Duke University Initiation Rituals

Informant info: Class of 2018 at Duke University. He is from Locust Valley, Long Island.

Type of lore, Genre, Subgenera: Customary Lore – Initiation rites

Language: English

Country of Origin: United States

Social/Cultural Context: The informant is a member of an anonymous fraternity at Duke University. Duke is known a southern school with a large population of students from the northeast. Fraternities and greek life are a large part of the social scene at this school

 Transcript:

“Before we get initiated we have to get a signature from every single brother by completing “pledge tasks”, which can range from boring chores to drinking events or other stuff. At initiation we are locked in a basement with an annoying song looped for a couple hours before they bring us up and initiating us. The night before initiation we have to jump in the 16th hole pond at the duke golf course to find a golf ball that we later get to write our gamma number on”

Informant’s Comments: The initiation rituals are difficult and at times humiliating, but everyone has to do them and it brings the new members closer together. The informant also explained that many of his friends from southern schools go through similar (if not worse) hazing experiences.

 Collector’s Comments: This lore is a great example of the initiation practices that are seen in southern schools. The initiation we see here is not like that of the northeast. It is based in testing of new members and humiliating them in order to establish subordination.

Tags/Keywords:

Customary Lore, Initiation, Southern School, Hazing