Llama
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[edit] The Llama
The Llama is a plaster casted llama-shaped pinata. NOTE: At Duke East, the "LL" is pronounced as a 'y,' like in Spanish (since llama is a Spanish word). EDIT: It's pronounced like a 'y,' as in Spanish, because "pinata" is a Spanish word, not because "llama" is a Spanish word. At Kansas, it is pronounced in the English sense with an 'l' sound.
It is an East Term II tradition, supposedly dating from around 1994 (as of 2005 TIP Lore, 1996) and a University of Kansas Term II tradition dating from 2007.
[edit] The Llama at Duke East
Origin of the Llama: There are several stories as to the origin of the Llama at Duke East.
- The first, told in 2004 to second-years by fourth-years, went as follows. There was a drama class at TIP (ca 1994), and they were putting on a play. For the play, they needed a pinata. So a llama pinata was procured. After the play, an as-yet-unidentified female student took it out into the TIP world with her.
As it turned out, the metaphorical "birth" of the llama coincided with an insurgence of Spanish-speaking TIPsters. Just to be cute, or perhaps due to a misread flyer or some sort, they began pronouncing the name of this mythical being with a "y" sound, as in the general Spanish pronounciation of "ll". (llama in spanish is not pronounced with a "y" sound- Luci)
There was also a philosophy class at East that year, as there so often are. The TIPsters came up with a theory based on a philosophical reading. The theory went like this: If thrown from a height, anything (e.g., a toaster) can fly. So, a plan was hatched.
The newly anointed Llama Mama took the Llama to the third floor of her dorm and threw her (the Llama, not the mama) out over the quad. Sadly, she sank like a stone, but so a TIP tradition was born.
However, the RAs, deciding that it was a violation of TIP policy to throw things from high places, confiscated the Llama. The enraged TIPsters formed a coup and took back the Llama, amidst cheering. This, too, has become a symbolic act of TIPster power.
AT the end of term, the Llama Mama, who was a fourth-year, passed the Llama on to her favorite third year to bring back and spread the joy to future TIPgenerations.
- Another story exists as to the Llama's birth. This is the one given at a 2004 edition of TIPlore, presented by the Trinity of Daag, Mark, and Sam. It begins with a teacher who loved practical jokes and supply request forms.
There was a professor at TIP (ca 1995-6) who loved playing practical jokes. He put in a joke resuest form. He asked for many ridiculous things, some of which follow:
- a virgin
- a sacrificial altar
- goat's blood
- The Dalai Lama
Knowing that it was meant as a joke, his fellow TIP staff meant to procure him something on his list. Now, they couldn't get a virgin, and they couldn't get and altar, and they couldn't get goat's blood, and they couldn't get the Dalai Lama. But they could get a llama.
The story goes that they were originally going to rent a living llama and take it up to his room, but the man who owned the llamas wouldn't let them take the llama inside.
So they settled for the Llama. At first, it was just pictures of the Llama doing things in places all over campus, and it created an uproar. What was the story with this pinata? Whose was it? Why were there pictures in the dorms?
After the Llama was presented to the professor, legend states students banded together and stole it from him.
Neither story was ever proven, and there is no way to prove.
The Llama is a symbol of love and unity in the TIP community.
The llama has a star on the top of her head which you are supposed to kiss. Supposedly if you rub your penis on it, it will grow 5 inches (or something). Duke president Richard Brodhead almost kissed her in 2004, but was foiled at the last minute by his advisors. A common expression that may be heard at East II is "llama llove."
Every year, she "flies." This can happen in various ways, one of the simplest of which is to just throw it out a window, on a fishing line or something. This usually is not very spectacular. In 2004, the llama flew over Brown and down to the light-post in front of Alspaugh, floated in the air by some 144 helium-filled balloons. In 2005, the TAs faked the llama's demise by sending up a fake llama tied to 101/98 helium balloons (101 purchased. 3 broke in the car).
There have been some prominent llama campaigns over the year. 2004 was full of them. On the 2nd Sunday after Lip Sync, the Llama posse scoured the campus, searching out any TIPsters who did not have llama llove and making them kiss the llama. There was also a hunger strike announced for llama llove at the end of lip sync. Many TIPsters participated on the following Monday. Most only did it for a day, but Peter Sloan did it for the rest of the week, first going entirely without food or water, then slowly switching to water and then soy milk, but never food.
[edit] Llama Mamas:
1997: Chad -----
1998: Melissa Spence (?) (97 and 98 names contributed by Masaru Oka)
1999: Geoff Geis
2000: April Brown (name contributed by Masaru Oka) Charlie Stone (2004 RC) claimed to be a former llama mama but it appears to be false [Surname contributed by Kinky Tom]
2001: Miriam Goldberg
2002: Lauren Edelman
2003: Tyler Evans
2004: Maggie Bashford
2005: Kathleen Mayer
2006: Eric Mefford
2007: AC/DC
2008: Kyle "Badass" Jones
2009: Colin Groundwater
[edit] Recollections from a TIPster from 1996-1999
Perhaps the story is merely as simple as this: Two kids named Bill and Chad took a Llama pinata from a classroom on East Campus in 1996. They had spent a lot of time throwing things out of the windows of Alspaugh and Brown, and they thought that the pinata would be an excellent thing to throw (perhaps it would break and have candy? i don't know). They threw it several times out of the window before realizing that it would be much more fun, of course, to send the llama flying on a zipline. All was fine. The next year (97), Chad brought the Llama back, as it had already become a new tradition. We flew it a few times and then it got confiscated by the RAs, who called it a "safety hazard" and left a funny little kidnapping note. There was a small amount of uproar, and then it was returned to us by RAs during the Miss TIP pageant (the RAs would compete in this too, not just students). In 1998, the llama fueled a rather unpleasant streak of violence as a result of some strained RA/Tipster relations (no need to further discuss this part). In 99, the llama was once again a symbol of joy and fun. that's where my knowledge of it leaves off, although i know that it never had a cast when we were with it. oh, and we didn't call anyone a "Llama Mama." if you were in charge of the llama, you were the "keeper of the llama."
keepers of the llama:
96-97: Chad (last name?)
97-98: Melisa Spence
98-99: Geoff Geis
99-00: April Goldman
00-01: Miriam (Goldberg?)
As a former llama keeper and someone who was present for all of this, I can tell you that this is by far the most accurate llama origin story. -- Geoff Geis
I can corroborate most of this story. Bronwyn Bedient, I believe, was the RA who confiscated the llama. It was indeed returned in the Miss Tip Pageant. I remember throwing the llama out the window with some people (maybe Chad and Bill were there, but I don't remember. I wouldn't put it past them to throw things out of windows for fun and profit, though.) We had attached a parachute made out of someone's bedsheet to it. I never heard the term llama mama (I was a fourth year in '97) but I did hear the term llama *drama* I believe. Chad... I don't remember his last name either, but he was the kid who wore tie-died Grateful Dead shirts every day. I kept in touch with him for a while. Bill I ended up running into at a pool party when I got to college at UF. -- Karen
Edit by Mindy: I believe the cast was added in 2002, when the Llama was, of course, five or six years old and getting rough around the edges. The Llama Mama was the daughter of an orthopedic surgeon, hence the cast. She got a few friends together after casting the Llama and they painted it/her- a simple polka-dot and stripe job with a red Communist star on her head. This is not the zany paint job the Llama has now. In the summer of 2005, the Llama was repainted in zebra stripes, polka dots, stars, and other patterns. The star was repainted maroon with a gold outline.
Lauren brought it back in 2002 with cast and full paint job, not just polka dots and stripes. It wasn't just rough around the edges...in 2001 the Llama's head had been severed by some malcontents, for a Godfatheresque presentation at the Talent Show.
Edit by former/current staffer: This did not happen. I vaguely recall a skit involving the llama head ala the Godfather but no actual harm befell the llama.
[edit] Llama escapades in 2006
The llama was an item on the Scavenger Hunt list at Quadfest 2006, as it often is, but the people doing the Scavenger Hunt for Alspaugh decided it was a sacrifice they were not willing to make and won the Scavenger Hunt without turning in the llama. The rumors that they willingly gave the llama up to the RCs is not true. The llama was stolen fair and square when a Tipster whose name starts with J was holding the llama and yatta-ing back into Alspaugh in a crowd after Quadfest. Sam the OSC grabbed it out of his hand and ran with it to a waiting car.
So Sam the OSC, in an effort to bring up the TiPster spirit for the Term said that they would have to get the llama back in order to stay up on the last night. This is also when the llama was put up on eBay for $7.25, the price of Beef and Broccoli at the Rainbow Chinese Restaurant. (interesting note- beef and broccoli is actually $7.85 but that didn't fit in the chant quite as well)
After having his office raided for the llama, Sam the OSC (there were 3 Sams on staff that term) said that he would give us the key to the room where the llama was if the TiPsters could show enough spirit. And thus the demonstrations began.
Anti-Llama Mama sentiment was growing in East Term II. For example, during the aforementioned demonstrations, Hanna Hope blamed the Llama Posse for the llama's theft, and many questioned why the Llama Mama himself wouldn't take part in the pro-llama demonstrations. It was alleged that he had refused second and third years the right to touch the llama; however, this is untrue. A similar incident whence the rumour probably arises occured when Eric entrusted the llama for a day to the third year Hanna Bridges-Curry; as a joke, she lectured a second year and told him that he couldn't kiss it (I don't know which gender the second year was, so I just used male pronouns). However, on Wednesday July 26th, when the Llama eBay price had risen to over $150.00, the llama was returned to students. This was done so under the agreement that Anthony Chivetta and Hanna Hope act as foster parents, of sorts. The llama was then stolen again by the staff from 4th years during the last dancing of American Pie. But it was shortly aferwards returned. The Llama was, in the end, passed down to AC/DC (sometimes called Tyler).
[edit] The Llama's Blood Brother
The Llama became blood brother with Matt Rothardt of Sam Bagg's RAG when he caught it on its secondary flight. Matt was cut due to the Llama's high velocity, and his blood can be seen on a purple stripe on the Llama's chest.
[edit] The Llama's Current State
Currently, the Llama is in need of repair, several cracks in the cast and other problems have been noticed. It is probable that the Llama's 2006 flight (which culminated in it just plain falling when its zipline broke) caused her already old shell to become more unstable. The Llama was, however repaired at the end of the 2007 Term II, right before being presented to the new Llama Mama.
The Llama, for the last week or so until the last dance in 2008, was in the hands of the staff. She was shown in a Youtube video called Llama's Llast Llaugh (in which Will Harris played the Joker) having her ear cut off. This video can be found on YouTube (at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0pfHQ_uxyU); there is a general consensus amongst TiPsters that it was a disgusting scene, and that Will was a very good Joker. Peter Sloan is suspected by many to be the one who sawed off the Llama's ear. This suspicion is supported by Peter's description of the properties of the ideal Llama-cutting handsaw, including being able to be bought at Walmart at 4 in the morning (it was only 2 a.m. -wdh), and being less than $10 (And it was only $4.50 -wdh). He was also heard to say it was difficult to saw through because there was some kind of metal wire in the middle of her ear.
[edit] The Llama in Swine '09
The first night of Term II, 2009, the RC's kidnapped the Llama. Colin Groundwater, the Llama Mama, ROSH'd with Peter for her, but lost. He then attempted to give up his title, and give the Llama to the collective fourth-year population, who refused. She was eventually returned, and upon the early closing of TIP was impromptu-flown from the third-floor window of Bassett to the statue of B. Duke on a rope zipline, but was stolen by Robert the RC mid-flight. The TIPsters frantically chased the fleeing RCs past the archways between Brown and Bassett dorms, but were threatened if they went any further. Many answered "What are you going to do, send us home?" as they had been told that morning of TIP's untimely closing. Peter then threatened to quarantine the TIPsters until they went home.
Colin conferred with Peter, and told the TIPsters to assemble in a circle on the Circle Quad to sing American Pie. Every TIPster attended, and, united, sang American Pie, complete with kicks (a somewhat difficult task as it was Wear a Skirt Wednesday) and guitar accompaniment, courtesy of Fat Tony Giovanni. After they finished, Peter and Robert drove by in a silver SUV, and gave her back. The passing-down ceremony was held in the middle of the circle, and the Llama was given to Alli Schlomen.
[edit] The Llama's Future State
As always, the Llama will be surrounded by lloving tipsters, who will protect her from any harm.
[edit] The Llama's Facebook
The Llama was the first TIP icon to have its own facebook page. The Llama is listed as being in a complicated relationship with Quadzilla, the inflatable dinosaur originally owned by Sarah Lowe.
Although many speculate, no one knows for sure who exactly controls the Llama's facebook page or who created it.
[edit] The Llama at Kansas
For all the years that the Llama tradition was at Duke East, a separate tradition was launched at the University of Kansas in 2007 by RCs Steven Martino and Amour Wolfe. Neither ever attended Duke East. It was only after the tradition began that Mark Harvey, who had taught at Kansas and Duke East, informed the two that there was a separate tradition at East. Thus, the traditions are not connected and have separate origins and practices.
At Kansas, the tradition began when Steve was browsing through a bookstore and found a book on the raising and care of Llamas and thought it might make humorous reading for his RC group. He eventually bought a Llama pinata, named it "Lloyd the Lovely Llama", mounted it on a tiki torch holder, and painted the Llama a vibrant teal to represent their team at Swampfest, the Teal Llamas. Amour made teal Llama ears for all the students to wear during the event.
During term II in 2007, Steve read excerpts from the Llama book to his students. One night, he and Amour traded RC groups, and Mark Harvey came by the ladies' wing to don the Llama ears and interpret and "act out" Steve's dramatic reading of this work. He was known by Amour's RC group as "Che Llama".
When Steve and Amour's students broke wing rules, they were compelled to kneel to the Llama in front of the entire TIP camp in Oliver Courtyard and read apology love poems to him.
In the 2008 term II it was told that stealing Lloyd at swampfest would bring good luck to the team who stole it. Many teams attempted to steal Lloyd. Lloyd was almost thrown into the pond at one point. One devastating affect of the Llama raids was the breaking of Lloyd's leg, which is soon to be repaired.
