Folkgemot
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, GA
February 8, 2025
On Saturday, February 8th, 2025, I attended a ‘new’ style of event for the Kingdom of Meridies called ‘Folkgemot’. It was a day of meetings and managing some of the administration of the kingdom as required by the law of the kingdom and the charters of the various orders within. It was a trimmed down, trial run and a new concept that Meridies has not tried in recent memory.
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| A viking Allthing |
A little history… folkgemot, the name, is derived from old English. The word and its variations span across cultures and time to identify traditions from Germanic cultures pertaining to meetings and/or meeting places. The etymology is ‘folc’ for ‘people’ and ‘mot or gemot’ for ‘meeting’. A ‘people meeting’ in literal terms. It’s the concept of people gathering to conduct the business of whatever it is they need to do or are doing. In many uses, it is related to open communication between leaders and the people. In Norse, Dane cultures, you sometimes hear the term ‘thing’ for a similar concept.
The Meridian Folkgemot was a planned set meetings in this first iteration. It has been tradition in Meridies to hold Order meetings on the back of traditional events in our kingdom. When I reference meetings, I refer to both the Orders of Peerage and the grant-level polling orders within this kingdom that each meet up to twice (or more times) a year. While convenient in theory to hold meetings at a normal event, this can take away people from the event for said meeting(s). Having official meetings at an event can be a drag on event participation and enjoyment for those involved. For example, I attended Castle Wars last year. I am in 3 polling orders and all three had meetings at the event. That tied me up for a little over 3 hours of my Saturday to attend said meetings. Time that I would have rather spent out of the fighting field or doing anything but sitting in a crowded space making use of Robert’s Rules.
At Folkgemot, I had 4 meetings to attend. I should note that the event was free to attend other than travel and boarding. I drove from my home and returned on the same day, so my expense was minimal. This first time run was limited to Peerage and polling order meetings. There was none of the other trappings normally associated with an SCA event. No food or classes were involved. Just business. There is hope that in a future iteration of this event that there be a fuller schedule to include classes on various topics and other accoutrements.
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| Folkgemot schedule. |
The experience was good, even in the economy version footprint. In the morning hours, I attended 3 polling order meetings. Efficient. I had a break both during and after lunch. During that time I sat around socializing. Watched some gents playing MTG. I also was able to sacrifice myself on the chess board to His Lordship Martin de Bernay for a couple of rounds. First time I have played in many, many years. In the afternoon, I attended my first Order of the Pelican meeting.
And that was my day.
I was intrigued by the idea that Folkgemot presented. The practical archaeologist in me reveled (well, at least was strongly content) in participating in an activity that people have been doing throughout history. Yes, it was just SCA meetings, but framed in this idea of a clan gathering or a village assembly was cool (ish). I also like the idea of ‘just getting on with it’ in the Monty Python sense. Get all this stuff done now, in one place. Now, I don’t have to sacrifice any of my event participation for the next several months to ‘order business’ and miss out of what it happening at an event for it. That has a lot of value when you are part of a bunch of Orders in your kingdom.
There is a good chance this folkgemot concept will blossom and grow. It could have classes run by the different orders (what is the order of whatever, how to I get in the order of whosit, etc). Maybe there could be a curia at the next one or classes on how to run a feast or how to be a group officer. It could be a event driven by celebrating what the SCA is and how Meridies works. There is a lot of possibilities. Its neat to think about. I can hear Mr. Burns in my head, ‘Excellent!’.
Well met friends. Safe journey to thee!
Meistr Eoin Mac Cana called 'Clyde'
Squire to Earl Benen MacTire
Warden of the Northern Plateau
Shire of Easaraigh
Kingdom of Meridies
