Re: Fwd: [C.SacredStone] Re: Shire meeting at 12th Night

[Julien de Montfort <julien@spiaggia.org>]

Poster: Julien de Montfort <julien@spiaggia.org>

> I want to stress that what I am asking is specific to the validity of
>Shires
> and politics, not if The Guardians should make this change. What do
>you
> think?

That's an interesting question, actually... speaking as the North's
only canton seneschal, I would have to agree with the poster of the
latter half of the forwarded email, in that I don't see how going from
canton to Shire would be considered a 'degredation.'

However, please keep in mind here that the political and social
dynamics of cantons up here are completely differnet than they are in
the south -- here there are no large collections of cantons like you
have with several southern Baronies, and so my comments can and should
only be taken as a reflection of how I see ourselves as a canton.

First off, from a purely administrative viewpoint, there is no change
up or down between canton and shire; it is simply a lateral move.  The
requirements stay the same -- the only difference is the 'sponsorship'
of a parent barony with the canton.

When Spiaggia was first discussed by its proto-members some six or
seven years ago, there of course was the question of whether or not it
would make it's appearance as a canton or a Shire.  However, due to our
geographic obscurity and the relative 'newness' of the SCAdians in the
area, our founding members decided we would be better served, and we
could serve Atlantia better, as a canton.

I'm pleased to say that I feel they were absolutely correct in that
assumption, and I also pleased to say that we have a wonderful and
mutually beneficial relationship with our parent Barony, Bright Hills.
Knowing we could count on them for assistance or guidance during those
first formative years were a great comfort -- unlike some other new
groups, we had only one person (our founding seneschal) who had really
been in the SCA before for any significant length of time, and while he
had several year's experience, it can't compare to other groups that
might have a Peer or other 'old hats' of the Society from which to
learn.  Being a canton under Bright Hills afforded the luxury of being
able to learn and interact with members who had considerably more
experience than we did.

Had we started out as a Shire right off the bat, I'm not sure we would
be as healthy or happy of a group as we are today, and for that, I'm
very appreciative to both our founders and our Barony.

When I first joined the Society, I had heard about all these cantons
down south -- it seemed like hundreds of them at the time -- and I
thought "Neat!"  My first assumption was that with all those cantons in
the Baronies, maybe the political structure was different -- like, say,
Windmaster's Hill being run by a 'court' comprised of its senschals or
something.  That's not the case (as far as I know! ;->) but I thought
the huge number of cantons down south as opposed to up north was
interesting.

As to our own future, the majority of Spiaggians think we should go
independent eventually (of course, most Spiaggians also think we should
wage a war of total conquest, eventually resulting in a World in which
the only authoritarian power would be the benevolent yet heavy-handed
rule of the mighty Great Purple Empire -- but I suspect that's because
of too much flouride in the water around here ;->).

But seriously, I'm sure we eventually will go independent, either as a
Shire, or (less likely) as Barony.  It will not necessarily be right
away, and I don't see how it would be a bad thing -- we wouldn't be
'abandoning' our parent Barony, nor trying to outshine it, or any other
thing like that.  We're simply growing up, and we will have the
opportunity soon to stand completely on our own two legs.  We've grown,
matured, gone through good times and bad times, and seen growing pains
as well as great rewards.  We know what we're in for as a independent
group in term of situations and responsibilities, and I am confident
that we can stand on our own within the next year, should we wish to do
so.

Julien

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Seigneur Julien de Montfort                  De sable, seme d'hermines
"Solum Dice Nullus Sunt Suficio"                  d'or, un caid argent
Seneschal, Web Minister, pursuivant@large
Canton de Spiaggia Levantina                   http://www.spiaggia.org
Bright Hills, Atlantia                             julien@spiaggia.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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