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Author Topic: The Hash House Harriers  (Read 246 times)
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Baja Bush Pilot
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« on: July 07, 2007, 05:26:22 AM »

History of the Hash House Harriers
as Recorded by the Mother Hash


 

The Original Hash House (Kuala Lumpur) Circa 1938
 
The Hash House

The 'Hash House' was the mildly derogative nickname given (for its unimaginative, monotonous food) to the Selangor Club Chambers, by the British Civil Servants and businessman who lived and dined there. Originally, the ground floor housed the main Selangor Club dining room, and between the two World Wars it became a social center of the times, used regularly for lunch time meals by the members who worked in the immediate vicinity.

Situated close to and behind the present Selangor Club, it's function changed after independence and it became a key office for the local Water Board, as it was the place where all Kuala Lumpur (K.L.) residents came to pay their water bills. Sadly, it gave way to the relentless march of time around 1964, being bulldozed to the ground under the north-bound lane Jalan Kuching. The buildings housing the original stables and servants quarters are still in existence.

Ancient Harriers

The idea of Harriers chasing paper was not new to Malaya in 1938, as there had been such clubs before in Kuala Lumpur and Johore Bahru, and there were clubs in existence in Malacca and Ipoh (the Kinta Harriers) at the time. "Horse" Thomson (one of the KLH3 founding fathers) recalled being invited on a run, shortly after his arrival in Johore Bahru in 1932, which chased a paper trail and followed basic Hash rules every week but was so magically organized that it had no name. The club flourished in the early 1930's but is believed to have died out around 1935.

The other branch of our ancestry comes from Malacca, where A. S. ('G') Gispert was posted in 1937 and joined a club called the Springgit Harriers, who also operated weekly under Hash rules and are believed to have been formed in 1935. Some months later, 'Torch' Bennett visited him and came as a guest on a few runs.

Hash House Harriers

By 1938, Thomson, Lee, and Gispert had all moved to K.L. and founded their own club, following the rules they had learnt elsewhere. The principal original members were:

A. S. ('G') Gispert
Cecil Lee
'Horse' Thomson
Torch' Bennett
Eric Galvin
H.M. Doig
Soon joined by others, including:

Frank Woodward
Philip Wickens
Lew Davidson
John Wyatt-Smith
M. C. Hay
It is not clear that the club actually had a name at the very beginning, but Gispert is credited with proposing the 'Hash House Harriers' when the Registrar of Societies required the gathering to be legally registered.

'Torch' Bennett technically missed being a founder member, because he was then on leave, bout on his return he introduced the first necessary organization - a bank account, a balance sheet and some system. More importantly, he seems, with Philip Wickens who joined later in 1939, to have helped to keep things going immediately after the war.

Sadly, Gispert had only a short time with his extraordinary creation, being killed in the fighting on Singapore Island on February 11th, 1942, whilst serving with the Argylls. But with the exception of Philip Wickens who died in 1981, and Lew Davidson who died very recently, the rest of the hardy band of hashers hare still with us and the KL hash House Harriers keeps in touch with them all. [Editor's note: Torch died soon after this was prepared in 1992]

The founding members were all British, although Gispert was actually Spanish in origin, his parents having migrated to London some time before he was born. Extraordinarily both he and Bennett were accountants, as were Paul Barnard and Jack Bridewell who made a significant contribution to our activities of later years. Some Hash psychiatrist should investigate where this work leads to extreme forms of escapism.

The HHH duly celebrated it 100th run on 15 August 1941, but only 17 runs later was forced into temporary hibernation by the arrival of the Japanese.

Postwar Rebirth

Post World War II, it was nearly 12 months before the survivors reassembled. 'Torch' Bennett put in a claim for the lost hash mugs, a tin bath and two old bags, on the fund set up with the proceeds from confiscated Japanese property and run No. 1 was a trot around the race-course in August, 1946. Subsequent to the 1,000th post war run the celebrations surround it were considered to be such a success that the 117 official pre-war runs were added to the total as we could celebrate the 2,000th run as soon as possible.

With the advent of the Emergency in 1948, the Hash was automatically in bad official odor, as their activities were generally illegal in terms of the curfew imposed on most of the areas surround Kuala Lumpur and in the years 1948-51, they maintained a precarious existence at best. The turn round came with the famous bandit incident at Cheras.

This has been widely misreported, but what actually happened was that below where the Lady Templer Hospital is now, in an area that was then rubber and belukar, the Hares on a darkening and rainy evening came across some men wrapped in ground sheets sleeping on the ground. The following pack found the bandits on their feet but someone, in the general confusion nobody got hurt. One member ran to Cheras Police Station and raised the alarm; the army laid ambushes on tracks leading out of the area and first thing the following morning bagged three bandits trying to break out. One of them was found to have a substantial price on his head and the bounty was shared among the non-government employees on the run (government servants were not allowed to participate in such rewards).

Other colorful incidents related by Cecil Lee, include how 'Torch' Bennett once nearly drowned in quicksand, and how on one memorable occasion the erstwhile unathletic 'G' was actually leading the pack: sadly his moment of glory was short lived as the paper trail turned to be false. Swimming would seem to be an unofficial prerequisite to all Hashmen too, for Cecil remembers having had to swim across a mining pool in order to get home after being lost on one occasion, and on another it is reported that several Hashmen ran in to a stream where bathed some unsuspecting Malay maidens. The girls screamed; their menfolk came hurtling to the rescue with the unsheathed parangs flashing, and the errant Hashmen broke land speed records in the eagerness to clear the scene.

The Hash Spreads Out

The second Hash Chapter was founded in Singapore in 1962, [Editor's note: The Royal Italian Bordighera Hash was begun in the late '40s but died by the late '50s. It was later resurected by members of the Milan H3] followed by Kuching in 1963, Brunei, Kota Kinabalu and Ipoh in 1964, Penang in 1965, and Perth was the first outside Malaysia and Singapore in 1967. Even by the time of K.L. 1,500th run in 1974 the total was only 35, so the subsequent explosion has been spectacular indeed. The 1992 international list will total around 1,100 clubs in over 135 countries and all continents (including Antarctica) where the hash format is often adapted to environments very different from the near rows of Malaysian rubber trees amongst which it was conceived. Kabul HHH understandably foundered, but what can it be like to hash in Sinai, Peking, Addis Ababa or the Falkland Islands? [Editor's note: The aforementioned second hash dating back to 1962 was founded in Singapore by Ian Cumming who is still actively hashing with the New York H3. He is also a primary contributor to every hash songbook].

Interhash

The first attempt at an Interhash get-together was the K.L. 1,000th post-war run in 1966, and the spectacular 1500th run in 1973 when attendance was something over 300. Interhash 1978 in Hong Kong broke new ground with an attendance around 800; Interhashes 1980 and 1982 were credited with 1,200 - 1,300; Interhash 1984 with rather more Interhash 1986 broke the 2,000 barrier with 2,143.

Attendance at Bali for Interhash 1988 was reported to bet between 2,600 and 2,700. Interhash 1990 in Manila was affected by the then current state of emergency in the country, but nevertheless some 1,600 intrepid Hashers were let loose in Manila and survived to tell the tale.

Interhash 1992 in Phuket, Thailand does not seem to be affected by the recent unhappy turmoil in Bangkok and, judging by reported registrations the numbers are set to pass 3,000. [Editor's note: Interhash 1994 in New Zealand drew nearly 4,000, Interhash 1996 in Cyprus drew 6,000 and Interhash 1998 in Kuala Lumpur had over 7,000 participants]

http://harrier.net/primer/history.html
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« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2007, 05:44:57 AM »

The Hash House Harriers (abbreviated to HHH or H3) is an international group of drinking/running clubs. The template for a hash run is for one or more hashers to lay out a running trail, which may include false trails, short cuts and trail breaks. These features are designed to keep the pack together regardless of fitness levels or running speed. The 'hounds' follow the trail to a cache of beer. Hashing has frequently been described as 'a drinking club with a running problem'.

The organization of the Hash House Harriers is completely decentralized, with chapters (also commonly called kennels) having absolutely no formal regional or national offices or leadership structure. There are more than 1700 kennels with at least one Hash in virtually every major city in the world. Most hashes gather on a weekly or regularly scheduled basis.

History
Hashing began in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1938, when a small group of British colonial officials and expatriates, Cecil Lee, Frederick "Horse" Thomson, Ronald "Torch" Bennett, and a British accountant of Catalan descent Albert Stephen Ignatius Gispert(A.S Gispert), a casual group who would meet after work on Monday evenings to run, following a paper trail, through the environs of Kuala Lumpur to get rid of the excesses of the previous weekend. There was another member of the group, John Woodrow, who is rarely credited as one of the founders as he left Malaysia after the war to return home to his family in Scotland.

After running for some months they were approached by the Registrar of Societies, who advised them that, as they were a "group" they would require a Constitution (the aims of which are reproduced below) and a name. A.S. Gispert (known as "G") suggested the name "Hash House Harriers". As bachelors, they were billeted in the Selangor Club Annex, known locally as the Hash House, because of its monotonous food. Their runs were patterned after the traditional British paper chase. A hare was given a head start to blaze a trail, marking his devious way with shreds of paper, all the while pursued by a shouting pack of "harriers." Only the hare knew where he was going...the harriers followed his clues to stay on trail. Apart from the excitement of chasing the hare and solving the clues, reaching the end was its own reward...for there thirsty harriers would find a tub of iced beer (and, in those earlier, more forgiving days, ginger beer and cigarettes)

Hashing died out during World War II after the Japanese invasion of Malaysia, but started again shortly after the war, when the original protagonists, minus "G" who had been killed in the Japanese invasion of Singapore, re-assembled in Kuala Lumpur. Apart from a "one off" chapter, formed in the Italian Riviera, (now the Royal Milan and Bordighera Hash), hashing didn't take off until 1962, when Ian Cumming founded the 2nd kennel in Singapore. From then on, the phenomenon started to grow, spreading through the Far East, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as Europe and North America. Hashing experienced a large growth in popularity during the mid-1970s.

By the end of the 20th century, there were thousands of Hash House Harrier clubs in all parts of the world, with newsletters, directories, and even regional and world hashing conventions. This boom is owed largely to the power of the Internet to provide timely and accurate information on kennels and their events and points of contact. As of 2003, there are two organized HHH groups in Antarctica.[1]


How it is done
Hashing hasn't strayed far from its Kuala Lumpur roots. A typical hash kennel (local chapter or group) today is a loosely-organized group of 20-100 men and women, aka Harriers and Harriettes, although not all groups are co-ed, and some chapters in major metropolitan areas have well more than 100 hashers at an event. Kennel members meet weekly or bi-weekly to follow a trail laid by a hare (the person(s) leading the trail who leaves the appropriate marks on the ground, trees etc. for the pack to follow). While strips of paper have previously been used to mark trail, especially in tropical areas, it has generally been replaced with flour or chalk, with toilet paper often being used in off-road areas that would make the other marks difficult to see. Many hash kennels recommend that the hare call the local police dispatcher before the run as a courtesy to inform them of the run. They also prefer the use of bio-degradable flour to mark trail in order to avoid unnecessary problems. After the anthrax scares in 2001, many groups throughout the Western world had to change the way they marked trails by using colored chalk or other materials. Generally any mark used to identify the trail is called a 'hash mark'.

Trails may be "live" - where the hare gets the head start (often 5-10 minutes) from the pack, or "dead" - where trail is laid entirely (or in part) in advance of the start. Live trails, while closer to the original Hare and Hounds tradition mentioned in "Tom Brown's Schooldays", are more common in the USA, while the rest of the world tends towards "dead" or pre-laid trails. The choice of "live" or "dead" trails is a subject of much controversy on the various hash-related discussion groups.

There may be one or more "beer stops" or "beer checks" along the way, with the hare either pre-caching a cooler of beer, or having the trail go to a prearranged meeting spot with the beer truck, which is generally a personal vehicle that someone is using to transport a keg or cooler of drinks, snacks, and beer along with the hash's gear.

With a "live" trail, the general intent of the pack is to attempt to catch the hare before they finish the trail and get to the end. In efforts to do this, some pack members might "range", or go off-trail if they can guess where the hare may go, in attempts to head off the hare. Generally such a form of athleticism is frowned on by some of the more socially minded kennels. To make the run interesting, the hare can set the trail through literally any kind of terrain, with only the imagination being the limitation. The trails can go through residential areas, forests, or swamps with anything off-road generally 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.

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. Hashers may run through streets, back alleyways, or shopping malls, ford streams, climb fences, explore storm drains, run through huge jungles and scale cliffs. And although some (but perhaps very few) of today's health-conscious hashers may shun a cold beer in favor of water or a diet soda, a trail's end is still a party.

Often the hare will employ several tricks in attempts to slow the pack and to keep runners and walkers together. The hare may mark an intersection - generally called a "check" - that signifies that the trail continues within a 360 degree area from that point. Several false trails may lead from that check and it is up to the front runners to "solve" the trail by going out and determining what might actually be the correct path, or "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 gather to drink beer and observe so-called religious ceremonies, the "Circle", which consists of drinking more beer; this time ritualistically. 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 dobbed 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 libations with which to wash it down. This is the 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.

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; either be emailing a current member, viewing the group website, calling the information phone line if available, and just showing up. Most groups conduct a "chalk talk" where introductions are made and the system of hash marks is explained to new hashers and visiting hashers who may be used to a different system of marking. The exception to this would be special events, such as camp out, pub crawls, etc., that require significant pre-planning of food and beverages, however even then walk-ins are generally welcome.

Traditions and naming convention

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.

One aspect of hashing that makes the activity stand out (besides the running and general drinking of beer) is the use of names as assigned by the group. Though traditions may vary greatly among the groups, and some groups do not do this, it is common practice to give members a name. At their first hash, attendees will generally be known as "Virgin [Name]" or "New Boot [Name]" and will then be called "Just [Name]" until duly named by the group. The occasion of a member's naming by the group may occur after they have attended a specified number of hashes (e.g. 5), after they hare their first trail, or after they do something the pack deems noteworthy. Before a naming, the group may collect information concerning the individual or ask them a series of questions that can include occupation, 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.

The traditional symbol of the hash is the outline of the foot, with often the words "On-On" written upon it.

Terms

"Are You?"  Question shouted by the pack to FRBs, meaning "Are you on the trail?" Back hare Hare who remains with the last runners
Bar   Trail mark indicating that the true true trail branches off prior to the mark Beer Check Beverage stop or trail mark indicating a beverage stop
Check   Trail mark indicating the true trail must be sought out from the false trails Check Back Same as false trail Circle   Assembly of hashers at trail's end, normally for the purpose of conducting down-downs "Checking" Answer shouted by FRB to pack when asked "Are You?", indicating that FRB has not determined whether the trail he's following is true or false
"Check-it-out"   Invitation given to the hounds by the hare to find the true trail Crop busting Short-cutting across a field
DFL Dead F***ing Last,   Slowest member(s) of the pack
Down-Down   The ceremony of quaffing a beverage (an honour) Dust Sawdust or flour used to mark the trail
Eurohash   International hashing event held in Europe in odd-numbered years False trail A short trail ended with the Tee   sign, three lines, or other mark indicating termination, see also Falsies
Falsie   A false trail FRB Front-Running B*st*rd: Fastest member of the pack
Grand Mistress   mismanagement member; sometimes used as the title for a female Grand Master. Grand Master (GM) mismanagement member, ceremonial leader of the hash
Hare   Hasher who lays the trail Hash Cash Mismanagement member; the treasurer
Hash Horn   Mismanagement member; carries a horn or bugle on trail, blows it to encourage and guide the pack Hash House   The Selangor Club in Kuala Lumpur, meeting place of the Mother Hash
Hash House Harrier  Any hasher Hare Raiser Mismanagement member in charge of lining up hares for future trails
Hashit   offensive or embarrassing object given to a hasher for notable on-trail accomplishments, normally carried by the awardee on subsequent trails until it is awarded to someone else Hash Master (HM) Mismanagement member
Harriette   Female hasher Hash Haberdasher Mismanagement member in charge of T-shirts, hats, mementos, etc
Hashing   The act of running a hash trail Hasher Any Hash House Harrier
Hash Name   Nickname, usually bestowed after a set number of runs or in honour of a notable incident; not used by all hashes Hash Mistress Mismanagement member. Generally has no useful function, but it keeps the girlies quiet.
Horrors   Hashers' children Held Check Trail mark indicating an intersection where true trail may take another direction, but requires hashers to wait until ordered by the hare to 'check it out'
Hounds   The body of hashers in pursuit of the hare, see also Pack Interhash regional, national, or world hash gathering
Kennel   Local Hash Group Knitting Circle Group of harriers or harriettes (usually the latter) who spend more time walking and talking than hashing.
Ladies Check   Harriettes to 'check it out' Live Hare Hare who gets a nominal head start and is pursued by the pack as he or she lays trail
"Looking"   Answer shouted by FRB to pack when asked "Are You?", indicating that FRB has lost the true trail Mismanagement   Hash officials; sometimes elected, sometimes appointed
Mutt    A hashers dog Nash hash A national interhash
Newies   Virgin hashers On-Inn Trail's end, also On-In; trail mark indicating proximity to end
"On On"   Shouted by FRBs or hounds to indicate they're on trail, sometimes used only to indicate true trail; trail mark indicating true trail On Sec Mismanagement member normally in charge of hash rosters, run records, etc
Puppies   hashers' children, see Horrors RA Religious Adviser/Advisor: mismanagement member normally in charge of blessing the hash and settling disputes over tradition; sometimes in charge of down-down ceremonies
Receding Hareline   list of up-and-coming hash events, normally printed in The Words Scribe Mismanagement member normally in charge of writing The Words
Shiggy   thick vegetation, streams, etc; especially mud SCB Short-Cutting Bastard: habitual short-cutter
Shagpile   Hashname for a hasher of (alleged) extreme intelligence, good looks, sexual prowess but less than moderate fitness Strollers see knitting circle
'The Words'   Weekly hash newspaper mainly recounting the events of the last run, written by the Hare(s) T(ee) Hash   mark indicating a section of trail going nowhere, designed to slow down the pack
Tradition   euphemism for "rule" Virgin Hash newbie

Special events

Sometimes a kennel will conduct a special event in place of a normal hash, that can consist of anything from a house party, camp out, or pub crawl. One of the most famous events is known as the 'Red Dress Run' and is held by most local chapters once a year. This tradition began in San Diego when a virgin (new) hasher showed up for a run wearing only a red dress (having been ill informed of what to expect). When she next returned, other hashers decided to wear a red dress as a joke; with it soon becoming an annual event and eventually spreading around the world. During this event, which can be either a normal hash run or a simple day-long pub crawl, everyone (yes, guys too) is to wear something red and dress-like, not specifically just a red dress. The idea is to just get crazy and have fun, with ideas ranging from red body latex paint to red duct tape, red sarongs, or a normal lovely summer dress, with all extremes being pretty well accepted. Hashers can usually be found digging through the racks at the local thrift stores a short time before the event. This is typically the largest event of the year for any kennel (local hash group) with attendance up to 2,000 (as seen in San Diego for a couple of years) and 500-600 in places such as Washington DC or New Orleans every year. Other variations of a theme can be seen, as kennels might also host a green dress run (often held around St. Patrick's day), formal dress run, lingerie hash, or even a clown hash where everyone wears the appropriate themed outfit for the run or pub crawl.

There are also bicycle hashes or BASHes, that have been formed, based on the same principles as the running hashs, but often without the ceremonial aspects. In many countries, there may be Children Hashes for those under 16, generally with soft drinks replacing beer and many adult themes being toned down considerably. There are also "Hash-O" events that combine elements of hashing and orienteering.


Goals

The goals of hashing, from a 1950 club registration card for the Hash House Harriers in Kuala Lumpur are:

To promote physical fitness among our members
To get rid of weekend hangovers
To acquire a good thirst and to satisfy it in beer
To persuade the older members that they are not as old as they feel

Worldwide International Hash

There are several international events, where hashers from different groups get together to run and drink beer together, but the most famous is the biennial Interhash, where hashers from around the world gather. The 2006 Interhash� Chiang Mai, offered runs in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and South West China. The next Interhash will be in Perth, Australia [1] in 2008

1978 Hong Kong
1980 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1982 Jakarta, Indonesia
1984 Sydney, Australia
1986 Pattaya, Thailand
1988 Bali, Indonesia
1990 Manila, Philippines
1992 Phuket, Thailand
1994 Rotorua, New Zealand
1996 Limassol, Cyprus
1998 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2000 Tasmania, Australia
2002 Goa, India
2004 Cardiff, Wales
2006 Chiang Mai, Thailand
2008 Perth, Australia -- scheduled 21 - 23 March, 2008 (http://www.interhash2008.com)
 
Many countries also hold semi-annual national or continental events, such as the 2007 Inter-Americas H3, in Puerto Vallarta http://iah2007.org/, hosted by Mexico City http://www.mchhh.com/; Aussie Nash Hash 2007, Fat Cat Nash Hash hosted by the combined Canberra clubs; Africa Hash 2007, Madness in Maputo hosted by the Maputo and Matola clubs; Eurohash � Held somewhere, nominally European; and the United Kingdom Nash Hash,always held on the August Bank Holiday and next hosted by Milton Keynes H3. The annual Indochina Mekong Hash will be held 26-28 October 2007 in Dalat/Vietnam.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

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« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2007, 06:18:46 AM »

Note:  I've been a Hasher for almost thirty years and have run the Hash in at least 25 countries and on every continent except Antarctica (and yes, there is a Hash there).  Since most runs are 'old folks friendly', I still make the occasional run, especially when traveling.  H3 thrives on tradition and history and tends to attract X-pats and others not overly concerned about their image.

A great moment in television news was during the first Gulf War, when coalition forces were liberating Kuwait.  Footage of the advancing troops was being shot when what appeared to be a group of insane men and women went running by on a dirt road, blowing horns and whistles, and shouting, "On, on!".  The reporter literally said, on the air, "What the hell is that?".  My wife and I fell out of our chairs laughing.

I would recommend it to anyone in an unfamiliar place as a great way to make friends and see sights your average tourist will never (want to?) see.  Usually one can simply ask at any embassy or consulate and find the time and location of the next run, usually held weekly, although if the response is a strange look, one should look elsewhere.  I believe most information is now also on line.


   
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« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2007, 10:43:14 AM »

A most delightful tale.   Cheesy

Solomon

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« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2007, 04:34:13 AM »

Hundreds of laid-back runners are taking jogging to another level, if not new highs. If you join, bring your own bottle opener.

A group of screaming runners makes its way through the streets of South Beach. Restaurant patrons look up from their meals with startled expressions.

One runner blows on a conch shell.

Others chant, ``On, On!''

At the halfway mark in the five-mile run they stop at a bar called Lost Weekends to hydrate themselves -- with beer.

These are the Hash House Harriers -- not runners with a drinking problem, but drinkers with a running problem. Or so they say.

Once a week, the hashers partake in a run that is equal parts scavenger hunt, pub crawl and social gathering.

''I love it,'' said Rich Aube, a 35-year-old real estate agent from Dania Beach who has been hashing for four months. ``I like to run and I don't mind drinking.''

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale chapter has about 300 registered members, a group that includes a National Hurricane Center meteorologist, a Broward County School Board member, a journalist, Navy officers and a dog. They range in age from 21 to 58. Most are men.

It's similar to Hares and Hounds, the British children's game whose rules call for one member of the group (the hare) to run ahead of the others (the hounds) and leave behind an intricate trail marked with flour.

The hash started more than 70 years ago by Army officers living in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

After their morning run, they would end up at the Hash House bar.

For the modern-day hashers, either a pub or a beer-stocked cooler awaits the end of the run.

Through expatriate communities around the world and those who love knocking back a beer or two, running and a dirty joke, the ritual has evolved into an intricate society complete with a bible, an anthem and websites like www.gthhh.com. There are 1,834 chapters registered in their online directory, in 178 countries and every American city. There are even chapters in Antarctica.

''That's the best thing about the hash,'' said Nick Hogan, 38, an accountant from Fort Lauderdale, one of 24 people (and one dog) running in Miami Beach. ``If you do a lot of traveling, you can always look up a hash. They'll bring you in like family.''

Although there is no formal headquarters or rules for the hash, there are hashing conferences, like the worldwide Interhash, held every two years in a different city. Similar to the Olympics, hashing chapters in each city lobby for the chance to host the festivities. More than 6,000 people attended the 2006 Interhash in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The next one will be in 2008 in Perth, Australia.

There are also themed hashes: the red-dress run, where everyone wears a dress.

Then there are steadfast traditions: A donation of a few dollars is given upfront. If you wear new shoes to a hash, you'll be forced to drink out of them.

After a hash, first-timers are heckled into singing a song, flashing a covered body part or telling a joke, preferably dirty. And everyone has a hash name.

''Your name is somehow related to you in some way. Either your profession or a personality quirk or something goofy you do while you're drinking,'' said Marion ''Liquor Briefs'' Lohmayer, 43, a bartender turned paralegal.

Lohmayer regularly hashes with her dog, a boxer named Frankenstein, and her husband, whom she met while hashing.

Hashers only address each other by their hash names.

''And if you don't like a name, they'll give you a worse name,'' she said.

There is, as with any subculture, hasher lore.

Pedestrians and police often ask the group what they're doing.

After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, authorities thought the flour the hashers threw on the sidewalks to mark their trail might be anthrax. After several run-ins, they temporarily turned to chalk and toilet paper.

Most hashers are men in their late 30s and early 40s, but there are hashes on college campuses, senior hashes, hashes on military bases, hashes for children (they drink soda), for swingers, for women -- the list goes on.

The local chapter, started in 1989, is a traditional hash.

Each hash has its own characteristics geared to the area. In cities where snow falls, hashers drop Jell-O into the snow to mark the trail.

In South Florida, hashes have taken them into boats, through the swamps of the Everglades and on a recent Monday, through the Art Deco streets of Miami Beach.

That particular hash began and ended in a parking lot, where they stretched their limbs, chugged some beers and sang bawdy songs -- along with chatting about their mortgage payments, jobs and children.

''Some of us are marathon runners,'' said Michael Tichacek, 43, a National Hurricane Center meteorologist from Miami.

``Some of us are beer drinkers. But the best part is nobody wins or loses. You just show up.''

http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/201299.html

 

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« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2007, 03:14:21 AM »

After Hashing for the last 23 years,a dozen countries,miles of muck,lottsa liters of libation,This is a true unity of Expats! if you want to meet one of your own in a foreign country,venture a call to the local Hash,you are in,don't worry,it polices itself .just be prepared to be part of this worldwide family! ONON! Cheesy
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« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2007, 04:17:22 AM »

Stillafloat...  Thanks for the post!  And you owe us a down-down for being the newby here.  On on!

Trying to keep in mind the historic nature of this forum,
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« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2007, 09:11:05 PM »

What a marvelous, fun tradition.  Thank you so much for sharing about this quirky culture.  Pity I've never known of it until now.  What I'd fear here in the states are hoards of running enthusiasts in their Adidas gear; I'd quickly become known as The Slowest, and internationally so no less!  (Shudder.)  There'd be no ale on this head tho'.  Wink

I'm definitely going to try to find a child chapter for my son!

Oh, and that newsclip:  "What the hell was that?"  Hysterical!  I hope somebody somewhere got hold of that!

Cheers,

Cyn

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