 Historical Fencing 2001
– Our Year in Review
The past year was another important one for us and for the historical
fencing community. It was by far the most
productive and active year we have seen for ARMA [under our former name, HACA]. 2001 saw new Study Groups form in Virginia Beach,
VA, Tulsa, OK, Dallas, TX, and added we almost 40 new members spread across 9 countries
(that’s on average 3 a month). And we also proudly acquired Dr. Sydney Anglo as our
official senior advisor. ARMA conducted five successful National Training Program workshops in:
Provo, Utah, at West Point NY, in Baton Rouge LA, plus Calgary, Canada, and did a seminar
for SFI in San Francisco. Our largest
workshop ever was also offered in Fort Worth Texas for members in the Dallas area.
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There were presentations by Director Clements at the huge
successful Livermore Medieval Swordsmanship Symposium event and at the Texas Medievalist
Association annual conference in San Antonio. We
also held our first-ever two-day Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts Expo in Atlanta which included special guests of the EHCG
from the Royal Armoury in Leeds, UK. |
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The Expo event covered long-sword, rapier, dagger, and
grappling plus test cutting and antique weapons handling. It was also a unique
opportinity to see John & Johnathan Waller in action with their colleague Andy
Deane. Later in the summer, we held our first Test-Cutting Gathering in Houston that gave
many attendees their first chance to use sharp blades and see the terrible effects of cuts
on realistic materials. |
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In August, our Director and Deputy Director gave a
special demonstration at the invitation of the esteemed Wallace Collection Museum in
London and got to meet some of our English colleagues as well as spend valuable time
consulting with our senior advisor, Dr. Sydney Anglo.
Following this, John and Jeff attended an unprecedented historical fencing
event, the huge Royal Armouries study day
put on in association with the EHCG (European Historical Combat Guild). ARMA performed two demonstrations and participated
in three days of study and practice with students from a dozen countries. |
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There was a range of activities
across the historical fencing community, including, but not limited to, popular seminars
on Fiore Dei Liberi by Bob Charron; the large WMA event in NY (sadly stymied to some
degree by the events of 9/11); an earlier large gathering in Michigan, several battle
reenactments, and the establishment of a historical fencing interpretation program at the
Higgins Armoury in Worchester, Massachusetts. |
| On top of this, in 2001 the new European
Historical Combat Guild (EHCG) was formed by our noted colleagues, John and Jonathan
Waller. The “Guild” already has attracted some 100 members. Additionally, last year saw the announcement of
the long anticipated CHEMA – Coalition for Historical European Martial Arts, set up
to openly promote the subject neutrally in Europe without regard to personalities
and petty politics. Their first event is set
for France in 2002. |
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The year rounded out with a successful first-ever ARMA [HACA] Euro
gathering in Krakow, Poland, put on by Bart Walczak and members from five countries. The Wallace Collection also sponsored a
unique Sword Study Day featuring lectures and demonstrations by several English groups and
a keynote paper by John C. delivered by Ross Dean. |
| The past 12 months were also the most productive yet for new book titles including, the release of the Waller/Ducklin
Sword Fighting, the publication of Oakeshott’s long-awaited Sword in Hand,
and the Encyclopedia of World Martial Arts which covers substantial material on
Western martial arts. There also was Hank
Reinhardt’s 2 new videos, Myth of the Sword and Viking Sword, and the
announcement of several major new historical fencing book projects for 2002. The year 2001 saw continued increase in new
historical fencing groups, clubs, and organizations plus a plethora of new websites
ranging across the board in their offerings. |
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To this we saw improvements in commercial sword
replicas and new equipment such as jackets, wasters, and wooden weapons. We also witnessed the continued transition among
practitioners from stage-combat and role-playing concerns toward serious research and
earnest practice of “Renaissance martial arts”.
There were also advances in scholarship, technical interpretation,
archaeological weapons research, and announcements of many planned future events. Additionally, we added substantial material to our
own website including more video clips, photos, articles, new manuals, revised study
sheets, and expanded materials and curricula in the private member’s area. |
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There is no question 2001 was bigger than 2000 and was
rich in activities, not all of which can be noted. Now
2002 is already shaping to be bigger than 2001 (with 9 ARMA events alone already in
tentative preparation as of January). Above
all, the year 2001 saw a renewed commitment to raising the credibility and legitimacy of
historical European martial arts and set a new standard. |
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