This is Part I of a three part series on the use of wooden canes (kanes)* in the performing arts traditions of historically Black Greek lettered fraternities & sororities.
*"Kanes" is the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. spelling for the word "canes".
Part I & Part II of this series presents selected comments about the origin, history, and contemporary performances with canes in Black Greek lettered fraternities and sororities.
Part III showcases selected videos of two Black Greek lettered fraternities and one Black Greek lettered sorority. In alphabetical order, those organizations are Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.(Kappas), Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (Sigmas), and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (SRGrho).
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/11/cane-kane-performances-in-black_9.html for Part II of this series.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/11/cane-performances-in-black-fraternities.html for Part III of this series.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
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Part I
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT BLACK GREEK LETTERED ORGANIZATIONS AND KANES (CANES)
Why Black Fraternity Members First Carried Canes (Kanes)
I take no position on the contentious subject of whether Kappas or Sigmas were the first historically Black Greek lettered organization to carry and/or to perform with canes (kanes). It appears to be generally accepted that members of SRGrho learned cane work from Kappas.
That said, my online research leads me to conclude that members of Black fraternities carried canes because in the early 20th century it was customary for men of fashion to do so.
Debunking The Myth Of An African Connection To Black Fraternity/Sorority Cane Performances
In my opinion, explanations that cite African sources for the custom of Black Greek lettered organizations carrying canes, or including tapping, twirling, or throwing canes are contrived later day postulations that seek to connect that performance activity with the African American pride in African heritage sentiments. An example of what I believe to be "made up provenance" is this statement from http://www.ehow.com/about_4570974_why-do-kappas-carry-canes.html "Why Do Kappas Carry Canes?" By Natasha Jackson-Arnautu, eHow Contributor
Although the cane has several historical points of significance, the most feasible for Kappa Alpha Psi is rooted in African rites of passage. In African villages, the cane was a symbol of manhood . The young men on the cusp of manhood would carry canes to show elder men they were ready to be accepted into the tribe as an adult.-snip-
"African villages" is far too vague for me. Africa is a HUGE continent with numerous different cultures. Which African villages and which rites of passage rituals is the author referring to?
That said, even in a very brief look-see on YouTube, I've found a video of Hausa men (from Northern Nigeria) dancing while carrying a wooden stick, and I've found a video of Gbagyi men (from central Nigeria) dancing while carrying a tool that I believe is a short garden hoe.*
However, just because traditional African dancing included/includes dancing with a stick doesn't mean that those dances have anything whatsoever to do with male rites of passage. And just because such dancing did and does occur among various Africans in various cultures throughout the African continent doesn't mean those customs were the source of Black Greek lettered organizations cane perofmances.
*Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/11/princess-rachel-yisa-five-nigerian.html for video #2 and video #5 on that post.
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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THE HISTORY & CURRENT PRACTICES OF CANE PERFORMANCES IN BLACK FRATERNITIES & SORORITIES
The majority of these comments are from a Greekchat forum which included members of various Black fraternities & sororities.
These comments are posted in chronological order with the earliest comments posted first. For the sake of this series, these comments have been assigned a consecutive number, starting with Post I and continuing in Post II.
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From http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=15583 "the deal with the canes..."
Comment #1: 03-08-2002, rhapsody1922
Location: Missouri
"...I have seen PBS, Kappas, Zetas, Detas, AKAs, and SGRho's all step w/ canes here in the midwest... I have to say that when I was an undergrad, the Kappas on my campus worked with us when it came to using canes. So to say that Kappas would not teach SGRho or any other group how to work a cane...is way too general of a statement to make. We appreciated their help and I know they did not mind showing us a few cane steps. They knew we were not trying to claim it as our own, but it was taught to us that SGRho's were the first sorority to really start using canes, in honor of Kappa...But I have also heard that Sigmas were the first to step with canes as well. So...I guess you could go back and forth on that issue forever. (I do have to give props to those who can step with the canes, because it is not easy! But I can also understand if the Kappas feel as if no-one should use the canes, because it does seems as if we all have borrowed moves, steps, ideas from other orgs., to the point where you have no idea who really started what."
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Comment #2: 03-12-2002, Anakin1911 Location: Kansas City, MO
"...First of all, the "Kane" has a different level of signifiance for Nupes. It is not just something that used as a prop in stepshows. And yes, as a Nupe I have seen other organizations use canes at shows and yes, I have heard that other organizations used canes before it became synonymous with members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. However, the kane has special significance for us because of what it stands for, so while other groups may appear with them, they are in no way the same "kanes" that Nupes hold dear.
-snip-
[Editor's note "Nupe" is a referent for members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity]
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http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=15583&page=2
Comment #3: 03-19-2002, Bobby Earl, Location: baton rouge
"...I am sure that some where down the line, some organizations have bitten the styles of other organizations. Nevertheless, we all have a unique style that is "Often imitated but never duplicated." I don't care how many organizations started with, used, or incorporated a kane into their history.
NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT KANE like a NUPE (notice I didn't say Kappa) KNOWS ABOUT KANE ... and I'm not just talking about founders either.
You can twirl it, flip it, roll it, catch it and even hook it.
But until you get in the KUT , you don't know anything about it!
THAT IS THE DEAL WITH THE KANES.
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http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=15583&page=3
Comment #4: 08-18-2002,carmelafox, Austin, Texas
"Alphas with canes! That would be some ridiculous stuff to see. I've seen sigmas, sgrhos, AKAs, and even my sorors (DST) use canes so I don't think it should be a big issue. Although the cane is most associated with them men of Kappa Alpha Psi, so it doesn't suprise me that some Kappas may find it offensive to see other organizations use it for show. By the way, the day I see a Que or Alpha pick up a cane is the day pigs fly!"
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Comment #5: 11-21-2002, agent112
“We all know Ques didn't step with canes. No one said that. … Men, prominent men, members of the organization, great men carried walking canes. Not because they were hurt, not because they had a limp, because it was a symbol of prestige. It was all symbolism...”
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This concludes Part I of this series.
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RELATED LINK
Click this post on my zumalayah blog for information about & videos of the Egyptian folk art of cane fighting & cane dancing:
http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/04/five-videos-of-egyptian-saidi-stick.html.
This link is given to show the antiquity of cane dance performances. This link is also given to show the similarities between some of these movements and those done by historically Black Greek lettered organizations. However, I'm not indicating that Egyptian cane fighting/dancing was the source of or influenced the use of cane (kane) in historically Black Greek lettered fraternities and sororities.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to all those who have quoted in this post. And thanks to the positive history & role modeling, and the performance arts legacy of all Black Greek lettered organizations.
Finally, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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