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The Oracle April 4
5
Lavaliere symbolizes tradition and brings celebration
by Kellie North
Are you looking for a way to strengthen your relationship? Do you want a gift for that special someone that lasts longer than flowers? If so, maybe you should try a lavaliere.
Presenting a lavaliere is a greek tradition where fraternity men give their chapter's letters to their girlfriends as a symbol of their love. Traditionally, a man will have his pledge brothers accompany him as he serenades his girlfriend to present her with the lavaliere.
"I think it is a lost tradition at KU," said Kyle Zimmerman, Sigma Chi senior. He lavaliered his girlfriend Jessica Hewitt, an Alpha Chi Omega senior, in the fall of 1999. They had been dating for nearly three years and he wanted a way to show her that she was more to him than just his girlfriend.
"I considered it to be a pre-engagement because I knew I wanted to marry her,"said Zimmerman. "It is also a relationship builder." Apparently, this is true because the couple became engaged in January of 2001.
Kara Campion, Kappa Alpha Theta senior, was lavaliered in November of 2000 by her boyfriend, who attends Kansas State University. "My sorority had a candle lighting ceremony for me beforehand, that's how I knew he was going to do it," said Campion.
Like many men who lavalier, Campion's boyfriend brought his friends with him to serenade her as he formally presented his lavaliere to Campion in front of her chapter. Zimmerman, on the other hand, chose a more intimate way to present the lavaliere. "I gave it to her over dinner to make it more special," he said.
After a woman is lavaliered, the next step is for the man to give his fraternity pin to his her. Once a woman is pinned by her boyfriend, it is assumed that marriage will be the next step. However, not all men choose to include pinning in their courtship. For instance, Campion's boyfriend skipped giving his pin, and proposed to her this Christmas.
Each chapter at a university has its own traditions regarding the giving away of a chapter's letters. Some require a majority of the chapter's approval before a man can lavallier his girlfriend. Others have parties afterward to celebrate the ceremony.And in many cases,the man's friends will plan a special surprise for him.
Similar activities happen among many fraternity chapters after a man gives his lavaliere away. The idea behind it is that a man has earned his chapter's letters through his pledge ship and when he gives them away to his girlfriend, he must pay the price. At Northern Illinois University 20 fraternity members were suspended after they tied a naked fraternity brother to a tree and covered him with garbage.
Sorority women have a more docile way to celebrate the presentation of a lavaliere. A chapter usually has a candle lighting ceremony, in which the format can vary from chapter to chapter. In this ceremony, the women of a chapter stand or sit in a circle and pass around a candle. They may sing or read a poem as they pass it. On first time around, the woman that has been lavaliered blows out the candle.
If she is pinned, the ceremony is repeated but the woman blows it out on the second time around. The same ceremony is used for engagements,but the candle is finally blown out on the third time.
Not all relationships are improved by lavaliering. In fact, it is not unusual for couples to break up afterwards. Nevertheless, it is a fun tradition that is uncommon today at KU. "When my mom was in school, she was lavaliered five or six times," said senior Brady Rodgers,a Sigma Chi . "Back then, it was a more common occurrence and therefore didn't carry the air of seriousness it does today."