Musings on Estrella

[dametheadee]

Background for those who don't know me (and maybe even those who do):  I am from the Kingdom of Artemisia.  I have been involved in my Kingdom's efforts with regards to Estrella for a number of years, and am currently on the Estrella War staff.  I applied for the job because I thought it would be a chance to have some perspective about, and possibly some input into the second largest regularly held SCA event.  I have been observing some things that have unfolded.  There has been an announcement that Caid has declined principal Kingdom status for Estrella 26.  The Outlands currently has a poll up on their Kingdom website asking the populace's thoughts on remaining a principal Kingdom.  I have heard and read so many things lately, and at the core, the following things are what keeps coming into my mind.  

So who *are* the people  that are happy with the way things have been and the way things seem to be headed with regard to Estrella War?  Every time I ask someone or read something that refers to Estrella, I get the sense that it is "someone else" that has created the negativity that seems to be swirling around right now.  Nobody (and not that I would expect them to) stands up and says "Yay!  It seems like the war is struggling."  I hear a lot of "I did <this and that> to keep this from happening, and now look."  And really, in retrospect, it doesn't matter who "They" or "Those people" are.   The reality is that there are negative impressions that have been left, and feelings have been hurt along the way.  People have been left feeling that their efforts were invalid and their time was wasted.   I don't know that it is because of any one source or thing.  What I want to know is how it can be fixed, and how we can keep Estrella War alive and vibrant, not just continuing to exist out of sheer determination and stubbornness. 

I know that there are a lot of good people with a lot of heart and soul into this that don't want to see Estrella War fail.  There are long standing events that have ebbed and flowed and some have just gone away.  It happens, but I am hearing (and agree with) a lot of those who say "I don't want that to happen to Estrella."  The heart and soul, and nuts and bolts of this war are the people that work for years after years to keep it going and functional.  Some of them happen to wear shiny crowns and coronets, and many many more of them do not.

I think this is fixable.  If people want to look at the big picture and the reality...  I think it is not too late for a paradigm shift here. 

The reality is that attendance was low last year.  It is easy to see a variety of reasons, the economy and unemployment being chief among them.  Now more than ever, it would be good to treat the Estrella War like a business rather than just another SCA event.  Marketing and appeal are things that businesses have to consider.  Why should people spend their time and money to come to Estrella?  What are the reasons that people should attend the War?  And what are we going to do to bring back the fun and inspiration in the game?  Why does it  all turn into a big debacle about war points, wins, and losses?

What matters is where we go from here.   People that always look backward have a hard time forging ahead. . . .  What has already happened is only relevant, in my opinion, from a historical perspective.  To me, it is not about pointing fingers and making accusations - that is an incredible waste of time and energy, and not a great motivator for those who don't choose to participate at the political or organizational level.  And it is really discouraging for those who are.   We need to take a hard look at where we have been and decide where we want to go.   I believe that this has been happening among individual groups of people, but not on a bigger scale.  I don't really know how to make that happen on a bigger scale.  But I believe it can!

And I say "We" as a person who is interested in the future of this event.  As I believe you are if you are still reading.

I would love to hear from you guys.    Comments here are all public - my email is rachael.emborg  at  gmail . com (remove spaces) for more private thoughts. 

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