Biography

My very first experience in the SCA was at the Roxbury Mill Shire archery practice at the Needwood range on May 30, 2004. I attended every Sunday thereafter, and about four weeks later discovered another practice nearby on Saturday mornings in the Barony of Storvik and started to practice with them as well. I'll never forget how sore my arms were that first month of shooting arrows! I attended my first event on June 19, 2004 at Steirbach's Baronial Birthday, and my second event was the Kingdom Archery Championship a week later. What fun that was! I had knee surgery in late August 2004, and though it kept me off the range for a few weeks, I still managed to crutch my way back onto it during my recovery. Within three months of dedicated practice and competition/novelty shooting, and tons of tips and encouragement from fellow archers, I was able to move up to Marksman level. I look forward to progressing in my skills and becoming the best archer I can be for the Kingdom of Atlantia.

My persona is late 16th century Scottish highlander. In choosing an SCA name, I decided to pick a name that sounded like myfirst name, Donna. I initially fell in love with the Scottish name "Edana" (EH-dah-nah). The name came from an 6th century Irish Saint, and the Scottish city, Edinburgh, formerly bore her name, dun Edana "Edana's castle." The name means "ardent, flame, fiery, zealous" or "little fire," and that also seemed to go well with my Aries personality. I then found the 16th century last name "MacKay" (Mac-Eye), originating from the Gaelic name "MacAoidh" (son of fire). The fire element unknowingly came into play again, and since I liked both names, I chose to use the two together. Oddly enough, the names even seemed to want to be together... "In 1556 Iye Mackay, then the chief, was captured by the Sutherlands and sent as a prisoner to Edinburgh Castle." The name "Edana" was not accepted though, and I was told "Edan" would have been the Scottish female form of the name used in period. It was the feminine form of "Aiden" and there would not have been an "a" added, unless I had a latin persona. It also seems that "Edana" was likely modernized from the period names, "Edaene/Etaoin" (AY-deen). So after further research, I came across the English name "Edonea" (Idony/Idonea 1185) and decided to use that instead. It doesn't hold the same meaning or pronounciation as Edana did, but it was the closest I could get. As for my device, I decided on a Sun as my main charge, because I have long associated myself with "The Sun" tarot card (19), which represents radiance, power and energy. I chose black ravens to denote my spiritual side, and the number of them in reference to a triscele/three, a symbol I have strong connections with. Other SCA interests: Brewing, sewing, scribal.