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Ko Samui H3: Hash House
Harriers Group
I was surprised to find out there is a Hash House Harrier (H3) run
on Ko Samui!
If you don't know what the Hash House Harriers in Ko Samui are -
I'll try to explain without bringing much history into it because I
know very little and what I tell you of the history of it might be
patently incorrect!
A long time ago... Some guys from England maybe, or somewhere
thereabouts... created this game.
These guys were drinkers primarily, but they also enjoyed fitness.
They combined the two while they were in Asia, maybe Vietnam? I
can't remember. I really should look this up - better that you do -
you can find the history at WikiPedia I'm sure. Ok, I'll look it
up....
While I was living on the island of Oahu in Hawaii my friend was
hashing and he told me what it was about. I joined in and after one
run I was hooked. Or maybe I was hooked before the run.
Ha! I was right. Some blokes from England started it in Malaysia.
They'd chase a paper trail laid out by a hare in the front of the
pack of harriers.
The tradition died and then was restarted in the 1960's in Singapore
by another English guy. It grew from there to now being in over 1700
major cities all over the world - even including Antartica!
Personally I'm aware of a hash in: Ko Samui, Bangkok, Pattaya,
Chiang Mai, and Phuket for Thailand. In the USA we have them in
Honolulu, Miami, Tampa, New York City - that I've seen. But, they
must be in all major cities in America. It just wouldn't be "right"
without them.
Ok, so, WHAT IS IT you're wondering?
Here's how it goes.
There are "live" trails and "dead" trails. A live trail is one that
is marked minutes before the group gets there. The USA tends to do
it this way. Other parts of the world use a "dead" trail - which is
marked days before the hash run usually.
For the live trail...
One guy (or a couple) called "Lead hare or hares" leave before the
group of hashers. They are given a 5-15 minute headstart - more or
less. They go wherever they want and leave marks of chalk on the
roads or other places - usually roads - to signify where the "trail"
is. Now, the hares are trying hard not to be caught by the pack.
They are running fast, and are quite devious about how they mark the
trail... though they follow certain traditional symbol writing to
"help" the pack find the trail. Some hares use chalk, some use
flour, some use colored flour, some, colored chalk, some toilet
paper. Whatever it is - it's biodegradable and can be seen
(hopefully).
There may be one or more "beer stops" or "beer checks" along the
course of the run. This is a pre-arranged meet up with the "beer
truck" that is someone's personal vehicle the harriers are usuing to
move the beer keg, snacks and whatever else hashers "require" during
the run! It's normal to see people running with cups of beer and
ice.
With a live trail the goal if there is one - besides having fun - is
to catch the hare or hares before they finish marking the trail.
To make the run really fun and interesting, the hare can mark the
trail through ANY kind of terrain. A trail in Hawaii took us through
a school yard, a residential street, downtown honolulu, an almost
VERTICAL hill climb up the side of a mountain, over a mountain, and
down INTO a stream for 100 yards, back through the woods where we
saw some Hawaiians kill a wild boar with a knife, and down to the
finish at a fellow hashers home on the creek.
Off-road adventure is usually called "shiggy". Such shiggy might be
classified in levels with the first being a path through a park or
dirt road while the last might have the pack going through a quarter
mile of chest deep, shoe-sucking swamp. The pack never knows where a
trail will go or where it may lead and are often advised to bring a
change of clothes and shoes to be used after the trail is complete.
This was always the case in Hawaii as they loved to take us up the
sides of hills - which you can't help falling down numerous times.
A trail may be an 'A to A' where the start and ending location are
in the same place or an 'A to B' where the start and end are at
different spots. Whatever the type of trail - it's always a party at
the end of the trail.
During the hash there may be several false trails leading away from
an intersection. The only way to check is have someone run to check.
In a hundred yards or so - there will be an "end of trail" mark and
you know that trail is dead. The goal is to find the "true trail".
Once the true way has been determined then that runner may mark the
check to indicate the proper direction so that anyone to come up it
later (such as the walkers, other runners, or anyone arriving late)
will not have to figure it out all over again. The pack will
generally carry whistles, horns, or other audible means of
communicating in order to assist each other on trail and keep from
getting lost. A member of the pack calling out "Are you?" means to
know if another individual is searching for the true trail,
typically near a check (or intersection), or is on the correct path.
Someone will typically call out either "Checking!" to indicate that
they are looking for the trail or "On-On", or blow their whistle or
horn three times, to signify that they are on the true trail and
that the pack should follow them.
A false trail may be marked one of several ways including a "bad
trail" mark, possibly consisting of three parallel lines or other
indication, a mark of "YBF" (short for "You've Been Fooled" or
"You've Been F**ked"), or a mark of "CB #" ("Count Back" with some
number). The bad trail and YBF marks indicate that the runner must
return to the most recent check point and then attempt to find the
trail again. The count back mark means that the runner must count
back the indicated number of hash marks and then use that point to
look for the next hash mark that might be hidden behind a tree,
light pole, car tire, etc. An arrow on the ground with three
parallel lines is known as a "true trail arrow"and signifies to the
pack that they are on the real trail and are not following a false
or bad trail. Other signs used might include a "BN" that means "Beer
Near" - there is a beer stop nearby, "BS" signifying that the runner
is now at the Beer Stop and should either look for the stashed
beverages nearby or wait for the beer truck to arrive (depending on
the instructions given by the hare before the start of trail), and "HH"
- a "Hash Halt" command that tells the runners that they must wait
until at least the first of the walkers show up so that the hare
might have a bit more time to get ahead. Every Hash has its own set
of marks and the names for these marks may vary widely, so Hashers
visiting another pack should check the local signs before the run.
At trail's end hashers join together to drink beer and have
religious ceremonies in the "Circle", which consists of drinking
more beer in a ritualistic fashion.
Circles may be led by the hash Grandmaster, the group's Religious
Adviser, or by a committee of mismanagement. Traditions and the
degree of rowdiness vary from hash to hash, but in general the
Circle consists of awarding "Down-Downs" for misdemeanors real,
imagined, or blatantly made up, and the recipients will most likely
have been "done in" by their fellow hashers. Generally the
activities will also include the group singing of bawdy drinking
songs of the type that can be heard in an old pub, fraternity party,
military get-together, rugby match, or other such social gathering.
With or without specially added hash house verses, these traditional
bawdy songs are also published and distributed to members in the
form of so-called Hash House Hymnals.
At the conclusion of the Circle, the hashers may head to an
"On-After" or "On-On-On", which may be at a nearby restaurant or pub
for grub and grinds. This is the other social part of the hash, and
the party may last from one hour to several hours, as they tell
stories, have fun, and enjoy everyone's company. In Hawaii the On-on's
would typically be at a red-light club with strippers dancing and
anything else. A lot of hasher names seem to be given out as a
result of the nightly activities at the "on-afters".
Generally no reservations are required to join a group, and
typically all that is needed is to find out the time and location of
the start and show up.
You wouldn't want to wear new shoes though.
There are said to be no rules in hashing, however several traditions
have developed with a violation of such severely frowned upon and
likely to invoke a punishment by way of a "down-down". A down-down
is one of the oldest traditions and is a means of punishing or
rewarding pretty much anything. Upon being called to do a down-down
the accused must come to the middle of the circle and drink
everything that they have in their vessel (generally a cup, mug, or
other drinking device). They must do this without pause until they
have consumed the whole quantity of drink (typically beer, but it
can be of any drink they may have with them) or they must pour the
remaining contents over their head.
Typically there are no new shoes allowed on the hash trail whereas
being caught in a pair of new shoes may require that one drinks from
the offending shoe as penance. Other traditions include a
prohibition of pointing with fingers, requiring the use of elbows or
other appendages to indicate direction, and a proscription against
the use of real names (aka nerd names) at any point around other
hashers.
The names given by the group to it's members are quite unique and
colorful.
At the first hash one is known as "Virgin ____ < insert name" Virgin
Vern I was for the first few.
Next I was known as "Just Vern".
I was ready to be named - and they told me that they'd come up with
my name in Honolulu but I ended up leaving before they could give it
to me at the next hash!
Before a naming, the group may collect information concerning the
individual or ask them a series of questions that can include where
they work, their most embarrassing moment, personal preferences,
stories, or experiences. Others will then be allowed to share their
own stories or knowledge concerning that individual in hopes of
finding some aspect that seems to be memorable or noticeably sticks
out regarding that person. Many suggestions may be offered, with the
final name being chosen by vote or general group consensus with more
often than not some humorous or debaucherous connotation being used.
If you'd like to get an idea of some of the names that are assigned
- check out the
Honolulu Hash House Harrier group page, scroll down for names
Or the Ko Samui H3 page of mismanagement.
Ko Samui Maps >
Ok! Go find a group!
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