We are under a month away from Pennsic!  Have you finished your sewing?  Have you packed yet?  Are you ready for the best Pennsic ever???

I personally have only a few small sewing projects left.  As I have mentioned before, I learned many years ago that too much of a mad dash before War actually diminishes my enjoyment of the event.  So I will be wrapping things up and then will just putter with packing.

Oh, and writing.  I have the next Sheep breed post almost ready.  I need to wash some fleece samples this weekend and then hopefully get the photos taken so I can post it early next week.  I would love to get an additional sheep article added before Pennsic as well, but we shall see.

And then there is Haberci...  For those who do not know, this is a newsletter that I publish annually that lists all of the classes, roundtables, gatherings and haflas of interest to those in the SCA who study the arts and culture of the Middle East.  It was born many years ago out of necessity and it was so well received that the tradition has continued.  With fewer haflas happening, and the new University listing that allows you to create custom schedules, the publication has become less necessary.

I have to mention that if there is indeed a Haberci this year, there will be no more print versions of this publication.  The cost is too extreme and while a few people have generously helped cover some of it in the past, it really is too steep to produce on in that manner (each paper copy was costing over $1 to print and consider that there have always been between 250-500 copies for distribution... well, you can do the math).  If there are enough events happening to make it worth producing this year, I will be offering it up as a PDF download prior to Pennsic, and there will be laminated copies to view at Cafe Merhaba and at Touch the Earth. 

Now it is time for me to step away from this computer and revamp my packing lists yet again.  :-)

Haberci 2013 is ready! 

As always, please remember that events listed for private camps (parties/haflas/ect) might be canceled, revised or otherwise change at any time.

You can download your very own Haberci from the link below and please consider printing an extra copy or two (or ten) to leave at the new Kafe Merhaba for others to enjoy.

Have a wonderful War!

I was drawn to the Middle Eastern arts from the moment I was introduced to the SCA.  I loved the costumes and the dance, even if I really didn't understand either in a more proper historical context.  Actually, at that time, there weren't many individuals who really did... Ghawazee coats were considered period, as were harem pants and I actually heard ATS styling defended by more than a few on the basis of the fact that cholis are period for India.

Thanks in part to the internet, and to the years since then that people have had to research these things, there is a better understanding of correct costuming for the cultures of the Near and Middle East. An entire community and culture has grown up in the SCA around this facet of the Society.  At last, newcomers have access to good examples and good teachers to help them find their path (something I didn't have at that point in time).

Please don't think I feel that Ghawazee coats and traditional ATS costume and dance have no place in the SCA, I actually think they do.  The Society requires that one make an "attempt" and I feel very much that both of those meet that criteria.  I do believe in honesty though, and in knowing what it is that you are wearing/doing and where it came from.  This way, if asked, you can state that it's not period, but it's perhaps something you already had or something you thought might work for nights at Pennsic.  It helps prevent further confusion.  More on all this later at a later date, as I actually have a lot more to say on the subject.

The point of this bit of background is that in the early days there were not a lot of resources at events like Pennsic and it was often hard to wade through the massive class list to find exactly what you wanted and even more difficult to find locations for classes in private camps.  I remember those early Pennsics where I roamed around the lake for hours trying to find Orluk Oasis and the classes that were being held there.  It was frustrating.

That all changed about five or so years ago, when a friend asked for help putting together a Middle Eastern supplement for the official Pennsic Schedule. There were some issues that were going to prevent all of the classes from being published and he wanted to make sure that good things did not get missed.

I offered to do the task and to that end I created Haberci... a flyer not only of the official classes on the Middle Eastern track, but also an unofficial schedule of haflas, roundtables, henna parties and the like.  The publication (which is available for free on site at Your Inner Vagabond and at Touch the Earth) was such a hit that I have continued the tradition.  Haberci even went to Gulf Wars this year, thanks to another enthusiastic individual!  It is my hope that there will be non-War Haberci issue this winter.  Maybe it will be Haberci: The Peace Edition.

For those interested in learning more, check out the Facebook page for Haberci news: https://www.facebook.com/PennsicHaberci

For those who want to see the last few issues, click below :-)