A student organization has helped Eastern’s campus celebrate the culture of medieval times since 1980.

The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. is part of the international organization that “explores the middle ages and the Renaissance,” said Jeri Matteson-Hughes, advisor for the organization.

“We all enjoy something about the middle ages that makes us excited,” she said.

The society is considered a part of the living history unit on campus. It meets monthly to learn “by investigating and research” as a group or separately about the time period between 600 and 1600, Matteson-Hughes said.

“We explore life as it could be or can be and as it was,” she said.

Aside from their monthly business meetings, the “education organization” performs demonstrations and lectures for various community groups, such as boy or girl scouts, about the middle ages, Matteson-Hughes said.

The group studies all avenues of culture of the time period including dance, garb and the arts. One of their “flashiest” events is their reenactment of middle ages combat, she said.

Members join together every Sunday afternoon to reenact combat of the medieval times, but without real steel or choreography, Matteson-Hughes said.

Along with the combat reenactment, the society researches food practices and meals of the middle ages and afterward gets together for feasts.

“We have a good time,” Matteson-Hughes said. “The idea is to learn by doing.”

Students are not the only members of the SCA, but adults as well. Matteson-Hughes said many people throughout the community are members who just enjoy learning more about the middle ages.

For students, she said that this organization is “self-driven,” and students can learn about the time period without the additional pressure that a class includes which provides a more relaxed atmosphere.

The SCA is an international program that is celebrated in countries that include Canada, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, England, Sweden and on a United States Naval air craft carrier, Nimitz, Matteson-Hughes said.

There is no paid membership requirement to join SCA; however, new members are required to make an attempt to wear period clothing, behave as a lord or lady, be respectful of organization rules and pay small fees for group events, such as the feasts, she said.

Matteson-Hughes encouraged all to attend their next monthly meeting at Jerry’s Pizza on March 17 at 7 p.m., or to get more information at their Web site at www.sca.org.