Since this is not an esoteric (closed, secret) ritual, I think it's appropriate to share in this venue. It's an idea I've seen used a few different places, and I think it's a great symbolic tribute to a new big/lil bro relationship. I personally prefer this to be done shortly after the Associate Member Ceremony, perhaps even the night of. I don't have an exact script, but it's not really that hard to figure out. The gist of it is...
The High Kappa (or maybe grand-big brother or other prominent member) stands with the little brother either in silence or in congratulations for his recent AM Ceremony acceptance. The High Kappa reads (or recites from memory) the following poem to him in a normal and accepting tone (not to scare him or weird him out...just to make sure he feels comfortable and ready to - knowingly or unknowingly - meet his new big brother). The poem is perfect for this occasion:
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide --
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pit-fall be,
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."
(This is "The Bridge Builder" by
Miss Will Allen Dromgoole.)
Upon completion of the reading, the Kappa leads the member over a bridge (which can be on campus or found somewhere around the community - get permission, because you don't want trouble in the middle of this ceremony). As the member gets toward the end of the bridge, he sees the whole chapter standing at the bottom in a semicircle. Once he steps off the bridge and stops in front of everyone, his big brother steps out of the crowd, announces that he'll be the big brother, and hugs him or shakes his hand. All the brothers clap and cheer. Then, bring in the next new Associate Member to repeat the process until all the Little Brothers have gone. Afterwards, go back to the house to have a ZAX session over the AM Ceremony and talk about its significance, the Oaths he made, and excite him about his acceptance into Associate Membership and his new Big/Lil Brother relationship.
This is the basic "script" I've seen done, but you're supposed to make it yours. In no way am I saying that all chapters are supposed to have the same Big Bro Revealing Ceremony; rather, this is just an idea. I've heard that the fraternity will also provide some ideas this summer when it releases its "True Brother" Initiative. I'm excited...
Take it and run with it. Whatever you end up doing...just make sure it's an appropriate and brotherly ceremony that doesn't (1) intentionally make them uncomfortable or (2) foreshadow the initiation ritual. Maybe ask local chapters or alumni what they've done. Good Luck!
Yours in Z A X ,
Christopher L. Hall
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The Bridge Builder
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