TRIVIA - The Origins of Pledging By Ahab El' Askeni
For a moment let us go back in time. Back to the time of the Egyptian/African traveler. Let us take a look at him before he set out on the journey to the land of the Greeks as a bringer of LIGHT. Let us remember what it was like when the traveler himself walked in DARKNESS in search of light. First, the traveler had a desire to become more than he was. He had a thirst for knowledge; a thirst so strong that the traveler prayed to God for the right direction. The traveler next inquired of the great minds of the time, for he wanted to become like them. Once a sage or griot (teacher) was found that would take the traveler in, the traveler was set with a challenge or as we call it a CHARGE. There were four charges that existed: The Charged of Instruction, The Charged of Liability, The Charge of Duty, and The Charge by wood and fire. The definition of the Charge of Instruction is to give instructions to or command with authority. The definition of The Charge of Liability is to put liability on a person or to make liable. The definition of The Charge of Duty is to have care, custody , or supervision over.
When the first three charges were given out the traveler was joined by others who, like him were in search of light. It was instruction they were taught how to walk in the ways of great thinkers. Together they were made liable for knowledge they were given. If one possessed light they must all possess light. If one was to fall short then it was up to them "ALL" to carry that person. It was their duty to protect the knowledge and each other with engineers, architects, and leaders amongst men and women. For one day they would take on the titles of great sages or griots charged with the job of dispensing light to those walked in "DARKNESS".
After it was seen fit that they were ready to become full fledged travelers, they were tested by wood and fire. Wood was believed to be the purest form know to ancient man. In Egypt, know as Kemet then, wood was exalted because it contained three of the four elements: Earth, Wind, and Water. The fourth element, Fire, returned the wood to its basic components. Since wood was considered to be so pure, the Egyptians took it and "GENTLY" tapped the female sex organ with it. They believed that it would bring fertility to the female. It is for this reason that would be travelers were tested. They were "TAPPED" with wood in order to return them to their original elements that made them men.
You must know that the pursuit of knowledge is similar to the trial period by which men are made. Understand that at some point in our lives, each one of us set out in search of light. This same light was meant to manifest a love in our hearts for God, ourselves, our fellow man, our fellow woman, and our world. Pledging was designed to bring out the best in the pledgee or aspirant. It was created to be a time of bonding , and time of struggle, a time of growth, but most of all a time of joy. For those who pledged they walked in darkness in search of the light that the organization had to offer. For those who did the pledging; it was meant to be their transition from recipients of light to dispensers of light.
