Title: Lone Pine myth
General Information about Item:
- Genre: Verbal Folklore
- Subgenre: Myth
- Language: English
- Country of origin: USA
Informant Data: Sam Lee ’18 is a 21-year-old male from Turlock, California. He has been rowing since joining light-weight crew in college as a walk-on.
Contextual Data:
Social Context: This myth is told to freshmen by upperclassmen. It can be told by any number of upperclassmen to any number of freshmen at a time; there is no formal or specific location or time to tell it. Freshmen take the story seriously when first hearing it. They often realize later that the story makes no sense in reality.
Cultural Context: This myth ties rowing to Dartmouth culture by connecting Dartmouth’s symbol to their own sport. It incorporates freshmen into the school’s culture. It encourages team bonding and creates excitement for the sport.
Item: This item is a myth describing the origin of crew at Dartmouth. Using the prominent Dartmouth symbol of the Lone Pine, the story connects freshmen to their new home.
Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTjUjf41xBs&feature=youtu.be
Transcript of Associated File:
Informant’s Comments: There might be more to the story. He has only heard it once before during his freshman year. It might change between people as they tell the story with variations, but he doesn’t know that for sure.
Collector’s Comments: This myth is an etiological myth, as it describes the origin of rowing at Dartmouth. It might be regarded as truth for a moment, but it is more of a sacred story than a story to be followed as actual truth.
Collector’s Name: Sam Gochman
Tags/Keywords: Light-weight rowing, crew, D150, myth, Lone Pine