicate which categories they intend to compete in (see the links to the left). A more detailed application will be required by August 15 if the applicant has been accepted. Candidates enter 10 categories. Eight are mandatory: Persona Development, Skills and Technologies, Costuming, Needlework, Correspondence, Everyday Life, Habitat and Food. The candidate must also choose 2 of the 3 following: Games and Pastimes, Performance, Survival Skills.
Personas must be historically based, not just SCA. Documentation is expected for the persona in general, as well as some minimal level for each category. Educate the judges by providing them with as much information as you can. Please note that all categories are open to anyone as individual contests.
Website: http://www.goldenswan.org/
Golden Swans
1984 Thyri Iris Eiriksdattir
Norway
Born 985
Currently 1008
Jane Ann Lahmann
1984 Kyrsteen ap Sennan
Wales
Born 1398
Currently 1421
Joanne Burrows
1984 Gyelle Spence
Normandy
Born 1050
Currently 1080
Laurel S. Burch
1984 Elspeth Aylena of Alnwick
England
Born 1529
Currently 1547
Valorie Lennox
1985 Janet Marie MacBain
Scotland
Born 1490
Currently 1511
Anne Cave
1986 Eileen Falconer
England
Born 1475
Currently 1502
Delaine Faulkner
1987 Madelene de Vos
Belgium
Born 1423
Currently 1453
Brenda F. Nicolson
1989 Anthea de Northeton
no application on file
1990 Helene von Gruner
England
Born 1348
Currently 1365
Leanne Mallory
1990 Ilana M.M. di Firenze
Italy
Born 1353
Currently 1401
Sharon Burrows
1991 Adriana della Sangomano
Italy
Born 1455
Currently 1487
Toby Chernoff
1992 Meresigha Stonegatta
England
Born 872
Currently 916
Jackie Lynch
1995 Aloise de Pont du Fosse
France
Born 1151
Currently 1187
Susan Suisaidh
1998 Vigdis Bjornsdottir
Sweden
Born 809
Currently 852
Melinda Shoop
1999 Osolbayajin
Mongolia
Born 1186
Currently 1230
Kim Jacobs
1999 Nadezhda Igoreevna
Russia
Born 932
Currently 957
Erin-Lee Halstad
2001 Walburga of Liege
Belgium
Born 1198
Currently 1230
Mary Defeo
2001 Agnes Kennet
England
Born 1326
Currently 1350
2001 Meryell Kennet
England
Born 1330
Currently 1350
Kiara Moran
2003 Alis Talairan de Perigord
Aquitaine (France)
Born ?
Currently 1152
Anne Harwood
2003 Rose van den Burge
Belgium
Born 1421
Currently 1440
Shiela Campbell
2004 Saikhan
Mongolia
Born 1255
Currently 1291
Marie Bauer-Woodard
2005 Iulia Aurelia
Britannia (Roman rule)
Born 401
Currently 450 Italy
Sarah la Follette Urdahl
2005 Lucy Pogson
England
Born ?
Currently 1375
Judy Mulloy
2006 Anya the Gypsy
Hungary
Born 1534
Currently 1580
2010 Samira al Waddi
Spain
Born 1133
Currently 1175
2012 Marguerite FitzWilliam
Wales
Born 1133
Currently 1172
Barbara Beden-Hill
2012 Meresigha Stonegatta
England
Born 872
Currently 916
Jackie Lynch (second time)
2012 Alicia de Wilford
England
Born 1331
Currently 1371
Judy Harcus
2014 Diamante da Magenta
Italy
Born 1477
Carol Lewis
2014 Illuminada Eugenia de Guadalupe y Godoy
Lima, Peru
Born 1582
Currently 1614
L. Dinsmore
2014 Svala Gunarsdottir
Iceland
Born 897
Currently 929
Shawna Cummings
2016 Cwrstyn verch Senann du Saone
Wales
Born 1398
Currently 1450
Joanne Burrows (second time)