Lakes Falcon Medieval Club member Deborah Campbell. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER
Medieval re-enactment is seeing a growth thanks partly to hit television shows like Game of Thrones. But as Rebecca Malcolm finds out, it's about far more than just getting dressed up in period gear and shooting arrows.
Deborah Campbell is as comfortable spending time in the 14th and 15th century worlds as she is in today's.
The self-confessed history nut has spent her lifetime reading and learning about the past, but in more recent years she's taken it that step further - back into medieval times.
And she is taking others with her as she introduces Rotorua to the growing world of medieval re-enactment.
With the huge popularity that television series like Game of Thrones and Reign have seen, a new generation has been attracted to the world of the past.
For Deborah, it was as simple as spotting an advertisement in the local Taumarunui newspaper six years ago.
"I've always loved history. I've been a history nut my whole life. I'm a King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table nut-bar."
Discovering the world of re-enactment was like discovering a whole different level for her history passion, she says. Whereas in the past it was limited to reading books and studying films, she now has the chance to step back in history and experience it.
"There are only so many books you can read but through this you are able to relive the history, especially when you go to the competitions and everyone is in period clothes. It's just fantastic and so much fun. It's just an escape really."
The biggest misconception, she says, is that they're all geeks.
Since starting the Rotorua Club, Lakes Falcons, last year it's grown to almost two dozen members. While the love of history is what draws many, the route into medieval re-enactment is different for everyone.
Some are attracted by the physical side - the combat fighting element - others never step into that arena and instead are lured in by the old-fashioned handicraft skills.
For many, says Deborah, it's about a sense of belonging.
"How I run the club is loosely based on my social work background, there's a big aspect of belonging."
Kids involved are taught those old-fashioned values - "manners and honour, duty and chivalry" - like opening doors for others.
Those of European descent often use it as a chance to reconnect with their ancestry - a link and connection Deborah believes is missing for many.
"For a lot of European descent they have lost their culture. We encourage people to search for their ancestry and have pride in it. People are encouraged to find their own family history and to feel that connection to their blood.
"I'm a strong believer that self-esteem comes from achievement and people are able to achieve in it."
Deborah says often whole families become involved, youngsters taken along by their parents, wives by husbands etc.
"I think it appeals because there are so many aspects to it. There are so many levels and so many different things you can get involved in.
"There is something for everyone in the family."
That handicraft aspect is something which she is hoping will lure more members, especially those in the older age group.
"I'm very aware of the 50-plus age group that have a lot of those skills that perhaps they aren't able to utilise.
"The pendulum is swinging to people wanting to get more hands-on, more practical skills."
The practical aspect is what drew David Stewart in.
A butcher and welder by trade, an interest in blacksmithing meant he joined the club.
"It looked like fun, and was something to do that was family friendly."
He crafts weapons and items like candleholders.
"It's not something I ever imagined I'd do but one thing led to another. I've found out my ancestry, my family history ... who I am and where I come from."
While starting off in the handicrafts, he's developed an interest in the combat side since being in the club.
"There's not many places where you can have trained combat."
While many are captivated by the fighting side, Deborah says it's far from being all about the combat.
"Two of my ladies have no interest in the weapons but they love doing the archery."
Children aren't allowed to start the sword training until they're 14, so often start off with archery.
"It's about safety. We are playing with real weapons here, they are just not sharp."
In September the club will go through the grading process - "it's been called a western martial art" - before competing in a national level competition.
Competitions and meets are, as Deborah describes it, "a total time warp".
"But the fun we have is just amazing. You haven't got enough eyes, two eyes is just not enough to take everything in.
"Because we do living history when we go to a competition it's like going back in time, we use the wooden plates."
Feasts are period appropriate - a recent one missing the potatoes because they hadn't been introduced back then. Club members all sleep together in an old-fashioned tent, and don their handmade clothes, shields and leatherwork. Songs of the time are sung, and they indulge in a bit of mead, she says.
"It's like living in two times. It is an escape from the rush, the busyness of modern times. It's literally like going back in time and slowing down a little bit, not the hectic pace of modern life."
Deborah says while she has nothing against "larping" - live action role playing where characters play out a script - that's not what the Rotorua club is focused on.
"We are history re-enactors. There are a lot of highly educated people that are in the medieval group, it's the history that gets most of us."
Personally, Deborah loves the combat side.
"I'm a graded knight and I really enjoy it. I'm 44 and really enjoy the combat. I find it keeps me fit, and keeps me moving."
While the past of the club is still young, Deborah sees a huge future for them: "There's always something to learn. In that respect, Google and You Tube are our best friends."
She hopes to host competitions in Rotorua, and one day would love to take a group to compete overseas.
"While they're off fighting I'll be off looking at the castles."
Crossing swords and oceans
David Briscoe could never have imagined a love of Robin Hood movies would lead to him kitting up in a suit of armour and representing New Zealand.
The Kinloch farmer credits a trip to the Medieval Festival held in Taupo with linking him to the right people to see his passion turn into reality.
Starting off as an archer with the Sable Hart group in Taupo, it was sword fighting where he found his real passion, and more recently in heavy combat - which in laymen terms is where they dress in full steel armour and hit people as hard as they can until one falls.
The husband and father-of-four recently travelled to Poland and the Czech Republic to take part in an international medieval combat tournament.
"I went as a member of the New Zealand team. We didn't do very well but we certainly learnt a lot."
David says the level of dedication to the sport - and he very much considers it a sport - is on a much higher level in Europe where they compete two or three times a month compared to the two or three times a year here.
"A lot of them did full combat as more of a sport than as part of the reenactment. It's a lot more serious and people are paid to do it," he says.
While that love of the Robin Hood movies has been lifelong, and he has always enjoyed hunting with a bow and arrow, he had no idea he would love it so much.
As head trainer for the Rotorua group he enjoys the lighter side, David confesses it is "nice to be able to step it up and put the armour on".
"Once the visor is closed it's pretty claustrophobic."
The armour weighs just under 40kg, on top of 20kg of extra padded clothes that go underneath.
"You're basically carrying around 50-60kg of extra weight."
He said he was fortunate to have the suit of armour, worth about $8000, gifted to him to allow him to take part in the team.
The suit of armour is a big talking point - both among family and friends.
"The kids love it. They be my squires and help me get it on."
Many do a double take when he first tells them about it, but he says finding out about the combat aspect often turns people from thinking it is nerdy to being impressed.
"When they find out that I went to the world champs they think it is pretty cool, at the start they thought it was a bit weird.
"I get to smack people with a steel pole and not go to jail."
And those who still have doubts are welcome to them. David is just happy to have found something that so beautifully combines his study of medieval history with his sporting background. "It's the perfect combination."
-Rebecca Malcolm