Criteria: Aargh!

[Heather Rose Jones]

> Greetings from Lark of Cire Freunlaven, Shire of Gleann Dubh, Kingdom of
> Trimaris!
> 
> My first query, as it is on my mind, was to be, "Are there standards in
> place for using sleeve-ribbons as awards?" since we of Cire Freunlaven would
> like this to be our own way of honoring those of our encampment who have
> Done wondrous things in the bardic arts. Also since we all wear big,
> poofy-sleeved shirts and it would look wonderful (Okay, yes, we are a bit of
> a rogueish little family who delights simply in having fun.) You know, one
> color to signify one's first performance at a bardic circle, another for
> performing before the king, et cetera.  Are there not yet standards then?
> Are we free to do as we will? 

Since it should be fairly clear from some of the reactions here that 
there are no SCA-wide "bardic level-badges", I'll suggest that if what 
you want to do is avoid committing some sort of social faux-pas by this 
use of ribbons, you should probably ask someone local. It wouldn't be 
much use if I told you that it would be no problem in the West, if it 
turned out that your local barony used a similar system for _it's_ awards.

(Of course, my stock response is always, "What sort of medieval practice 
are you trying to emulate and how did _they_ handle the question?" In 
this case, I mean the use of ribbon-badges at all, not the question of 
whether it would bother anyone else.)

Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn