Title: “Suu”

General Information about Item:

• Customary Folklore
  • Ritural/Tradition
• English
• USA

Informant Data:

• Max Parker is a 21 year old Senior male at Dartmouth College studying economics and computer science.  Max is from Menlo Park California.  He has played rugby for four years.  

Contextual Data:

• Rugby coaches are often yelling out and communicating with players while they are on the field during practices as well as games.  When two players have the same name, it can create confusion on the field when the coach is ony trying to call out to one of them.  As a result, the Dartmouth Rugby Club has created an interesting tradition for diferentiating a pair of players with the same name.

Item:

• On the team, Max is referred to by the name “Suu.”  The name Suu is a bit of rugby folklore that has been part of the team for around 15 years.  At a given point in time, there is always someone in the club referred to by the name Suu. This name is passed down generation to generation when the rugby player holding to title of Suu graduates.  This name was brought about to differentiate players on the field when there are two players, often who play similar positions, that have the same name.  One of these two players with the same name is dubbed Suu, thereby eliminating some confusion on the field.  Max is referred to as Suu by some people not on the rugby team as well, as the name has taken on a life of its own outside of the rugby club.  Max is planning on passing the name Suu down to Patrick O’Neil when he graduates.  There are two players on the team, both freshman, named Patrick.  Another interesting fact about Max is that he is the President of the Club.  This position is given to a junior the Spring before their senior year.  The players nominate certain members of the club for this position, and then debate who should be given the position and vote on this decision while those up for the position are not in the room.  

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):

Transcript of Associated File:

• Max Gomez: Alright, Max, could you tell me a little bit about yourself, name age where you are from? Give us a little background
• Max Parker: Yeah, My name is max parker, I am a senior at Dartmouth college, from California, Grew up in Menlo Park which is about 45 minutes south  of San Francisco.  Went to Menlo High School, and am now at Dartmouth Studying computer science and economics and playing rugby
• MG: And how long have you played rugby?
• MP: Uh this is my fourth year, started when I was a freshman.
• MG: Very cool, it is my understanding that you have a nickname on the rugby team, could you tell me about that name, how you got it and what it means?
• MP: So, My nickname on the rugby team is is Suu, (to interupting friend who walks in), I’m in an interview right now, alright anyways, my name on the rugby team is Suu, not spelled S-u-e spelled S-u-u, and the tradition of it is back in 2002 I think, when would that have been? Yeah back in 2002, Alex Magleby was coaching the rugby team and there were two kids on the team named Matt who were in the same class and played similar positions, so they would always be on the field in similar places together. And, the coach got pissed at saying Matt and having them both respond, so he decided that one of them would go by the name of Suu at practice, just to differentiate them. And when they became seniors, they were two freshman on the team in the class of 2005 that had the same name, so the guy named suu decided to pass it down to one of the freshman, and five iterations later, Tyler Muragne, who is a ’14, passed the name down to me.
• MG: Cause there was another man named Max on the Team?
• MP: Yeah, Even though he wasn’t in my grade, Max Hannam, he was a year older but played the same position.
• MG: Very intersting, how many people call you Suu? Is it common for you to be referred to as Suu?
• MP: Yeah among guys, everyone on the rugby team, most of the guys in AD, and that’s pretty much it.  There are some people outside of that who sorta caught on, but most other people on campus call me Max.
• MG: are you planning on passing the name down when you graduate?
• MP: I am, yes.
• MG: And to whom.
• MP: To Pat O’Niel
• MG: Insider information
• MP: yes insider information, omit that from the record.

Informant’s Comments:

• NA

Collector’s Comments:

• This is a clear description of an interesting bit of customory folklore that has been in the Club for some time, passed down from player to player.

Collector’s Name: Max Gomez

Tags/Keywords:

• Suu
• Name
• Rugby