An Interview with "Women in Practical Armor" - Ann and Rena from the Seattle Knights

It's one thing to tell you about how awesome a concept Women in Practical Armor will be when Evil Girlfriend Media's Kickstarter for this project is completed, but it's quite another thing when you come to discover that the demand for such a concept has led to women keeping such a noble tradition alive by showing off their skills with a sword in present day America.

Yes, it was recently brought to our attention by way of EGM as we were putting together our coverage for this Kickstarter of a group in the Pacific Northwest known as the Seattle Knights, and in that group are several women who just happen to don full armor and battle it out in front of crowds and we had the privilege of sitting down with two actual women in practical armor, Ann and Rena.

GOG: How excited are the both of you to see an anthology filled with this kind of subject matter? 
Rena: I am so very excited about this anthology about women. At least once each performance I do, there will be a question or comment about my armor as it relates to fantasy writings or movies.  The non-practical armor does nothing to protect a person (man or female) from harm when jousting, swing sword or from medieval warfare! It still amazes me that we are taught the wrong history and that so many believe that women did not defend their families, homes, or lands through the ages. Having an anthology of women in practical armor is a step in the right direction to show a large audience that women have a proper place in history and their attire had meaning not just for the men looking at her!

Ann: Very excited. It should be some fun reading. And I LOVE reading.

GOG: How important do you think it is to see this kind of literature available to so many readers?
Rena: I believe it is truly important for the masses to learn REAL history.  The history that women were fierce and took defending their homes, family, lands and country all the way to the battlefields just like their male counterparts.  The history taught in the U.S. is based on England's written history which the church changed by not admitting women were a part of it. Women were treated lesser than men.  I feel the U.S. should adopt the history of other countries, which have accounts of women throughout history being a large part of the changing face of time.  I am excited about having an anthology that does not play to the fantasy of women but one that focuses on the historical relevance of women in armor.

Ann: I think it’s time for this anthology. Back in the 90’s Esther Friesner edited a series of short story anthologies beginning with “Chicks In Chainmail” and a handful of pun-titled follow-ons. Some of those stories poked fun at the impractical armor stereotypes, others showed more realistic women warriors, they were all fun. Now we’re ready for an attitude shift of “Ok, but seriously now…” and to see some more stories with kick-butt female warriors getting the job done. There are heroines in SF out there, but I’m always up for more of them. It will be good to see how the heroines are interpreted in this round.

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Meet Rena

Meet Ann

GOG: What was it that got the two of you into The Seattle Knights?
Rena:  I was a member of the SCA in the early 80's and discovered a group called The Fantasy Alternative who had branched out from the SCA.  The TFA played quest like games in Seattle parks.  I joined and loved it.  Over time, the Seattle Knights was formed and grew into a performing group which historically has been mostly women.  I had been in the SCA and stayed with the Seattle Knights due to my love of history, learning and teaching.  The Seattle Knights honored women (in practical armor) and the company motto of Education through Entertainment gave me an outlet to teach and learn history and be an entertainer! It has been an honor to work with the Seattle Knights & TFA for the last 30 years.

Ann: I got into the Seattle Knights after seeing one of their shows and hearing that they had sword-fighting classes. I was looking for a fun mode of exercise at the time and missing my days of Tae Kwon Do, and it sounded like fun. It is fun, and then it grows on you…

GOG: Walk us through a typical day as a Seattle Knight.
Rena: Show days are busy and high energy!  I am up early to feed horses (usually 6 am) then off to take care of my meal and getting cleaned up for the show.  A few hours later, I get my horse, Paladin, groomed and tacked up so that I can warm him up.  Then I prepare him by getting his caparison and show gear on. About 30 minutes till show time, I get armored up, get my gear set up for the show such as lance, spears, pennants etc. then meet with my team about what we are doing and need.  My co-workers in the groups I work with help out tremendously since I cannot carry everything out on horseback!  If it was not for our foot troupe, it would be a very difficult show!  All the prepping then comes down to the moment where we are first introduced! I raise the pennant spear and Paladin flies before the crowd and their voices raise in excitement! At this moment, my nerves calm and we get the job done! Shows are 30 to 60 minutes long and consist of equestrian games and the joust.  Depending on how we have decided to do the show, I may do one or 6 jousts!  In the end, the crowd loves it.  At the end of the show, Paladin gets his pets from his fans and I answer questions from the audience. After the show, I take Paladin back stage (so to speak) and care for him. Between shows, I love to walk the faire, talk to people, have pictures done, and entertain. It is great to have little kids look up at you in awe!  At this point, it is rinse and repeat as we do 3 shows a day at most faires.  When all our shows are done for the day, he is stripped of gear, let him roll in the dirt, groomed down, spoiled with treats and a good dinner.  Then I am off to feed me!  Sometimes I clean armor and gear for the next day then it is off to bed to repeat the next day. Each day is different depending on the needs of the client. Even after all these years, I still love doing the shows/faires!

Ann: Heh – a typical day as a Seattle Knight is usually whatever you do for your day job, followed possibly by a Knight practice in the evening. But if there’s an event, for me the typical day actually starts the day before, when you make sure you’ve got all the costuming you need, that it’s clean and in good repair and has all the parts. That might include boots, the arming clothing that you wear under your armor, the armor itself, any cords, belts, or other attachments you’ll need to hold it all together, and so forth. I like to put that together at least a day ahead in case I find anything that needs more washing or more repair – and I don’t want to forget anything. Then you pack it all up, including anything your horse will need: food, tack, costuming, and treats. Don’t forget any weapons you’re planning on using, and a spare in case something breaks. We usually have a call time of an hour or so before an event is supposed to start, where you’re already in costume, or at least mostly, and your horse is tacked and ready. That gives us time to go over the order of events for the show. We try to alternate events for the horses with fights on the ground, so that everyone gets a little bit of a rest before they have to do something again. At the end of each show, we try to give the audience a chance to chat, ask questions, and pat the horses – sometimes that’s my favorite part, and the horses’ favorite too. The other favorite part is when we finally get to take the armor off again – if we’ve been wearing it all day, it gets pretty heavy towards the end, and taking it off can feel very nice indeed.

GOG: What kinds of empowering stories for women would you like to see in literature or popular culture?
Rena: The type of stories I like to read include characters who are empowered but the stories are more historically based than out in left field fantasy.  I like characters who are strong and real.  One that I can believe and care about. I like characters that make me get caught up in their story and I need to keep reading!

Ann: I like the sort where the female characters are just doing what they need to do, competently and without explanation, apology, or extensive justification.

GOG: Where can people see The Seattle Knights perform or learn more about your group?
Rena: The Seattle Knights can be found online at www.seattleknights.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/seattleknights.  We will be at the Snohomish County Pumpkin Hurl & Medieval Faire September 12-13 in Everett, WA.  Our calendars are on the website and FB page!  There are currently loads of wonderful pictures of both Ann and I as we have been at the WMRF for the last 2 weekends jousting! 

Ann: The best place to find out about our performances is on the calendar page of the Seattle Knights website, http://www.seattleknights.com/calendar-upcoming-events.html. We also have a Facebook page where events are posted, but the Calendar page has the full listing all in one spot. Events are added as they are confirmed, so check back in case things change.

Our thanks again to Ann and Rena for taking the time to talk with us, and as an added treat for all of you, here is some video footage of both Ann and Rena showing off their combat skills. Enjoy and for more information on Evil Girlfriend Media's Kickstarter for Women in Practical Armor, head here.