I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Wha 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. Even commercial cruise lines have been known to host some parts of the ritual. There are still cases in which seafarers are put to difficult and embarrassing tests sometimes humiliating and even painful experiences in order to receive the blessing of a very unkind and unfair God.The ones who received the same harsh treatment years before are more likely to perform the same unkind ceremony on the new comers and the more humiliating the situation is the happier they are. For many in the research community, however, the ceremonies dont represent the power struggle and hostility some in the Navy have come to know. 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.". Most prominently, ocean scientists are known to perform similar ceremonies. When a ship crosses the equator, King Neptune comes aboard to exercise authority over his domain and to judge charges brought against Pollywogs that they are only posing as sailors and haven't paid proper homage to the god of the sea. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. stream Pollywogs participated voluntarily, though female midshipmen observed that they were under social pressure to do the ceremony but were targets of harder abuse. [2] The officer on watch reported a boat ahead, and Captain FitzRoy ordered "hands up, shorten sail". Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. As this scientist put it, everyone on the ship was fine with someone not participating; No one egged her in her sleep., Neptune and his entourage during a Polish line-crossing ceremony. I remember going back to my cabin at 1200 hrs after completing some important deck work. (Photo:The Field Museum Library/flickr). As is with all cadets, sleep is the all-engulfing element that overpowers the necessity to change ones boiler suit and go in for a shower! "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. Then, they are offered a glass of red liquid a combination of sea water and spices which must be drunk thoroughly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2010 - 2023 Marine Insight All Rights Reserved. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory Each ship might have their own traditions and nuances, but the fundamental structure goes something like this: Many accounts dwell only on the final, elaborate ceremony that takes place on the day a ship traverses the equator, but the month leading up to King Neptune's arrival, when the Pollywogs are separated off from the Shellbacks, is also significant. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Sailors undergoing the ceremony were physically and verbally abused before being subjected to an act called "sump on the rump", where a dark liquid was daubed over each sailor's anus and genitalia. The Pollywogs are accused of various atrocities and crimes against humanity, including pushing in at the buffet, singing karaoke out of tune and dancing without rhythm. [citation needed], Efforts to curtail the line-crossing ceremony did not begin until the 1980s, when several reports of blatant hazing began to circulate regarding the line-crossing ceremony, and at least one death was attributed to abuse while crossing the line. This is a usually light-hearted event that allows the ships crew to take some time out from their hectic schedules and have fun with the rest of the crewmates. Naval History and Heritage Command. 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!). Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. [citation needed] The Wogs are made very aware that it will be much harder on them if they do anything like this. The ship's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the scene.[5]. Another rare status is the Golden Shellback, a person who has crossed the Equator at the 180th meridian. x]KsSjF r.Kq9r_t)RMH[f~F`j4z0R.wo,y?_6 zXw{^7'/Vu:l~|cW;F:yVR0cSEQl:6hQOZr:iusl B9Pn~-~u6= f{w}XYaKn)VSwA#/Ye6=~ui)f{jL??GOn2{ >y 7KOs!Oy4+,Cc[`_rXVe(soAyG:x[HT1J-aFn-gfEXU0)EJhSsfD~5c6 ^Ub2?\%"0s5nFM 6VNG1ymVMgi;THbV:XB"`/8v6h?4`"n@? But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the Ashmore. terms and conditions 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? However, most lenders have similar criteria. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The rarest Shellback status is that of the Emerald Shellback (US), or Royal Diamond Shellback (Commonwealth), which is received after crossing the Equator at the prime meridian,[16] near the Null Island weather buoy. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. 1400 Forum Blvd. 14 0 obj King Neptune decrees the "lowly, scum-sucking Pollywogs must kiss the royal fish!". But their businessis for me no problem. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. The Golden Shellback was awarded to those who also crossed the equator and the International Date Line or 180th meridian, (where the world is divided between Eastern and Western Hemispheres) at the same time. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. 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. NMLS ID #1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org), #1 VA Lender: ae. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Naval History and Heritage Command. 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. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. It is not at all easy to hold the position of a Queen in [], Sir..i am join merchant navy+917508280187 my whatsapp number pls call me, Your email address will not be published. This is likely because of the bad rap the ceremony has accrued over the years. 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. Slimy (the traditional adjective) Pollywogs are led out for their hazing in front of King Neptune, and his assistant reads the charges. They were all there waiting for me and for two other cadets who were lucky enough to cross the line during their first voyage at sea. The event often lasted two days and normally followed a standard transition. Why fly home from Bali when you can cruise in style? WebEquator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are common in the Navy and are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and cruise ships. Crawling through long containers filled withrotten garbage. 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. A Queen represents confidence and unconditional dedication towards her task. '03aE,#M5fr0|\fs9_'_-Qrzm"\~+?NUzUwx_|],Lf,[~]lly_e)ETJJ Gz#. 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. "?HF]y@O?&jL _ The fun has just begun, and its going to continue for another 24 hours. It is very seldom to find an age-old tradition that is carried out with such gusto at shore. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. 767 Afterwards, some may be "interrogated" by King Neptune and his entourage, and the use of "truth serum" (hot sauce + after shave) and whole uncooked eggs put in the mouth. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Required fields are marked *. Download image. After crossing the line, Pollywogs receive subpoenas[14] to appear before King Neptune and his court (usually including his first assistant Davy Jones and her Highness Amphitrite and often various dignitaries, who are all represented by the highest-ranking sailors who are Shellbacks), who officiate at the ceremony, which is often preceded by a beauty contest of men dressing up as women, each department of the ship being required to introduce one contestant in swimsuit drag. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. (July 14): NNS130704-01. Many cases of unbelievable cruelty were reported especially in the years after the II World War and some maritime companies even banned these ceremonies on board their vessels. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. For instance, as Naval backlash increased due to allegations of oppressive line-crossing practices, many officers dug in their heels and vehemently defended the ceremony, despite consequences to their own careers. Hersh mentioned how the ceremony morphed as more people entered the Navy. The Wogs then ascended a ladder to the boat deck to slide down a makeshift chute into the baptism of messdeck leavings in sea water in an inflated liferaft back on the superstructure deck. a signal being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked me. In a different iteration in Voyager's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but not today. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Cast of characters during a Crossing the Line ceremony, DANFS - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Permitting Policy and Resource Management, The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: 20 Years Later, "Ex Scientia Tridens": The U.S. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. Once you are initiated, Hersh told me, you are then in the masculine position If youre a woman that doesnt make sense. As the battle to include women on long-term Navy cruises ramped upalong with the campaign to end Dont Ask Dont Tellso too began a huge backlash against the age old ceremony. The glimmer in the eyes of those that have already experienced it, telling you to live every moment of it, for it is never to happen again, is priceless. It was also called crossing the line. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. MO For a while, said Hersh, some boats tried to stop the ceremonies from even happening. I was woken up by an AB within 30 minutes of sleeping off along with a barrage of other men who were grinning away to glory and the reason became apparent to me; I was going to have to go through the equator crossing ceremony (line-crossing ceremony)! In this case, the whole ceremony can turn into a complete nightmare for the young seamen who would rather forget about the event than recording it in hundreds of photos and movies. When the ceremony is organized and supervised by intelligent and kind persons regardless of age, rank or nationality the event takes the form of a happy celebration in which all the crew has a great time. Age-Old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the Equator at the 180th meridian webthe ceremony of crossing the Line an... 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