WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Your email address will not be published. He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, too, received a summons to appear before the sea god and pay his respects. The researcher I spoke to remembered how on her trip two scientists were already in the order of shellback, so they joined the rest of the crew to help facilitate the days events. The ceremony itself was based on the Court of Neptune, where Shellbacks inducted the Pollywoggers into the mysteries of the deep. His interests primarily lie in the energy sector, books and travelling. It is therefore no wonder that the shore folk are appalled and excited at the same time when the ceremony is told to them in detail. Not affiliated with any government agency. Pollywogs are then doused with water to symbolise a baptism and are duly admitted to the District of Equatorius as Trusty and Honourable Shellbacks and Sons of Neptune. One person, in fact, did. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. During the ceremony, the Pollywogs undergo a number of increasingly embarrassing ordeals (wearing clothing inside out and backwards; crawling on hands and knees on nonskid-coated decks; being swatted with short lengths of firehose; being locked in stocks & pillories and pelted with mushy fruit; being locked in a water coffin of salt-water and bright green sea dye [fluorescent sodium salt]; crawling through chutes or large tubs of rotting garbage; kissing the Royal Baby's belly coated with axle grease, hair chopping, etc. They were expected to endure hardships or initiations ordered by King Neptune, the Captain for their sins. In order to ensure that all the seafarers show their gratitude towards the mighty sea and receive the blessing from Neptune at the beginning of their career and not wait until they have the chance of crossing the Equator, more and more ceremonies are undergone for the first voyage at sea as well. The ceremony was conducted by our steward who took his role as Neptune very seriously and appointed some of the pirates to cleanse us right with soap and water. King Neptune is a prominent figure, as is his representative Davy Jones. Credit score requirements vary by lender. On the open sea, even the leader of a great nation must answer to King Neptune. [citation needed] Pollywogs (midshipmen and anyone else who had not crossed) ascended a ladder from the forecastle to the superstructure deck of the ship. I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. [2][7], A similar ceremony took place during the second survey voyage of HMS Beagle. 14 0 obj Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Ceremonial Certificates - Neptune Subpoena", "Ceremonial Certificates - Golden Shellback Certificate - Personalized", "Every tattoo makes a statement but what do they mean? 2013. All rights reserved. Professor Hersh described the proceedings of the ritual to me as an inversion. While you are going through the ritual, she explained, you are constantly submissive. In her paper she points to some examples where men were made to perform simulated sexual acts. All Rights Reserved. In the 18th century and earlier, the line-crossing ceremony was quite a brutal event,[8] often involving beating pollywogs with boards and wet ropes and sometimes throwing the victims over the side of the ship, dragging the pollywog through the surf from the stern. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. It is very seldom to find an age-old tradition that is carried out with such gusto at shore. We newly elevated Shellbacks get a certificate to mark the occasion, just in case we ever have to prove we are trusty and honourable, rather than lowly, slimy and scum-sucking. VA-approved lender. terms and conditions The excitement and enthusiasm that prevails among fellow shipmates at the time of conducting the line-crossing ceremony is one that beams of a happy past experience of the same and that of passing on the baton of the art of sailing to newbies. Then, they are offered a glass of red liquid a combination of sea water and spices which must be drunk thoroughly. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. Beside him is seated his wife, Queen Amphitrite and theyre both surrounded by a few more (including a Davy Jones impersonator) to replicate a royal proceeding. Other various dignitary titles were given to the officers who officiated the ceremony. From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing ritual. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. This said, the party doesnt end here! A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. I am one of the disappointed. The ceremony observes a mariner's transformation from slimy Pollywog, a seaman who hasn't crossed the equator, to trusty Shellback, also called a Son or Daughter of Neptune. The ceremony is carefully orchestrated by the ship's officers, with some sailors reporting the events to be lackluster due to the removal of the rites of initiation. The custom of crossing the line was immediately adopted following the formation of the Royal Australian Navy, as seen here onboard HMAS Australia (I) in 1913. Check out this weeks video at the bottom. Reflecting the popularity of tattoos among sailors, some people choose to get tattoos to mark that they have participated in a ceremony, such as an image of a shellback turtle or King Neptune. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. It is a memory that is etched into each and every seafarer, for it is an event that ushers in a sense of belonging to ones profession. This amounted to over 70% of the world's total number of military ships measuring 1,000 tons or greater. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. They perform a variety of activities which might involve wearing their clothes inside out or backwards and crawling across the deck through objectionable debris, often the uneatable breakfast that was served to the Pollywogs. The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. p}FEDKS'G,MVLz3+\S:zQoendstream But there are also times when myseafarers are busy, with bunkering, or they are doing other work. Then the heads are shaved in the most uneven manner possible (no historical reasoning for it, but personally judging, it is most likely to do with a purging process) and paint is applied at random all over the body (privates aside!). Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. Following almost the same steps as the Equator Crossingceremony, the first voyage ceremonymay include other tests and trials which are more appropriate for very young sailors. Veterans United Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans by volume than any other lender as of Oct. 2022. Hersh mentioned how the ceremony morphed as more people entered the Navy. I was very lucky to be a part of that beautiful ceremony and thanks to that captain I didnt have to witness any humiliating test. <> Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) UPDATE of 1973 CTL. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. Offer subject to change without notice. About 9 am the next day, the novices or "griffins" were assembled in the darkness and heat of the lower deck, then one at a time were blindfolded and led up on deck by "four of Neptunes constables", as "buckets of water were thundered all around". Read my comment again Eric. Sailors who have already crossed the Equator are nicknamed Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks, Honorable Shellbacks, or Sons of Neptune. Pollywogs participated voluntarily, though female midshipmen observed that they were under social pressure to do the ceremony but were targets of harder abuse. ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition One by one, all the older and more experienced seafarers take their turn in congratulating the newly anointed sailors, glasses are raised in their honor and even a party can be thrown to emphasize the event. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. One sailor was then sexually assaulted with a long stick before all sailors undergoing the ceremony were forced to jump overboard and tread water until permitted to climb back aboard the submarine. It was designed to test the novices in the crew to see whether they could endure their first cruise at sea, senior chief aviation boatswains mate Bernard Dizontold the Navys press office. The 90s saw large groups of people balking at its existence. Made to kissan axle-greased Royal Babys Belly. I remember the serious yet joyous voice of the captain when he used the public announcer to assemble us all on the starboard side wing. crossing the equator, Commanding Officer Captain J. Scott Jones, for instance, publicly announced that the USS Bonhomme Richard had a great celebration of this important passage. Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. I remember the shock I had as soon as I discovered that half of the Filipinos on board were gathered there, some of them dressed up like pirates with funny dresses, tattoos, wigs made up from cleaning mops and a whole arsenal of wooden weapons. After the show, Pollywogs receive a subpoena from Davy Jones to stand before the court the next day and answer to charges brought against them by the Shellbacks. NMLS ID #1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org), #1 VA Lender: [17], As Shellback initiation is conducted by each individual ship as a morale exercise and not officially recognized by the Navy with inclusion on discharge papers (DD Form 214) or through a formally organized institution, variations of the names as well as the protocol involved in induction vary from ship to ship and service to service.[18]. Juan Pablo Rosato of the Argentine navy. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. endobj Church, Andrew. )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I The ceremony could include funny and nave games like moving on hands and knees on slippery decks but more humiliating, difficult and dangerous tasks as well like crawling through barrels of garbage or oil, jumping overboard from high decks or climbing on top of the mast and being forced to spend hours in the same position. Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. Showing gratitude towards the sea and its masters may come in the form of a whispering pray behind the four walls of your cabin, but it sometimes requires a loud shout and a real ceremony which must be attended by everybody else on board. I think that being able to participate in the rite of passage with another friendly navy is always an honor and it allows us to know each other better.". Another rare status is the Golden Shellback, a person who has crossed the Equator at the 180th meridian. The US Navy holds a massive, two-day line crossing ceremony wherein experienced sailors (those who have been across the equator) are called Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks and Honorable Shellbacks, the Sons of Neptune. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. All the same, its not a secret. Line-crossing originated as a hazing process to transform the pollywogs into bona fide shellbacks. A videotape of the ceremony was obtained by the Nine Network and aired on Australian television. crossing the equator, Commanding Officer Captain J. Scott Jones, for instance, publicly announced that the USS Bonhomme Richard had a great celebration of this important passage. A feast is prepared at night for dinner with thorough fanfare. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Pollywogs into bona fide Shellbacks 's total number of military ships measuring 1,000 or... More VA Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans by volume than any other lender as of Oct..! With thorough fanfare proceedings of the deep lunacy was sanctioned to boost spirits... According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator, this ceremony was obtained by the Nine Network aired... 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