Category Archives: Initiations

The Star and Crescent

Text

“In my fraternity, Kappa Sigma, every new member must memorize a historic passage called the Star and Crescent. Besides other responsibilities as new members such as getting to know every brother in the house and earning their trust to become their fellow brother, the Star and Crescent must be memorized to perfection and able to be recited aloud. Once we can repeat each line to the brothers and have fully earned their respect, we are free to be initiated as official members of the Kappa Sigma chapter. I remember me and my boys, particularly —- and —–, would stay up late at night in one of our dorms just reciting it together. Not only was it something every brother has to do but it taught us how to be a good member of the frat. I remember my anxiety as the day to recite it in front of our executive came. I was so scared to mess up that even after I memorized it I still would practice at least 30 minutes a day following that.”

Context

I first learned about this passage when one of the brothers, —-, told us we had to have this memorized by heart before we could be initiated into the chapter. I remember seeing a large print version of the text framed on the wall. When I read it I knew it was specific to every Kappa Sigma, so I was not surprised when we were told to memorize it. After reading it over and over I came to appreciate its message about the honor of being a Kappa Sigma and the fact that not everyone is suited to be initiated into this chapter. It tells you that a man must be intelligent, honorable, truthful, and worthy to wear the star and crescent.

Analysis

Rites of passage such as this account of his fraternity shows how certain folk groups around the world require initiation rituals that are either physical or verbal. Shared knowledge of passages by memory create shared culture and identity between members of these groups. In knowing each and every member went through the same process and held the same requirements, they can share mutual respect because each knew what it took to join. Shared experiences that are turned into folklore help those in the folk group bond and create memories for life. This rite of passage is an example of an initiation ritual that represents members commitment to the fraternity. Beyond just memorization, is the history and shared journeys behind reciting these words, distinguishing the brothers as one folk group. This process before becoming a brother reveals a folk concept known as liminality because it is the middle ground between a non-member and a brother of this fraternity.

Comedic Ritual

Age: 20

The Story:

“I’m going to tell a story about an improv comedy club on campus. We have a lot of initiation rituals that are funny and weird and cute. I remember when I first got on the team my freshman year, that night they called you, it’s like a football draft. You audition for two teams and then they all take turns picking who they want. I got picked by my team, then I got a phone call from an unknown number to  meet me at this location on campus. They told me to meet them at *REDACTED*, which is like this little stage. “

“I went there and it’s like the middle of night, it’s like 10 p.m. and I was alone and it was dark for a little while. I thought ‘what did I sign up for?’ then they all were like dark clothes and like cloaks and they yell like comedy rules out in the woods. Then all at once they scream and yell at you to get to the stage. It was like a medieval theme going on in there. After getting to the stage, then they knight you, so you get on your knees, and then they knight you in the name of the club. It’s all in the middle of the night and terrifying, and then they take you to a secondary location.”

Pretty much all the teams do this, they kidnap their noobs, they’re called the noobs, they’re the new people, then they bring them to this diner called *REDACTED*. The staff already know just right now because it’s been happening for years. And then they treat you to just a really nice meal at this diner.

Reflection:

The informant’s story was a perfect example of how in certain folk groups, folk members must go through rites of passage to fully be accepted into the respective folk group. Additionally, it highlights the specific rituals in place amongst acceptance. I thought it was very interesting to see that these rites of passage were not only an act of dedication, but mutually were an opportunity to show the understanding of the traditions and morals of the respective folk group trying to be joined. On a more personal note, it was interesting to see some of the stigmas I may carry about clubs with rituals be broken down or disproved by an actual perspective. I, as the outsider to the folk group, had my own connotations that did not actually align with the personal experience of an actual member of the folk group. Further, it lessened any stereotypes that I carry when hearing about group initiations when hearing of clubs. I realized that in believing that many club initiations are harmful or taboo, I participated in watering down the culture and lived experience of participants of those folk groups instead of having a direct contact and understanding.

All School Handshake

Text:

“Okay, so I went to a really small private high school and it was a really tight-knit community and to start the to, uh, kick off the school year, we’d have the all-school handshake. So we’d essentially all line up the student body, shoulder to shoulder, along the perimeter of the formal gardens, with the headmaster at one end. And then the headmaster and the entire school president would stand side by side and flip a coin. And if it was heads, they would go to the right, and if it was tails, they would go to the left, or whichever way.

Context:

This was a ritual the informant participated in every year at her small private boarding school in Illinois. The tradition is held at the beginning of each school year as a formal opening ceremony for the entire school. It’s set in the formal gardens, and the coin flip, she noted, decided which way the handshake procession would go, injecting an element of chance into what was otherwise a very ordered tradition.

Analysis
The all-school handshake is a ritual of initiation and collective renewal — a physical enactment of the social ties that constitute the school as a community. By having each member shake the hand of every other member, the tradition performs a kind of annual social contract; each participant touching every other participant materializes the school becoming a web of mutual relationships. The coin flip is especially interesting as a ritual element—it adds a moment of chance to an otherwise highly ordered event, reminding participants that the direction of the community is, in part, determined by forces beyond any individual’s control, and that all are equally subject to that uncertainty.

“Please Take One”

Context: While in class, a student and I discussed creepy Halloween events that occurred when we were kids. They shared with me that there was one old house that always had a bowl of candy in the front, but it never looked like anyone was in the house.

Text:

“During Halloween, we would always go to my friend’s house — this was in middle school — she lived near a swamp in Connecticut. All the houses were very spaced out, and so trick or treating would be really fun because we would always chat and play music in between each house. But it would be scary because it would get dark and we’d have to sprint from one house to another.

There was always one house that was haunted on the walk because it had a basket outside. It was probably an old lady that didn’t want to come to the door, so she’d leave some candy outside, but it was always good candy.

So each year, we would force someone to go and we’d always stand outside like ‘Okay…who’s going to do it?’ And they would sprint up to the house and grab the candy as fast as possible. We’d make them go for everybody, and we’d always look in the windows because we were scared. The basket had a sign that said “please take one”. So we’d take one and then we’d be like [to the person who’d been selected] you have to get another one.”

Analysis:

This was a humorous tale that reminded me of Halloween kids in movies, who always naturally name the house that doesn’t look like the others as “haunted.” It’s so interesting how children can come up with monsters and their own cautionary tales. Despite knowing the risk, they still advocate for the cause, which in this case was the candy. On the flip side, I’m curious whether the possible adult in this case recognized the repetitive initiation and played along by letting the kids be kids. Additionally, our discussions about popular culture’s influence may have encouraged kids to test this theory more often during a scary event (movies like Scooby Doo and Goosebumps).

Feast, Festival, and Fur – The rituals of a furcon

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Age: 27

Text: Interviewer – “When was the first time you heard of a furry convention?”

JP – “I’ve for sure sure known about them since I was younger but I didn’t really think positively about them until years later. I was a bit of an edgelord back in the day.”

Interviewer – “Have you been to one before or many?”

JP – “I’ve been to the same one, TFF, or Texas Furry Fiesta for 3 years as of now. So a couple times, I’d say.”

Interviewer – “What has been some notable elements of these, some highlights that you get excited about when traveling and going to these conventions?”

JP – “To me, the Artist Alley, a large room in the convention center where tons of different artists are posted up to sell their merchandise, get commissions in person, or advertise. It’s super cool. Besides that, the various community events that TFF has have been the highlights for me.”

Interviewer – “What rituals do you feel are active elements of every furcon, or you feel should be a part of them if not?”

JP – “Fursuiting for sure, and while it’s unnecessary I particularly have fun playing a bit of a character. I have 2 different suits, so I’m able to change up the characters I go as, which adds to the fun of it all since a lot of other people are doing the same. Some conventions even have events to show off all of the different attendees suits! Though despite it being a very integral thing, it’s still unnecessary and one doesn’t need a suit in order to attend.”

Interviewer – “What’s been your most memorable or best memory in the fandom or at a furcon?”

JP – “As far as my best memory, it would prolly be my first con just getting to spend time with some friends and having the opportunity to explore the city with them.”

Context: Similar to other fandom based conventions, a “furcon” is just that, a convention for furries or fans of the furry community to gather, go to panels, buy art, and be a meeting point for friends who would usually be online to meet up in person. When talking to JP about his involvement within the fandom, since I knew he recently went to Texas Furry Fiesta, I wanted to delve in and ask about the folk practices done at this kind of event, as I know other conventions akin to comicons have their cosplays, panels, celebrity features, and art galleries.

Analysis: Furries are one of the fandoms that have such deep cultural ties to industries, popular culture, media, and their own complex traditions, rites, and rituals. One of said rites of passage is attending a furry convention, or a furcon for short. Aside from this rite of passage, many traditional events occur, some mentioned by JP. These would include the sharing of community folk art at the artist’s alley, a dance competition, showing off the hard work and craft of fursuit makers by featuring your own, as well as being a pseudo-pilgrimage for a friend group all within the fandom to meet up. A furcon is a multi-faceted treasure trove of lore for all of those who attend, their passions, and particular interests in their characters, how they present themselves, and the boundless memories, activities, and events at their disposal.