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

they are and what role ritual has in their sorority experience. Part of this support might be to
provide resources such as videos, written information, educational speakers and programs as well
as to assist in educating the sorority women as to how to facilitate discussion about ritual. The
concern by the national sororities may once again be the secrecy of the ceremonies, however, this
study is an example that it is possible to discuss the meaning of ritual and how to incorporate it
into other aspects of the participants’ lives without revealing the individual organization’s
secrets. Providing support and an opportunity for dialogue may be all that some of the sorority
women need to open these discussions with their chapter.
In summary, sorority women, sorority advisors and alumnae, national sororities, and
university administrators need to increase their understanding of their role regarding the
education of the ritual aspect of sorority life. It might be that sorority women have gotten so
focused on the social and competitive aspects of sororities that they have lost sight of the purpose
of the ritual ceremonies. Perhaps, sorority advisors and alumnae perceive today’s sorority women
as very different from themselves and have no common bond with them, therefore, making it
difficult to find a connection. It might be that the national organizations have taken for granted
that chapters understand the ritual ceremonies, that they perform them correctly and with care,
and that the chapter members are teaching one another the importance of ritual. Furthermore, it
may be that university administrators have perceived the education of ritual to be a chapter or
national responsibility and have assumed that the role of ritual is understood within the chapters.
One of the interview questions asked: “What are some of your suggestions as to how
ritual can be taught?” Many of the participants indicated that they did not believe that ritual
could be taught, “it was something you learned by just going through the ceremonies”. Several
of the women from the same affiliation indicated that their national sorority had implemented a
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