Sorority Rituals - Reflections On Rites of ... - Mari Ann Callais

Participants indicated connection and bonding as concepts that “tied” them in some way to the
ritual ceremonies. Earlier discussion suggests that the original purpose of consistent ritual was to
provide traditions that could be consistent between chapters in various locations and that would
live on long after the founders of the groups. These comments made by participants indicate that
the original purpose is still being met in today’s sorority chapters. The emphasis on “bonding”
and connection to their founding connects to the sorority women’s view of ritual as a “tradition.”
Ritual as a Tradition
Several of the participants referred to the ritual ceremony as a tradition of their sorority
that had been established years ago. The participants’ perceptions were that the ceremony was a
“key tradition of their sorority” and the reason “why the sorority had been in existence for so
many years.”
The theme of ritual as a bonding experience is closely related to ritual as a tradition as
perceived by the sorority women. Participants made consistent references to ritual as a tradition
connecting the sororities back to their founding. Some of the reference have been to bonding the
current sorority women to their founders: “Our sorority ritual really keeps to our traditions . . .
nothing has ever changed.” The sorority women recognize that they are connected to their
founders because of the ritual ceremony:
The greater picture of ritual is probably the most important part of the sorority because of
all the tradition and all of the history. That is what our founders wanted to be done years
ago when they started our sorority and I think that is significant.
The constant reference to their founding indicates that the participants see the ritual ceremony as
an explanation of the purpose of their sorority:
The purpose of the initiation ceremony is most definitely to show the new members what
our chapter really is and what it was founded on.
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