Snorri's eyes gazed across at his opponent, Orrik Naysayer, from behind a steel helmet, his right hand gripped to the brown leather handle of his Viking sword, and his left holding a canvas-covered wooden shield.
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It was a school history lesson with a Viking and Medieval twist.
![Members of Viking reenactment group the Sea Wolves perform a mock battle at Lumen Christi Catholic College. Members of Viking reenactment group the Sea Wolves perform a mock battle at Lumen Christi Catholic College.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38KKizhZLpuTDCkJAjRb34b/6cb684de-cfba-4be0-9886-f879205abe79.jpg/r0_85_1170_783_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Snorri wore a padded, light blue gambeson coat over his linen tunic, brown woolen breaches, and leather shoes, while Orrik wore chainmail over his Viking attire.
While they were both prepared for combat, their minds were focused on creating the most entertaining performance for the students at Lumen Christi Catholic College on Friday, September 15.
Antoinette Wood, religious education coordinator, said the event allowed students to understand history by immersing themselves in it rather than just learning through books alone.
![Lumen Christi Catholic College students with The Sea Wolves. Pictures by James Parker Lumen Christi Catholic College students with The Sea Wolves. Pictures by James Parker](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205490442/d838720c-56a5-443f-a116-7c28b4e598d1.JPG/r0_0_4032_3024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"[The fayre] is a culmination of the student's studies on church history during the medieval time, and we thought we'd make a little bit of extra fun by having a Ye Olde Medieval Fayre," Ms Wood said.
"Just so they could work collaboratively with their friends and their peers and put into practice some of what they've been learning in class."
Students' eyes were glued and jaws dropped as they witnessed the live-action fight, which was being performed by the Sea Wolves, a 9th Century Viking reenactment group who meet in Pambula.
Also at the fayre, the Valley School of Battle demonstrated medieval techniques, with instructor Jesse Whitfield describing the onlookers as engaged as he showed long sword movements with fellow member Luke Wright.
"We're a school dedicated to resurrecting the martial arts of medieval Europe, we train with things like longswords, daggers, short swords and spears," Mr Whitfield said
"The majority of the stuff we practice is for the skills of the people training it, building ourselves up like any other martial art. You can build confidence and [it's] a social thing, make friends, and do all that sort of thing."
![Some reenactors choose to do crafts like creating glass beads or creating Viking inspired meals, rather than combat. Some reenactors choose to do crafts like creating glass beads or creating Viking inspired meals, rather than combat.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205490442/76e07f8f-5241-4a56-b2cc-f74c16d8743c.JPG/r0_0_4032_3024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Meanwhile, back at the fighting arena, Year 6 students Sonny, Nicolas and Harley stood behind the rope barricade, their voices echoing forth in support of Snorri who had collapsed to the ground after taking a sword to his body.
"We believed in Snorri all the way, we're very proud of Snorri, we rose him from the dead and we won," they said simultaneously.
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'Orrik Naysayer', who has been reenacting for approximately 15 years, said it was a childhood love of history which led to his involvement in joining a group at a university up north, before starting the Sea Wolves on the Far South Coast.
"I went back to it when I was older because I needed a sport and I didn't fit in very well with things like soccer and rugby because it's not my thing," he said.
"And now I'm probably healthier than I've ever been in my life because of swinging a sword around and running around in chainmail."
If you're interested in joining the groups mentioned, find out more here: Sea Wolves or The Valley School of Battle
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