AUSTRALIA 2011: Medieval Fayre

AUSTRALIA 2011: Medieval Fayre (May 22, 2011)

Lords and ladies. Knights and horses. Castles and princesses. Swordfights. Witchcraft. Chivalry. Need I say that the medieval times have always fascinated me? Not that I would want to live during that time, because all things considered, it was quite a dark period of human history. Regardless, all things “medieval” have always sparked my interest, so imagine how excited I was when we found out that the Blacktown council will be holding a “Medieval Fayre.” As a bonus, it will be held in Nurragingy Reserve, which is very nearby and more importantly, is where my aunt and uncle got married.

Nurragingy Reserve and the colors of autumn

M E D I E V A L  V I L L A G E

Beautiful autumn colors

We arrived at Nurragingy just around lunch time, because we went after Sunday service. The parking lot was packed with cars, so we took some time looking for an empty space to park. As we walked towards the event venue, we could hear the noise from the crowd. We could also see flags and banderitas everywhere, as well as tents amongst the trees with their beautiful autumn colors. It was a beautiful autumn day. The sun was as cooperative as the people who were walking around in their medieval costumes. 

Robin Hood doing his rounds

Costumes. Where do I begin? We saw all the medieval characters you can think of – princesses in their flowy dresses, knights in their full armour, jugglers, fire-throwers, witches, village people – heck, even Robin Hood was present.

Trying out the guillotine

It was like being lost in the middle of a medieval village. There were so many people, and occasionally a person dressed in full medieval garb would pass you by.

Reenacting life during those times

Tents were put up for food, which included everything from chips to sandwiches to fairy floss (cotton candy). Some tents were also put up for other things, like selling medieval artifacts and face-painting. A lot of tents were put up to showcase medieval armour, and we got to try on a few helmets and play with a few swords. We even got to try the guillotine at one point.

Helmets and shields

Also, there were several groups who put up tents to showcase historical displays and interactive demonstrations. They were really acting like they really lived during the medieval times, so all their clothes, equipment, food, and even tent really demonstrated that. All periods were also pretty much represented – Viking, Norman, Saxon, Crusader, Saracen, Byzantine and High Medieval. It was just so fascinating to witness.

F I E L D  O F  H O N O U R

There were several arenas to demonstrate medieval fights, and one of which is the “Field of Honour.” Here we got to witness warriors dressed in full armour battling it out in an authentic combat. They used genuine weapons and combat moves to fight each other. Someone was narrating as well, explaining what we were seeing for us to appreciate it more. It was so cool to cheer along the sidelines as if we were witnessing something that actually happened in the Middle Ages.

Fighting in the "Field o Honour"

S W O R D P L A Y

The next arena was the swordplay arena. Here they demonstrated how they dueled during the Middle Ages. It was so entertaining as well as educational.

Swordplay

After the group swordplay demonstration where everyone had a pair and showed us various dueling moves, it was time for the couple demonstration. This time, a girl and a guy demonstrated how to have a lover’s quarrel during the medieval times, complete with dialogue and acting. It was so funny and entertaining, I felt like I was stuck in the middle of some medieval movie set.

A  K N I G H T ' S  T A L E

The highlight of our afternoon, however, was the jousting tournament. I first heard of jousting when I watched the movie “A Knight’s Tale.” Yes, the one with the late Heath Ledger, who is incidentally Australian. Jousting is basically a competition between two knights mounted on horses, galloping towards each other and armed with lances. The objective is to use the lance to hit the opposing knight’s chest or shield, and if the contact is particularly strong, knock him off his horse.

Let the jousting begin

Jousting up close

Never in my life did I imagine that I’d actually get to witness real jousting, let alone a full jousting tournament. The “knights” who were there really compete in actual jousting tournaments, and they were quite good. The place was packed with people, and the energy was astounding. It was a joy to witness, and I was so giddy with excitement.

Lady Sarah

We even found out that one of the knights was actually a lady (Lady Sarah), and when she took off her armour to show that she really is female, I couldn’t be more proud. I know we’ve come quite a long way from the medieval times. This day made realize that people from the Middle Ages have a lot of important things to remind us of (chivalry, anyone?). However, we also have a lot of things to teach them.

Lady jousters? And just why not?