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Dartmouth Monogamy Club

Informant Info
The informant was Josie Nordrum, a 20 year old junior at Dartmouth and a member of the DMC. She was born in San Francisco, CA and raised in Corte Madera, CA. She learned how to climb at Dartmouth from Jay Dumanian two and a half years ago on her DOC freshman trip. Josie’s climbing phobia is exposure to the elements. She loves the feeling of satisfaction after a long climb.

Type: Verbal, Joke

Language: English

Country of Origin: US

Date Collected: May 15, 2016

Place Collected: Jonathan Belden Daniels Climbing Gym, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Social/ cultural context: Within the Climbing culture, it is said that many are highly monogamous with other members. This is a socially accepted notion in the DMC.

Associated File:

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Transcript: “DMC stands for both the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club and, to its members, the Dartmouth Monogamy Club.”

Lore: DMC is jokingly referred to as the Dartmouth Monogamy Club, instead of the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club.

Informant’s Comments: As an example, one DMCer Josie met her boyfriend in the DMC during her freshman year and has been with him for the past two and a half years. No one knows why, but a lot of club members tend to form close relationships over the years.

Collector’s Comments: The club is a relatively close group of friends which tease many of the couples who meet through, and are active in, the DMC. The fact that the club is so open and accepting of these people reflect how friendly and inclusive the club is.

Tags/Keywords: Dartmouth Monogamy Club, DMC, joke, verbal

Climbing Near Harvard

Informant Information
The informant was Josie Nordrum, a 20 year old junior at Dartmouth and a member of the DMC. She was born in San Francisco, CA and raised in Corte Madera, CA. She learned how to climb at Dartmouth from Jay Dumanian two and a half years ago on her DOC freshman trip. Josie’s climbing phobia is exposure to the elements. She loves the feeling of satisfaction after a climb.

Type: Customary

Language: English

Country of Origin: U.S.A

Date Collected: May 15, 2016

Place Collected: Jonathan Belden Daniels Climbing Gym, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Social/ Cultural Context: This is likely in the spirit of Ivy league rivalry between the Harvard and Dartmouth Climbers.

CHRIS SHARMA & DALIA OJEDA Photographed by Boone Speed on April 30, Buttermilk region, Inyo National Forest, Bishop, CA Photographer: Boone Speed Hair: (no hair) Makeup: (no makeup) Prop Stylist: (no prop stylist)

Lore: The DMC frequently climbs are Rumney, an extremely popular climbing area in New Hampshire about 50 minutes from campus. When DMC members see Harvard climbers also at Rumney they take off their clothes and climb naked.

Informant’s Comments: Not all but some DMC members will adhere to this tradition. It’s a way for the Dartmouth climbers to not one-up Harvard but also embrace nature and themselves

Collector’s Comments: This is another example of Dartmouth climbers’ rebelliousness as well as generally fun and outgoing attitude. It shows the DMC’s desire to embrace themselves and their view that nudity is not a complete social taboo.

Tags/Keywords: naked, Harvard, Rumney, climbing, DMC, self-expression, Customary

 

The Wine Game

Informant info: The informant was Ian Raphael, a Dartmouth ’18, who was born in Kirkland, WA and raised in Miami, FL. He learned to climb when he was 18 from an older, close friend in Port Angeles, WA.

Date Collected: 5/16/16

Place Collected: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Type: Customary Folklore, Ceremony, Prayer

Language: English

Country of Origin: U.S.A

Social/ cultural context: The wine game is ceremonial in climbing culture and is used to bring members together. Climbers often go on day trips together. At the end of each trip, climbers are usually tired and hungry. The wine game is a way to finish off the night and come together to reflect on the day.

Associated File:

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Lore: After a long day of climbing, climbers gather around in a circle with a gallon of wine and christen it by making toasts into the fire to famous past climbers and the climbing “gods”. The climbers toast to Earl and Valerie, John Joline, DMCers of the past and present, and the “homies and the homeless”. Afterwards, the gallon wine bottle is passed around the circle. Participants may only hold the bottle to drink with their pinky finger. The person who drinks the last drop of wine is considered the winner of the game.

Informant’s Comments: This is a way to celebrate after a climb. It is a fun way to wrap up the day and have fun with your friends. No one knows why we toast to the “homies and the homeless”, but we toast to Earl, Valerie, and John Joline because of their importance to the club.

Collector’s Comments: The wine game begins with a prayer when the climbers christen the wine. It is followed by a game where each player tries to drink the last drop. The game is a celebration of the end of a long day of climbing. It is a way to reflect on the day and relax after a long climb; basically, it encourages mindfulness and team bonding. While playing the game, climbers celebrate their friendships and their outing.

Tags/Keywords: wine, games, prayer, climbing, alcohol, celebration, Customary, DMC, folklore