The 2023 informal survey with 137 responses - about 55% of SCANZ's subscribing membership count - showed more than 80% support from respondents for the idea of forming an NZ Principality.
On a scale of 0 (strongly opposed) to 5 (strongly in favour), the average response was 3.4, which corresponds to an "enthusiasm score" of 68%.
No problems with that – we’ve been doing this throughout New Zealand for over 40 years. A basic listing of combined group calendars with representative numbers and commentary would demonstrate this, especially once Crown events are included.
As of October 2020, New Zealand has 48 individuals who are Peers, with around 24% of them being double+ Peers; around 92% are currently active to various degrees within the SCA. The Peers are evenly spread between the North and South Islands, at 24 each.
(For comparison, on debut, the Principality of Lochac had just 16 Peers.)
Other groups seeking advancement have been disadvantaged by low heavy fighter numbers (see References). It would be highly detrimental to the SCA in NZ if that proves to be the case here, particularly as some of the factors are well outside our control.
This will require considerable discussion, particularly relating to that of any alternative succession process, but we have plenty of examples to follow (see References), and more than enough people well-experienced in developing such material.
NB an approved final draft needs to accompany the formal petition.
We will need to ensure throughout any subsequent discussions, survey/poll steps and development to get broad representation and buy-in throughout New Zealand, to avoid any sense of a Principality being the project or brainchild of any one household or clique (e.g. an uber-Southron Gaard).
We need to be careful about statements of facts and clearly identify opinions, and listen to the range of views. While much of the discussion may be based on opinion, we need to bear in mind how much of that is informed by experience and example.
This could be a major sticking point as, for many at the CF meetings, in the casual survey and elsewhere, an Alternative Selection Process (ASP) was strongly supported when considering progressing to Principality.
The view was that without having such there would be less point in becoming a Principality, despite the other opportunities and benefits the move could provide. And a number remarked that, without the greater inclusivity such a move would confer, they would be likely to reduce involvement and gradually drift away from the SCA.
See also this comparison table (PDF).
People tended to be not sure about what process they wanted at this stage – more discussion required – but were able to articulate some things they didn’t want, such as:
We could alternate between any of the above, or propose an experimental period trying different formats (eg 3-5 years), feeding back information and analysis as to what worked and what didn’t. As a small isolated set of groups, with considerable experience in the SCA and externally in analytical and strategic roles, we are well placed to undertake that sort of path.