Category Archives: Initiations

Gaff Circle

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Morris Plains, NJ, USA
Language: English

“The Gaff Circle was a tradition run crew did before each show. We would stand in a big circle on stage and pass around a roll of gaff tape and put a piece on each other’s arm for each show we had done. The right arm was for musicals and the left arm was for plays. It was a pretty big deal to be an 8 show senior plus it was cool to see all the different years on run crew.”

This ritual is similar to an initiation and continuation ritual. People earn stripes of gaff tape to show how many years they have been on run crew. While run crew is considered an annoying job for most, at this high school, it was coveted. It was a sign that they were all part of the same little group and that they earned their spot. It creates community and connection between them while also reminding them of previous people and experiences. 

Fresh Paper and New Beginnings: A Mississippi School Ritual

Nationality: American
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired
Residence: Alameda, California

Informant Information:

Age: 73

Date of Performance: 2/26/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: English

Residence: Alameda, California

Text

“There were lots of customs and rituals around holidays in my family, all of them pretty standard fare. Christmas had a visit from my Aunt and Grandmother bringing coconut cake and boiled custard; Birthdays involved having to share one thing you wanted to do, learn, or have before your next birthday. And the first day of summer vacation involved a fishing trip with our Father. But one that had ritualistic qualities, but no associated holiday, was the trip to the department store to ‘get ready for school.’ It always involved new shoes and clothes, really boring when you are a 10-year-old fidgety boy. But my favorite part was the school supply junket that followed. It was before day packs, so the best thing was the three-ring binder, tricked out with color-coded dividers and little plastic zip-up pockets for pencils and such. As I got a little older, exotic equipment became a part of the ritual, like compasses (with the mandatory warning that it could put an eye out, so ‘be careful, it’s not a toy’), protractors, which seemed to add precision to life that it had lacked before, and even things that had magical properties, like slide rules. All of these were great, but the thing I loved best and still remember was the collection of aromas. New textbooks (in Mississippi, you had to provide your own in 1958), fresh binder paper, and is there anything more heavenly than that smell of a newly opened box of crayons?”

Context

The informant reflects on the many family traditions and rituals they experienced growing up. Many of these rituals were associated with holidays like Christmas, where family members would visit with special treats like coconut cake and boiled custard, or birthdays, which involved sharing personal goals for the year ahead. However, one ritual that stood out for the informant was the back-to-school shopping trip, which had no particular holiday association. Each year, this trip involved buying new clothes and shoes for the school year, which the informant found boring as a 10-year-old boy. However, the school supply shopping afterward became the highlight of the ritual. The informant eagerly anticipated picking out three-ring binders with color-coded dividers, compasses, protractors, and even slide rules. As the informant grew older, the supplies became more complex, symbolizing the increase in academic responsibility. Despite the excitement of the supplies, what remained most memorable were the smells—the fresh textbooks, binder paper, and crayons—that filled the air. These smells symbolized the start of a new chapter, the excitement of a new school year, and the informant’s connection to learning and growth.

Analysis

This ritual highlights how sensory experiences, particularly smell, can create lasting memories and emotional connections. While the back-to-school shopping trip might have seemed mundane to the informant as a young boy, the school supplies became a powerful symbol of new beginnings, knowledge, and growth. The ritual was not just about obtaining physical items; it was about the feelings and anticipation associated with the new school year. The distinct smells of fresh supplies created an almost magical experience for the informant, and these sensory memories helped shape the meaning and significance of the ritual. The ritual also reflects how material items, like school supplies, can carry cultural and personal significance. For the informant, these items represented learning, precision, and creativity. The mention of “magical” slide rules also speaks to the wonder and awe that the informant felt toward these tools as a child. Overall, this ritual became a means of connecting with education and family, reinforcing the idea that even seemingly routine practices can have a profound impact on one’s childhood memories and personal development.

Blessing the Fleet: A Family’s Springtime Tradition

Nationality: American
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired
Residence: Alameda, California

Informant Information:

Age: 73

Date of Performance: 2/26/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: English

Residence: Alameda, California

Text

“Many of the years of my childhood were spent near the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The region was settled by the French in the early eighteenth century, and their Catholic influence still prevailed in many festivals. Every spring, there was a blessing of the shrimp boat fleet in Bayou La Batre, in the bay near Mobile. We went several times and watched as the local Bishop, in all of his spring regalia—pectoral cross, mitre, and crozier (his staff)—blessed the fleet. My mother adopted the celebration for our family of seafood lovers. On the designated Sunday, she and her friend Ruth would prepare a big feast of fried and boiled shrimp, gumbo, Cajun potato salad, and fresh strawberry shortcake. The “Catholic” way to make the shortcake was not with cake and ice cream, but with seven layers of a large crispy wafer, interspersed with strawberries and topped with whipped cream.

Though we were not Catholic, we would always have Father Ryan at the table, decked out in his finest French Cassock to offer the blessing and, of course, stay for the meal. Most of the time, Father Ryan was known to us as “Tim,” one of my father’s Friday night poker buddies, who never even had a collar on then, much less the cassock. Afterwards, we sang some fun songs that I always thought had something to do with the shrimp boats, as there were lyrics about seamen, stormy nights, and high-seas adventures. Later in life, I discovered that these were traditional sea shanties that were just put into service for the blessing festival. I guess there aren’t a lot of songs about shrimp boats.”

Context

The informant grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where the French Catholic influence lingered in the community and shaped local traditions. One key tradition was the blessing of the shrimp boat fleet in Bayou La Batre, an event that became central to the informant’s family celebrations. Despite not being Catholic, the informant’s mother embraced the spirit of the festival and made it her own by preparing a lavish seafood feast, inspired by the flavors of the region. The presence of Father Ryan, who was also a close family friend, added an extra layer of warmth to the tradition. Father Ryan, often known to the family as “Tim,” would wear his cassock, a long, close-fitting black robe traditionally worn by Catholic clergy during religious ceremonies. This garment, which typically reaches the ankles and is a symbol of his clerical status, added a sense of formality to the celebration. The informant’s family would gather around the table for the blessing and feast, sharing in the joy of the event. After the meal, they sang traditional sea shanties, songs originally associated with sailors, that were adapted for the occasion. These playful tunes, centered on themes of seafaring, storms, and adventure, became part of the family’s unique celebration of the shrimp boat blessing. The informant’s family embraced the blending of community and personal rituals, transforming the tradition into something special for their own family.

Analysis

This celebration reflects the intersection of cultural influence, local customs, and familial bonding. The Catholic tradition of blessing the shrimp boat fleet becomes a fusion of community and personal ritual, as the informant’s mother adapts the event to fit their family’s love for seafood. By incorporating Father Ryan into the meal, the family also bridges the gap between the religious and the secular, celebrating with a blend of formality and familiarity. The food itself, deeply rooted in the region’s seafood culture, becomes more than just sustenance—it serves as a connection to the environment and a symbol of the family’s traditions. The sea shanties, originally created for sailors, offer a playful connection to the world of shrimping, and the informant’s discovery that they were traditional songs only enhances the sense of communal heritage. The family’s adaptation of the blessing, complete with a festive meal and singing, shows how traditions can be transformed and passed down, enriching family life and reinforcing connections to both the past and the present.

Always shave your hair so it grows faster?

AGE

51

Date of performance

4/30/25

Language

English

Nationality

American

Occupation

Business Owner

Primary Language

Arabic

Residence

San Diego, CA

Ritual: Shaving a baby’s head once they grow hair so it can grow back faster and healthier

Context + Text: The individual is my father and has told me the story of when I first started to grow hair, they immediately cut it all off because they believed it would grow back faster and healthier. “You know, it seems a little odd, but hair rituals have been a part of my culture for so long, some parents combine this with letting their kids grow unibrows because they believe it’s bad luck to cut that”. He explained further that while it may not have ever proven to work, as much of his family including himself are all bald men, he said that it’s been such a long tradition there’s no way they stop it now. According to him, the ritual went as far back as his grandfather, and he tells me that it is something I have to do when I have kids. The ritual does not only apply to men, as even the baby girls are shaven bald so that their hair can be healthier. He believes it is a little funny that it only works on the women, as they always grow long healthy hair while the men are going bald by 30. 

Analysis: The idea of shaving hair so that it can grow back faster and thicker has been adopted and transformed in so many different ways. Growing up, I had always learned that if you shave your beard with a razor, it will lead to thicker and quicker hair growth. Some of my friends took it as far as to shave even when they had no beard, so they could ‘cut their skin’ and promote hair growth. There are no scientific reasons for any of these rituals, but if we can convince ourselves that it does work, then we will believe that it works. A large part in the belief for these hair rituals is especially due to the lack of science that was around for this individual when he was in Iraq. There was never anything to disprove the idea that a bald baby would have the best hair, so the ritual was continued for generations as no one wanted to be considered an outcast. While I may not believe that this ritual plays a true role in hair growth, I may fall into still participating in this with my future children simply due to the fear of breaking the chain. 

Fanbases and their crazy superstitions

AGE

23

Date of performance

4/30/25

Language

English

Nationality

American

Occupation

PHD Student

Primary Language

Aramaic

Residence

San Diego, CA

Superstition: Every time I watch my favorite NFL team; I have to wear my pajama pants with my Lamar Jackson jersey

Context + Text: The informant is my brother. He is a fan of the Baltimore Ravens, an NFL team, and has been a fan for over 10 years now. When he was younger, he always believed that he had to wear his special jersey in order for his team to win. Now that he has gotten a bunch of Ravens gear over the years, he has increased his superstition. He has a new rule that he must wear his Ravens pajama pants and his Lamar Jackson jersey, the QB of the team. “You know I never took this superstition that seriously until we lost a super important game to a really bad team”. The situation took place in the playoffs when the Ravens were projected to win by more than 10 points but ended up losing the game. “Since then, I have taken it super seriously, I can’t have my team lose badly like this again”. Unfortunately for my brother, his superstition does not always work, as his team has failed to make a championship in over 12 years. However, they have gotten closer every year, and he believes that his actions have played a role in that.

Analysis: Sports superstitions have been around for decades, whether it be from the fans or the actual players themselves. Many famous athletes have discussed how they wear the same pair of underwear every game they play, because it makes them feel lucky and more “in the zone”. These superstitions are based on how the player performs or how the fan believes his team performed for that game and believe replicating the exact situation will lead to the same result. For the fans, these superstitions help them feel like play a true role in the team’s performance. “Every time I wear this jersey we win”, is something every sports fan has heard, and is it important to note the “we” from the fan, even though he is not on the team he believes he won because of his actions. Superstitions aren’t always negative and sometimes can be used to bring a sense of community as seen here.