The Greek crew, F351, Spring 2008
Folklore Materials
* * * * *
Some pledging routines, located in the Folklore Archives by Megan Colleen
Hillier
Text 1
Original Collector: Julie Greime
Title: None Provided (possible title = Well House Scavenger Hunt)
Class: F101
Semester/Year: Spring 1984
“The night I got my mom, there was three of us in a group and each—everybody was divided into three groups, basically everybody went on some type of scavenger hunt. (She goes on to explain where they went.) Then we went to the (slapping hands on the floor) um… I can’t think of the name of it… the little pavilion thing were you go at midnight type deal and um… we went there and we had three Fiji’s [members of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity] waiting there at the thing and they gave us a kiss because it was midnight and stuff and they planned it that we’d be there at midnight and then we went back to Fiji.” -- Denay Williams of Phi Mu
Context: Performed by Denay Williams (age 20) and collected at Phi Mu by
Julie Greime (age 19) in the spring semester of 1984; this collection was
recorded in the mid-afternoon. As a tale collected from Indiana University,
the collection relies on IU culture to understand both the tradition itself,
but also the reference to the Well House and to know what a Fiji is. It is
for this reason that the context of the story is both the IU Greek community
and the greater IU community.
Text 2
Original Collector: Julie Greime
Title: None Provided (possible title = Kilroy’s Scavenger Hunt)
Class: F101
Semester/Year: Spring 1984
“OK. Um. We’re having them all come over here (the Phi Mu house) and I’m gonna giver her like a scavenger hunt. I’m gonna have her go to Kilroy’s, where I work, and some people there is gonna giver her another clue when she figure—figures out who at Kilroy’s it’s supposed to be and then um.. that phone right in front of the Stadium Services Building there’s gonna be a clue taped underneath that an you know make up a riddle for her over there.”—Suzanne Schwartz
Context: The story was told by Suzanne Schwartz (age 20) and again
collected by Julie Greime. It was also completed at the Phi Mu house in the
spring semester of 1984, but this collection was made in the early evening
at Indiana University.
Text 3
Original Collector: Julie Greime
Title: None Provided (possible title = Evansville Pledge)
Class: F101
Semester/Year: Spring 1984
“Well, um… I received my mother at Evansville when I was a pledge. (Cindy is the transfer.) So, um, it was a little bit different than what we do here. We didn’t do a scavenger hunt. They just told us to be on our toes all weekend because we would find out who our sorority mother was sometime that week and we had no idea what was going on. It was all very secretive. So, um, it was… I had just gotten home from a party and it was about probably 5:30 in the morning and I had just gotten into bed, gotten my clothes, you know. I had been asleep an hour and all the suddin’ the door ‘bout breaks down and ‘bout four Phi Mus come in and blindfold me and, um, drag me out to McDonald’s in my nightgown and, um, we went out to breakfast and the rest of the Chapter was waiting there and all the pledges, you know, came and we learned songs and raised a lot of ruckus in McDonald’s and, um, ended up spending the rest of the day together.”—Cindy Schelm
Context: The context of this tale is very important. The story was again collected at Phi Mu in the early evening. Told to Julie Greime by Cindy Schelm, the story provides markedly more background because the woman is a transfer from another school. Previously a student from the University of Evansville, Schelm’s texture included the element of surprise Greime alluded to in her introduction. Also, the narrative includes very specific information like times and locations. Finally, the story also incorporates (by allusion only) other types of prevalent folklore from the sorority—songs.
Text 1
Original Collector: Marti Neal
Title: “There are No Chi Omegas at Purdue”
Year: September 24, 1968
Oh there are no Chi Omegas
at Purdue
Oh there are no Chi Omegas at Purdue
So the Beta Theta Pis
Have to sleep with Lambda Chi
For there are no Chi Omegas at Purdue
Oh there are some Chi Omegas at I.U.
Oh there are some chi omegas at I.U.
But the Beta Theta Pis
Still prefer the Lambda Chis
Through there are some Chi Omegas at I.U.
Context:
This song was collected in
Indianapolis, Indiana, from Tom Neal, a former student of Indiana
University, who had learned this song when he was an undergraduate at
Indiana University. This song was sung at that time and as far back as
anyone could remember at IU among the Greeks on campus. This information was
collected in an interview format.
Text 2
Original Collector: Tom Geis
Title: “Bawdy Fraternity Songs” – Pi Kapp Raiders
Year: December 14, 1973
Pi Kapp Raiders
We are Pi Kapp raiders
Raiders of the night
Dirty son of a bitches
We’d rather fuck than fight
Singing highty, tighty, Christ almighty
Who in the hell are we
Rat shit, bat shit, dirty ole twat
Sixty-nine assholes tied in a knot
Yea, rah lizard shit
a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah, FUCK!
Context: This song was collected in Bloomington, Indiana, from Carl Harlan, a brother of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, who had learned this song as a freshman on the Indiana University campus. The interview was conducted at the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity house in a casual setting.
Text 3
Original Collector: Charles Betz
Title: A Collection of Drinking Songs from the Theta Chi Fraternity at Indiana University” – There are No Chi Phis at IU
Year: October 27, 1971
There are no Chi Phi’s at
I.U.
Yes, there are no Chi Phi’s at I.U.
But the pussy Sigma Chi’s
They still fuck over the Theta Chi’s
Oh there are no Chi Phi’s at IU
Context: This song was collected in Bloomington, Indiana from Charles Yeiser, a brother of Theta Chi Fraternity and a current student at Indiana University. The song was obtained in a casual setting, where the Theta Chi brothers were drinking and singing their songs. The song originated in the Theta Chi house after the Chi Phi house was almost destroyed in fire and they had to move out. The Sigma Chi’s are involved in the song because of the little wars that exist between them and the Theta Chi’s who are located right next door. It is sung to the tune of “There are no Chi Omegas at Purdue”
Text 1
Collector: John R. Long
Title: “My ATO Girl”
Semester/Year: November 15, 1972
My ATO Girl
My ATO Girl, how I love you,
You are the sweetest girl to wear the Gold and Blue,
Come, sweetheart, tell me now is the time
Won’t you wear my pin,
To show that you are mine.
Context:
This is a song that was used by the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity to serenade sororities in order to get them to be their pair for events. The song is an invitation by a fraternity to a sorority. This song is an example of fraternity’s culture to seek out sororities as a tradition. This tradition has continued today between fraternities and sororities.
Text 2
Collector: Kimberly Nelson
Title: “The Ghosts of Lambda Chi Alpha and Other Ghost Stories”
Semester/Year: November 22, 1977
There seems to be two ghosts haunting Lambda Chi Alpha: Hence Orme and
Harold Mumby. Hence Orme was Indiana’s old Mohican Chief, a frat brother of
Lambda Chi Alpha and was shot by two bandits, who stopped his car on the
highway. Harold Mumby was one of the first to live in the Lambda Chi Alpha
house and donated a lot of money. A huge picture of him is in the library
where his eyes follow you wherever you go. There are unexplainable things
occurring including footsteps, lights going on and off, voices of laughter
and heartbeats.
Kevin Gale: My fraternity father was at the house during the summer and
myself and another brother heard running up the stairs of the house when no
one else was in the house. The two brothers thought it was an intruder and
tried many times to catch this person running up and down the stairs. But,
there was no one. The running up and down the stairs continued many times.
The stairway from the library up to the third floor is haunted. Late in the
evening you can hear someone breathing on your back and hear footsteps
behind you. One of the brothers and his girlfriend were going through the
informal and saw the piano keys playing by themselves.
Context:
This document describes the ghosts of Lambda Chi Alpha. These Ghosts represent the past of Lambda Chi Alpha. This story would be told to younger brothers in order to give them the history and culture of the house. The story seems to build credit by mentioning the memorates of past brothers in the house during the summer.
Text 3
Collector: Marti Neal
Title: “Slang language”
Semester/Year: September 26, 1968
“To leave” is stated as “to fade”
“To go to bed” is “fade to the bench”
“To act strange” was stated as being abstract which was shortened to the
term “ab” and lengthened to the term “abosity”
Vietnam is called “Namland”
To be the opposite of apathetic is to “be bothered”
Context:
This document depicts fraternity slang during the time of the Vietnam war. I believe these slang words were used to help form a community among brothers. It is almost like they were creating their own language. The brothers in the house have their own language that is established inside the walls of the house thus a culture is established inside the house creating a closer brotherhood.
Sylvia ‘s sorority poems and songs
Collection 1
Overall Context:
These songs were deposited at the Indiana University Archives in October 1976 by Marcia Meyers, who also provides explanations. The context for this collection includes sorority songs passed down by generations from the following sororities: Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Zeta Tau Alpha, and Delta Delta Delta.
Text 1
Title of Collection: “A Collection of Sorority Songs”
Collector’s name: Marcia Meyer
Date collected: October 4, 1976
Prayer from Gamma Phi Betta
O let Thy blessing, Father dear,
Rest on each sister gathered here;
Our order bless help us we pray,
True lives to live from day to day
Context:
This prayer not only emphasized that they were blessing the food that they were about to eat, but together, sorority members asked for guidance, help, and strength to carry on their lives from day to day. This prayer emphasizes unity and being “together.”
Text 2
Toast from Delta Delta Delta
Now we ask, O God of might
Keep our crescent over bright;
Help us our noble aim to keep,
And bless our friendship bond so deep
Context:
This song emphasized that members of the sororities should remain as an entity and keep their bonds and friendships with each another. Toasts were given normally during special occasions around dinner time.
Text 3:
Rush Song from Gamma Phi Beta
“Consider Yourself”
The Gamma Phi Beta sang this song Consider Yourself:
Consider yourself at home, consider yourself in the family,
We’ve taken to you so strong, its clear we’re going to get along.
Consider yourself well in, consider yourself part of the furniture.
There isn’t a lot of space, who cares what ever we got, we share.
Nobody tries to be la-de-da and uppity, there’s a cup of tea for all
We’ve a sisterhood devoted to each other, we’re quick to answer any call.
Consider yourself our mate, we don’t want to have no fuss.
For after some consideration, we can state, “Consider yourself one of us.”
Context:
This rush song was my favorite out of all of the rush songs I found because it helped me realize that the members of the sororities really act like a family. They take a chance when picking members to become part of their family. They keep most of their secrets by not writing too much of their information down and passing these traditions down orally. It is a very unique system in that not only do they succeed but they help one another to become successful as well.
Collection 2:
Overall Description:
In this collection, Wayne Morden discusses how he put together college fraternity and sorority songs that could be considered to be “folk songs of a nature.” Morden talks about how these songs are passed down orally, by word of mouth from year to year, especially in his fraternity, “Pi Kappa Alpha.” Morden furthermore tells the reader how he was able to convince the women of the Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority to sing sixteen of the Greek lore songs and record their melodies. Some of these songs consisted of serious nature (vows), rush songs, fun songs, and sadly, parting songs.
Overall Context:
This material was deposited in the Folklore Archives at Indiana University in May 24, 1967. Explanation of these Greek lore songs was provided by Wayne T. Morden. The context for this collection includes songs of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority as well as songs from Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
Text 4
Title of Collection: “A Folklore Collection for F201 (Mrs. Degh)”
Collector’s name: Wayne T. Morden
Date Collected: May 24, 1967
Parody Song by Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority
Oh there are Chi Omegas at I.U.
Yes, there are Chi Omegas at I.U.
What the Pi Phis do for pay
The Chi Os do for play
Yes, there are Chi Omegas at I.U.
There are no Chi Omegas at Purdue
No there are no Chi Omegas at Purdue
So the Beta Theta Pis
Have to sleep with Sigma Chis
For there are no Chi Omegas at Purdue
Context:
This is a parody song that was sung at fraternities at Indiana University by the sorority members of Zeta Alpha Sorority as a joke in the 60s. Those that sing it acknowledge the fact that there are Chi Omegas at Purdue University.
Overall Description:
On Friday afternoon, March 28th, 2008, I researched the folklore of Greek Lore. I was able to go through the University Archives, located on the fourth floor of the Wells Library to study the folklore of the fraternities and sororities at IU. During my findings, I stumbled across “A Collection of Sorority Songs,” which consisted of graces, toasts, hymns, serious songs, and most importantly “rush” songs. Most of these songs were parody songs, normally referred to as a joke made interesting to both the audience and the performers mainly because they were applied to inappropriate and also vulgar topics. More importantly, these songs represented strength, dedication, and unity among sorority girls. The first line of “Sorority Songs” caught my attention because the author mentioned that “the collection of sorority songs from IU should help negate the theory that folklore is dead or dying.” This is very important because the author was able to make the connection with the reader that folklore is very important for cultural and traditional purposes, and that it should not be ignored or simply forgotten about. She mentions how the youth of America are actively singing folksongs, but are not taking into account that folksongs came from the past and that in order to help understand where we come from, we must understand our past. She also emphasizes that in the Greek society, campus song tradition continually grows year after year because the fraternities and sororities are the most important social and stable entity on campus.
__________________________________________________________________
Text 1
Contributor: Megan Colleen Hillier
Informant: Melissa Hudson
Title: Theta Mom’s Night
Semester/Year: Fall 2005
“I do believe we went on a scavenger hunt ‘cause it wasn’t like, “oh let’s all sit down in the rec. room and talk about whose mom is whose.” It was like, um, I think all of us got little pieces of paper with our names on them and clues and just sent you all over the house, and of course, the very last one found you at your mom’s room door, or something like that. […] (The clues weren’t) stuff about your mom because we didn’t even know our moms. It was more like “where would you go to get a snack?” and you would go to the kitchen. So it just takes you to different rooms and the last one is some major clue as to what room in the house, um, has your mom in it, you know?” – Melissa Hudson
Context: The context of the interview was a conversation between
friends over coffee. We were seated in the Copper Cup, on the corner of
Third Street and Jordan Avenue. It was about 3 o’clock on a Saturday
afternoon, December 3, 2005. At that point in time, Melissa had been a Theta
for almost a year.
Text 2
Contributor: Megan Colleen Hillier
Informant: Anonymous
Title: Candlelight Mom’s Night
Semester/Year: Fall 2005
“I found out one week; it was right before initiation. I was told to come to chapter. At the end of chapter, we got in a circle and turned the lights off and, like ev--, um, there was a candle and it was passed around the circle. They sang a song, and my mom blew it out.”
Context: Contextually, the interview was conducted in the guest room
of the informant’s chapter house and was, again, experienced as a
conversation between friends. The interview took place at 9:43pm on December
4, 2005. The relationship, as related by the informant, is not the best. Her
mom and the informant do not get along that well, but she is still happy to
have the family connection. The informant actually mentions that she is very
close to her grandmother and great grandmother in the chapter. In this
example, we see a new dimension; the relationship may not be all about the
mother/daughter relationship, but can and does extend to “grandmothers” and
“great grandmothers.”
Text 3
Contributor: Megan Colleen Hillier
Informant: Kirstin Olson
Title: Receiving a Son
Semester/Year: Fall 2005
I had a mom’s night and my friend or whatever, the father—his name’s Sparky, or at least that’s what I call him. Uh—he was like “Oh yeah, I want you to be this kid’s mom” so I went over and I dressed up in this tank top that said MILF—Mom I’d Like to Booooooooop. And, uh, they came in and they were all dressed up in suits and ties and they looked really cute, but they had blindfolds on. And they sat down in front of me, and they were, like, talking and they had to tell us—um, we had to ask them questions. They had, like, a baby bottle, and it had vod—like, straight vodka in it. And we had to ask them questions, and it was like purposefully that they’d have to get wrong, like “what’s my name?” and obviously they had no idea, or “how old am I?” or “have you ever seen me naked”—things that they’re obviously gonna get wrong. And any time we wanted to, we would make them drink—if they got a question wrong, we’d make them drink too. So basically, we just had to make them get rid of the bottle. And also when they got questions wrong, they had to take off a piece of clothing. So they were down to, like, their ties and boxers…and drunk. AND then they serenaded us, well first they got their blindfolds taken off so they met their mom and then they serenaded us… and that was pretty much it.
Context: The context of this interview was another conversation between friends, held at 1:19am on Monday December 5, 2005 at 1314 North Jordan—the residence of the collector. . (It is also important to not that this centralization of the ritual around alcohol is only noted in a men’s fraternity ritual, but one must keep in mind that this sampling is only of three collections, and women from only two chapters on campus commented on their own rituals. I do not believe that it is fair, looking at the limited sample, to conclude anything about the involvement of alcohol in these rituals as it pertains to a difference of men’s and women’s chapters on the Indiana University Bloomington campus.)
Text 1
Original
Collector: Al Barnett
Title: “Rituals”
Class: F101
Year: 1986
Contributor: Lindsey Bruggeman
Pledge continues his work sessions/wake up calls and has a DU 100 in which he listens to a tape of Terry Bullock, DU fraternity president, speaking on motivation and motivational techniques. Also, during this week the pledge class has it’s mothers night- a night when the pledges split up into two groups and are taken to several sorority houses where the soon-to-be sorority mothers make the pledges sing songs of their choice and put styling mousse or shaving cream into the pledges hair. Also some mothers may even paint the pledges fingernails and make them consume some alcohol. After they have been to all the sorority houses, the pledges return to the fraternity house and must as an entire class pick their mothers from among approximately 30 girls. This continues until the correct mother is chosen. Usually the mother awards her son by giving him a sweatshirt and or anything else with her sorority letters on it.
Context: This text was collected at the Indiana University Archives in 1986.
Barnett’s work consisted of interviews conducted with several pledges and
current members of the Delta Upsilon fraternity.
Text 2
Original
Collector: Christie C. Scheidt
Title: Traditions of Pi Beta Phi
Class: F101
Semester, Year: Fall, 1986
Contributor: Lindsey Bruggeman
At the end of the year when the seniors are leaving, after they have been inducted into alumnae status, and what the seniors do is gather up all the stuff that characterizes them personally like something they have been known for in the house or something that they have done with a bunch of other seniors that they want to will to underclassmen to carry on the tradition or to keep their spirit alive…. That is a time for the seniors to give something that they feel, it is nothing that is in the ritual, but it is just something that the seniors carry on so they can live on in everyone else’s mind.
Context: The interviews were conducted at the Pi Beta Phi house at night
in the room of one of the women in the house. The story was told by Christie
C. Scheidt, a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority at IU. The date of this
collection was December 4, 1986.
Text 3
Original Contributor: Jeff Harris
Title: “Tubbings” at Sigma Chi Fraternity
Class: F101
Semester, Year: Spring, 1984
Contributor: Lindsey Bruggeman
Tubbing is a way for the seniors in the house to keep the underclassmen under control. It is also a way for the seniors to gain respect that they deserve. To tub someone, the person to be tubbed must be present, the seniors call out his name and the pledges try to catch him. The pledges then take him over to the Jordan River, where the individual is to get into the river and do three push-ups. If by chance, the pledges can’t catch this fleeing person, each member of the pledge class is to do the push-ups in the river. The brothers chant “Brother Oldman.”
Context: “Tubbing” is a ritual explicit to Sigma Chi fraternity. The
story is told by Jeff
Harris on April 13, 1984. The context for this tale involves the Greek
Community at IU as well as the Bloomington community in its entirety.
Text 1
In some
sororities and fraternities they post “toilet times”. This includes, but is
not limited to, gossip around the house, the weather, stories, jokes, and
riddles. For example, in my sorority ours is called the “Kappa Krappa”
and it always contains pictures, jokes, and interesting facts. I thought
this would be considered folklore because it is kind of a tradition that is
not written down anywhere. People just do it for fun and not all houses on
campus have it. These “toilet times” include many elements of lore like
riddles, jokes, and proverbial expressions.
Besides the “toilet times”, another thing sometimes found in the stalls are
birthday signs. When any girl in my house turns 21, signs are posted of her
all around the house, especially in the bathroom. These signs include
pictures, usually embarrassing, and then a funny saying. These sayings are
usually a joke specific to the person. I thought this was also an element of
folklore because it is a tradition that has been passed down throughout the
years. No one tells us to do it, we just do it for fun.
Text 2
At lunch, some of my friends and I were talking about why all sororities on campus have key codes in order to get in. A girl told a story that it used to be that boys were allowed at the sorority houses whenever they wanted. There were very few rules and regulations about visiting hours and such. Then, on a big campus like IU’s, a man entered a sorority house one evening and went unnoticed. Girls were so used to seeing men walking around that no one thought to question him or think twice about him being there. Well, this intruder went into the women’s dormitory and killed several of the women while they were sleeping. Ever since, sororities nation wide have increased their security and put strict regulations of men’s visiting hours. I felt this was some type of Urban Legend. Maybe a story shared to scare women and reinforce the importance of strict security in the sororities.
Lindsey B's current collection:
Text 1
Contributor: Lindsey Bruggeman
Informant: Jacob Phillips
Title: Rituals in Fraternity Life
Semester, Year: Fall, 2005
J.P. One tradition that we have is lavaliering. When a guy in Alpha Beta (pseudonym) gives his girlfriend his Alpha Beta ring meaning that, you know, it is very serious and probably one day they will end up in marriage. So after he lavaliers her, one fateful night, haha, the Alpha Beta brothers and his pledge class kidnap him and put him in a chair and tape him, saran wrap him, to the chair. They put ice on his genitals and shave his head and get him really drunk. They then produce him to the sorority of his girlfriend and leave him there in the formal or on the front yard. This has been a tradition that has been passed down for a long time at the chapter.
J.P. It has changed a lot recently compared to how it used to be. This has ended a lot of our rituals, traditions, whatever. But one we still have is Dad’s night. This is when all the upperclassmen in the house pick one of the pledges as their son. That night, the pledges get their father which gives them a mentor to look up to for the rest of pledgeship. That night is one of the times the pledges get to hang out with the house during pledgeship. It is a really good night for the pledges because they just get to drink and have a good time.
Context: This interview was performed in the kitchen of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house on December 1, 2005 at night. There was one other person present during the interview, Amanda Meyer, who was interviewed at a later time. Jacob Phillips is a senior, Caucasian, 21 year old male, and has been a member of his fraternity since his freshmen year at college. He is a close friend and therefore the interview was conducted in a very informal manner. Phillips is now a live out, but he still actively participates in the initiation process of his fraternity.
Text 2
Contributor: Lindsey Bruggeman
Informant: Jon Arrivo
Title: Rituals in Fraternity Life
Semester, Year: Fall 2005
J.A. Umm, let me think. Well, a couple years back they started this thing called 40’s at 4. The brothers all get together on Friday’s after classes and drink a 40 together. They don’t do it every week, only occasionally when most people can. Sometimes they have a sorority come over too but that has only happened a couple times. It is just something that one pledge class started and then it got passed down when they graduated.
Context: This interview was conducted on November 29, 2005 at the Alpha Beta Fraternity house in Jon Arrivo’s room. There was no one else present during the interview. Arrivo is a Caucasian, 22 year old male, who is a senior in the Alpha Beta Fraternity. The interview was conducted at night, on the couch in Arrivo’s room. Arrivo is also a good friend, so the interview was very causal and was conducted in a familiar setting to make him feel more comfortable.
Text 3
Contributor: Lindsey Bruggeman
Informant: Amanda Meyer
Title: Rituals in Sorority Life
Semester, Year: Fall, 2005
A.M. Well, when we first get initiated we have a really fun week, “totally sober”, get to know you type deal. So the night of initiation which happens a few weeks after bid week, they lock us up in the upstairs sleeping area and steal our watches, food cards, cell phones, and let us loose. This is where we basically for the first time we get to meet and get to know our new pledge sisters on a non-party level. Lots of fun stories come out. Somewhere close to this, we get to experience sheiking.
A.M. Sheiking is tradition among our chapter. It is a way for us to really make our mark in the frat scene. We collect anything and everything that will make us look silly and hilarious such as bras over our tanks, and underwear over pants, crowns, boas, anything you can find that will stay attached to our body. Then we get drunk and all gather around in the kitchen and practice the infamous songs. We then proceed to run through all the popular frats on campus, screaming, banging, and singing on the tops of our lungs. After we get them riled up and excited, umm, they all congregate in a big room and we dance around them. They love it, we love it and it always something to look forward to. Another ritual that we do that is a little more serious is called the candlelight. This is really something that we do on our own just for fun. Well, one night, we get together in a room with one candle. Each person has a turn to speak truthfully and open up to her pledge sisters about anything from if she is having trouble or problems or something intimate about her family or past or something just like how happy they are to be in kappa. It is just really neat to get to know your sisters beyond the normal every day chit chat. There is always a lot of laughing, crying, and everything in between. Ummm, I think that is it.
Context: This interview was performed on December 1, 2005 in the Kappa Kappa Gamma kitchen during the evening. Meyer is a 20 year old, Caucasian, junior in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority at IU. Meyer was one of my roommates at the time and therefore felt very relaxed and comfortable sharing information about rituals at Kappa. As previously mentioned, Meyer was present during Phillips interview, however, he was not present during her interview.
Item 1
Interviewee: Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., who chose to remain anonymous
Description:
This interview took place a day after the 2008 Little 500 Step Down, held at the IU Auditorium. The Little 500 Step Down was a competition, where different African American fraternities and sororities from Indiana University “step” or “use their bodies to dance to the percussive drum beat.” African American stepping is defined as “a form of percussive dance in which the participant's entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and hand clap.” Stepping is a tradition among African Americans that has been practiced historically among their fraternities and sororities since the mid 1900s. Stepping is also known to be rooted with schoolyard traditions and rituals practiced for over seven decades. Stepping can be performed by an individual; however, it is normally performed by a group of three or more people. Elements of tap dancing, marching, and gymnastics are implemented into step dancing. Props may or may not be used; some of these props include canes, rhythm sticks, and/or blindfolds.
I was fortunate enough to interview one of the participants of the step show, who is also a member of the Zeta Phi Sorority who won this year’s step down. Below is the full interview:
Full Text:
What’s the full name of your society?
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
How long has this sorority been around?
Since January 16, 1920
Who were the first people that founded your sorority?
By five women…I forgot their exact names but you can go to our website for the exact details: http://www.iub.edu/~pbsei/welcome.html. It was a co-joined effort with our brothers, Sigma Phi Beta. We were the only sorority that is constitutionally bounded to a brother fraternity.
What is your motto?
Our principles are scholarship, service, sisterly love, and finer womanhood.
What sets you apart from other sororities on campus?
We are the hardest working sorority on campus, our principles. And we do a lot of community service. Before I came in the sorority, there weren’t as many members as some of the other sororities on campus. We had to work harder to do everything…
What made you join?
National programs, principles, and individual chapters…. People in the sorority are nice, honest, and they are real people. When a girl would walk by and say hi…..They didn’t have trouble talking to me…I didn’t even know the girl was a Zeta.
Did anyone in particular interest you to join?
Coming to campus, I didn’t think I would go Greek. Friends influenced me. I found something different and I looked around.
Are there any rivalries between the Zetas and other sororities on campus?
Every sorority will think they’re the best. But it’s all out of fun. Everyone has pride. We are all part of the Divine Nine—NPHC—National Pan Hellenic Council…They govern us. Little 5 week was so much fun…It was everyone’s week.
Are you friends with other people in other sororities?
Yes…in the new delta Line
Are there any chants or songs that have been passed down?
Zeta Phi
Zeta Phi
Zeta Phi
Z-e-t-a- p-h-i—we sing this in a high pitched voice…while other members sing so sweet in background. We chant this song together.
Was it difficult to learn these chants?
I was so enthused. They were fun and easy to learn.
How long have you been a member?
5 months. I help out where I can. It is so much work, it is so busy. I help out plan week of events. Each member has to collaborate.
What have your major accomplishments been?
They are to accomplish my plans within a week. I have a couple days to get them done. I worked a lot and there is more to come.
How do you feel about your involvement in the 2008 Step Show?
I was “Stepping” up until 2 weeks. It in fact is very time consuming. I did a Monologue in the show. It is our second year now winning. Alpha won fraternity. Zeta won for the sororities. 1st place received $2,000 and 2nd place $1,000
Meaning/Function:
This interview helped me learn more about the folklore of African American Greek life. I was able to see an enactment of a tradition of the step show, hear a song that has been passed down, and record important information dealing with the life of Greek folk lore. Below is a picture taken from the step show. This picture shows excitement, happiness, rhythm, passion, hope, a brotherhood, a sisterhood, and most importantly, a tradition that will continue on for more years to come.
Item 2
2008 Little 500 Step Down
Date: April 12, 2008
Interviewee: Select Members from the audience
Description:
After the 2008 Little 500 Step Down, I conducted informal interviews with the audience and recorded their reactions. Their reactions helped show and prove that folklore especially among Greek life is important among everyone; it also shows that it affects people all around and not just the participants.
Full Text:
What are your thoughts on the 2008 Step Show?
“I enjoyed the different themes of hip-hop explored”
“I loved it!”
“Wow…That was amazing!”
“I want to learn how to step!”
“I want to see that again!”
“How did they remember all the steps?”
“I’m recording this and posting it on YouTube.”
Meaning/Function:
This informal interview was great because I was able to get people’s initial reactions to the folklore of student life. Each act performed in the Step Show was lively and unique in its own way. Fortunately, the Phi Beta Sigmas achieved victory again this year.
Item 1:
The first song I found was a Fraternity Drinking song. The song comes from my own fraternity Alpha Tau Omega (ATO). This was taught to us on the first day of pledge ship.
Ru Ra Rega
Alpha Tau Omega
Hip Hura, Hip Hura
Three cheers for Alpha Tau
ATO
(followed by loud screaming)
This is sung in a chant, usually by five or more people, but it is used in a way similar to a fight song. The song itself has no meaning and does not relate directly to Alpha Tau Omega. It is just meant to be uplifting and is sung to rally everyone together and boost spirits. On April 12, 2008, at the Little 500 race, I witnessed ATO singing the song every time one of our riders would go by our section in the stands. They would also sing it to the fraternities that sat next to us as a “battle” cry. The night before the race, while playing a drinking game called Beer Pong, my partner (also an ATO) started to sing the song, and our opponents responded with their own.
Item 2:
Hidy tidy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we
hey, flim flam, Bim bam
Sigma Pi by damn
Hidy tidy, gosh almighty
Who the hell are we
Hey, flim flam, bim bam
Sigma Pi damn it
And don’t you forget it
The person singing the song was Noyan Olcom, a senior at Indiana University and a member of Sigma PI. He told me that the song was not an official Sigma Pi song, but he said that most of his house knows the song and that it is sung on a regular basis and used in the same manner as the Alpha Tau Omega song. Noyan learned the song on his dad’s night at Sigma Pi.
Item 3:
The last song I learned was a Delta Gamma cheer. I first heard the song my freshman year on my way to their formal, we where all on a bus driving to the reception hall and a group of girls started singing this cheer about their Sorority.
Anchors away DG we’re setting sail
Fresh breeze and running tide
Our ship will never fail to anchor
Colors on high DG bronze, pink, and blue
All hands on deck
Because we’re sailing on
Because we’re sailing on
With you!
The song refers to sailing in the cheer because Delta Gamma’s symbol is the anchor. And the colors bronze, pink, and blue are the colors of the house. My date to the formal, Michelle, told me that they mostly sing this song during rush, to potential sisters.
_________________________________________________________________
Please click here to view thread file.
Item 1
Online Opinions about Fraternity Opinions
Link: http://www.juicycampus.com/index.php
This is a post by an anonymous author who is reaching out to his or her fellow college colleagues. This website is used as a medium for Indiana University students to communicate and relate their situations and to build the very culture they take part in everyday.
This website allows IU Greeks to post their voice digitally and gives them a medium through which to grow understanding about their surroundings. In this case, fraternity rankings were posted by an anonymous author and the post received numerous replies by fellow Greeks voicing their opinions.
Item 2
Kappa Sig update
Link: http://www.juicycampus.com/index.php?searchKey=kappa+sig&page=1
This post is by an anonymous author who is asking a question to fellow Greeks about the situation at Kappa Sigma fraternity. This post was a question but the responses by other Greeks are all opinions about the fraternity. The Greeks are using this website to establish opinions about each other and are showing their culture through the text they write.
The Greeks use this site in this post to voice their opinions about Kappa Sigma fraternity. While voicing their opinion they are showing how the fraternity society is composed. In this case each post is either vulgar, full of hatred, or positive about Kappa Sigma. These posts reflect the Greek culture as both shallow opinionated.
Item 3
Kappa Sigma Idea Bank
Link: http://brotherservices.kappasigma.org/php-bin/threads/
This is a webpage that is used entirely by Kappa Sigma members to voice ideas they have concerning most everything about their chapter. This page is used by many Kappa Sigma members to learn things that other chapters are doing. Members could use these ideas with their chapter or reply with another idea.
The Kappa Sigma idea bank on their national website is an example of the culture of Kappa sigma fraternity. The idea bank is an example of the helping attitude in the Kappa Sigma culture. The idea bank represents the range of the fraternity’s in mediums beside physical interaction.
Item 1: Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Link: http://www.iub.edu/~pbsei/welcome.html
The Epsilon Iota Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. at Indiana University
Text:
President's Message
As the 2007-2008 President of the Epsilon Iota Chapter (Indiana
University) of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., I would like to welcome
you to our website. This website is designed to educate people on the
brothers at Epsilon Iota chapter and their activities on Indiana
University's campus and the Bloomington community. The goal of this chapter
is to further the cause of our national fraternity, which principles are
BROTHERHOOD, SCHOLARSHIP, and SERVICE.
The brothers of Epsilon Iota take great pride in our commitment to support
and strengthen our national partnerships with the American Cancer Society
and the
March of Dimes Foundation. The organizations commitment to Project
SWWAC (Sigma’s Waging War Against Cancer) and the SATAPP (Sigma Against
Teenage Pregnancy Plus) Programs make these goals a reality. In addition,
Phi Beta Sigma’s newest partners, the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and
the National Marrow Donors Program are examples of Sigma's continued renewed
efforts geared towards benefiting the community at large.
We challenge ourselves as we continue to embrace the Fraternity’s motto,
“Culture for Service and Service for Humanity.” The brothers of Epsilon Iota
hope that this website will provide a outlook to who we are and what we’re
about.
For information, questions, or concerns please feel free to contact the
chapter at
pbsei@indiana.edu
“Sigma’s Cause Speeds on Its Way.”
"Our cause speeds on its way"
Sincerely,
Andre D. White, President
Epsilon Iota Chapter
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Indiana University
whitead@indiana.edu
Discussion:
The text is listed on the homepage of the official Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. website. Once you click on the link, you already feel the presence of Greek Lore. You immediately hear the chants and songs of this fraternity. The president has welcomed the visitor to the page and has provided mottos, history, and background information on the homepage. The page is very bright, colorful and easy to understand. The visitor can easily click on the links to find out more information about their mission statement, history, events, chapter roster, and organization information. This visitor is also welcomed to view pictures, videos, and join.
The function of this website is for students, primarily from Indiana University, to learn more about Phi Sigma Fraternity, Inc. They can also learn more about the culture and contact information is given in case any visitor has questions or is interested in joining. They also have the chance to communicate with a member of the fraternity and take part of this culture. Furthermore, visitors have a chance to broaden their horizons and learn more about the folklore of Indiana University and student life.
Meaning
This Website allows IU students and Greeks to educate each other about the origins and functions of Greek life. It also allows both the visitor and the Greek member to celebrate the history, culture, and diversity of Indiana University.
Item 2: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority
Link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2201099269&ref=nf
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Text:
What does it mean to be a Zeta?
It means excellence, courage, and love.
It means purity and peace.
For Zeta is truly like a dove.
Zeta means compassion,
Hard work, saying, "I will" and not "I would",
Zeta is the epitome
Of true Sisterhood.
Zeta, oh sweet Zeta
Always held in the highest esteem,
Sisterly love, cultural advancement, working for all
That's what Zeta means.
Zeeee-Phiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sooooo-Sweeeeeetttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1920*1914*1920*1914*1920*1914*
He's not your brother,
He's not your frat.
You're not related,
So stop all that
If you weren't founded
One by the other,
He's not your bro, he's not your frat, he's not your brother.
If you wear red, (OOOOO-OOOOPs)
And he wears gold (Q-Bark)
He's not your brother
Haven't you been told?
If you do this (Sigma Rho sign)
And he does that (Kappa sign)
He's not your brother, he's not your bro, he's not your frat.
If you're a pearl, (skeee-wee)
And he's a jewel, (06)
He's not your brother,
You silly fool
We're here to tell you
One simple fact
That we're the sorors
That have true frat.
Zeeeeee-Phiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Context:
The text above includes chants/songs from the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. These works show the pride, courage, and sisterhood the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority has developed and strengthened over the years. These lines rhyme, making it easier for a member to learn the songs and catchy for the audience/visitor/viewer to hear.
Function:
The function of this website is to allow Facebook users to access a homepage for the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority instead of visiting their official website. This makes it easier for the students because it is now only one click away. It also has contact information, some pictures, and background history. If a student or Facebook user is interested in learning more about this sorority then they can send an email