Any of the senior officers of the Navy or the captain of the ship comes to the court dressed as King Neptune and brings along Queen Neptune, royal children, and other courtiers of the kingdom. Before the ship approaches the Equator, a royal court is arranged that will host the people of Neptune kingdom.Here is a step by step procedure that commonly takes place during the initiation of a Shellback: This segment will give you an idea of the elaborate protocols and activities that take place during the initiation ceremony. There is a big initiation ceremony that involves a lot of rituals. The Shellbacks are not simply tagged or named as soon as they cross the Equator.How Do Seamen Become Initiated As A Shellback? Apart from the physical endurance activities, the ceremony includes elaborate and royal costume plays together with loads of fun and jesting as well. According to the activities of the ritual, a Shellback is anointed as a Son or Daughter of King Neptune.Īccording to the ceremony, a senior officer who is a Trusty Shellback, will dress as King Neptune and call upon his subjects to initiate charges. The ceremony also instills a feeling of camaraderie, fun, and brotherhood among fellow seamen. The initiation is designed in a way to highlight the fact that the Navy Shellbacks should be able to endure pain and deal with it like a proud mariner. The ceremony involves lots of physical activities that can be painful and tiring. On the other hand, the seamen who have crossed the Equator are initiated as ‘Trusty Shellbacks’ into the court of Neptune. To be more precise with the colloquial term, the inexperienced mariners are termed as ‘Slimy Pollywogs’ who are not yet adept with the ways of the sea. A seaman who is relatively new or has not crossed the equator is termed as a Pollywog. The line-crossing ceremony is conducted as a sort of admittance into the ‘Court of Neptune.’ This ritual is also a way of appreciating the prowess of the mariners who are able to brave the uncertainties and dangers of the sea. This article will shed insights on what a Shellback is and how Navy men become initiated. According to the colloquial terms allotted in the Navy, the mariners are divided into Shellbacks and Pollywogs. A particular seafaring ceremony is known as the ‘Line-Crossing Ceremony’ which is performed with glory and boisterousness to celebrate the feat of the mariners who have crossed the Equator for the first time. The ceremonies are often inspired by folklore and are performed as an act of paying tribute to King Neptune, the God of Sea. The traditions followed by the Navy also find its mention in various mythologies. Minted in a brass alloy and accented with an antique bronze finish, this coin was struck using special “splash” dies which give an exceptionally deep relief.The Navy has its share of ceremonies and traditions that date back centuries in the western arena of the globe. ![]() When all is said and done, those who have gone through this ordeal can proudly declare their hard-won status as a “Trusty Shellback.” ![]() All Polliwogs, regardless of rank or rate are subject to the rituals performed during this special induction ceremony, which can include treatment to the “Royal Bath,” a haircut by King Neptune’s Royal Barber, and other such dubious honors. This momentous occasion is marked by a time-honored ceremony, in which those who have crossed the equator before, known as Shellbacks, welcome their inexperienced shipmates, called Polliwogs, into the ancient order of the deep. ![]() According to a long-standing nautical tradition, crossing the equator for the first time is a rite of passage worthy of recognition. Our Trusty Shellback Coin pays tribute to one of the most celebrated maritime traditions and salutes all those who have advanced from Polliwog to Shellback.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |