David Iohan P.
Konio Heraldry & Heritage
Armorials of Daniel George, Spencer Waddell, and Shoshana Shellans
If you are a Buhurt enthusiast, there’s a chance you’re also passionate about the Middle Ages: knights in shining armor, banners waving in the wind with the effigies of lords, and heroic tournaments immersed in nature. Many things about the Middle Ages can be deemed fascinating. For me, the most intriguing thing is Heraldry.
Maybe one could think that it’s about simple decorations, or that it has little to do with the Buhurt that we adore so much. Instead, Buhurt has a deep connection with Heraldry, and in the next paragraphs, I’ll gladly explain the reasons.
A thousand years of history
Nearly a thousand years ago, tournaments became a consolidated practice in many parts of Europe. Dozens and sometimes hundreds of knights would gather to give life to epic clashes. However, there was often an issue: it was hard to distinguish the participants from each other, so the Heralds, those who usually organized these events, began to create and keep track of the symbols and tinctures used by the partakers to distinguish them during these tournaments. It soon became a widespread practice, and the Heralds were its main developers: they created new figures, forms and rules that consolidated over the centuries until they gave shape to Heraldry as we know it today.
Buhurt and Heraldry
As it is today, many Buhurt teams use coats of arms and heraldic figures to distinguish themselves from each other. The aim, centuries later, is always the same: to make themselves recognizable to the public and to their teammates. Sometimes the results are amateurish, but there is always room for improvement.
Over time, I’ve had the pleasure of creating the Coats of Arms of many Buhurt practitioners, from different parts of the world. Whether it was Australia, the USA, England, New Zealand, Italy or Spain, I’ve had the opportunity to give shape to the most diverse and particular shields, to represent bold and courageous people. As I was creating them, I realized how different people can be, even if they share a common interest.
However, Heraldry is not only used to represent individuals and families, but also institutions such as sports clubs and Buhurt International itself, for which I had the pleasure of creating a Coat of Arms, with the support of the very kind Aleksandra Lebdowicz.
In the Coat of Arms created for Buhurt International, there’s a synthesis of Buhurt itself. And this is exactly what Heraldry does, it shows and represents:
The two crossed swords, to symbolize the fights in which the athletes show their skills and their value.
The helmet stands for the athletes themselves.
The castle represents the place where athletes compete, during organized events.
The three spears joined by a red ribbon, which epitomizes the unity between team members and the bond created by facing adversity together.
A myth to be dispelled
It should be noted that no noble title is needed to have a Coat of Arms. This belief, which spread especially after the French Revolution, is totally false. We can go back in time to the 14th century to read the words of the Italian jurist Bartolo da Sassoferrato in his “Tractatus de insignis et armis” (Treatise on Insignia and Arms):
“Coat of Arms can be taken up on one’s own. This is fully lawful: each family can adopt one without the permission of any authority, as long as they are not related to the Coat of Arms of some office…of the king, of a prince, of the territorial sovereign…”
The belief that a noble title is necessary has also been spread by some historians, who made it to be considered reliable information in the last two hundred years. Fortunately for us, this myth can be easily debunked by historical sources.
A helmet for each
When I started making coats of arms for Buhurt practitioners I thought that such a unique reality deserved special attention. Seeing how much affection each Buhurt practitioner has for their armor, the most obvious thing was to represent it in the Coat of Arms itself. In heraldry, it’s customary to use a steel helmet on top of the shield of people who do not have noble titles. Over the centuries many versions of heraldic helmets have been made based on the tastes and styles of the Heralds. Instead, I decided to make this detail more interesting, each time representing the helmet used by the person for whom I created the Coat of Arms.
Coats of Arms of Daniel George, Spencer Waddell, and Shoshana Shellans
There would be many things to say, but for now I’ll stop here. There will be other occasions to talk about Heraldry and Buhurt. These two worlds, united by history, can give strength to each other and aspire to ever greater and more wonderful goals. We are at the beginning of a journey that still has many satisfactions for all of us.
Thank you to Aleksandra Lebdowicz and the entire Buhurt International team that works every day to make this wonderful sport grow.
If you have any questions about Heraldry you can contact me freely and I’ll be happy to answer you.
Best regards,
David Iohan P., Chief Herald of Konio Heraldry & Heritage
konio.heraldry@gmail.com / @konio.heraldry (Instagram)