Valparaiso school mascot is an important symbol and representative of the school spirit. The mascot plays a vital role in creating a sense of unity and pride among students, staff, and alumni. The Valparaiso school mascot, known as the Vikings, represents strength, courage, and determination. The Vikings were powerful Norse seafarers known for their exploration and conquests. The mascot is typically portrayed as a fierce warrior with a horned helmet and a shield. This image embodies the spirit of the school and reflects the values and characteristics it aims to instill in its students.
What Lex Greensill was able to accomplish, while gross, was also astonishing. As further reported in The Financial Times article,
The rootwork system combines a belief in the magical causation of illness with cures by sorcery and an empiric tradition stressing the natural causation of illness with cures by herbs and medicines. Somehow, the new model for an old and boring business excites fund gatherers like investment firms who make their money in the form of fees paid by investors to put them in the exciting new business.
This image embodies the spirit of the school and reflects the values and characteristics it aims to instill in its students. The Viking mascot can be seen at various school events, such as sports games, pep rallies, and assemblies. It serves as a rallying point for students and fans, encouraging them to cheer on their teams and show their support.
Halloween Hoodoo
The above quote opens the five volume set of books entitled Hoodoo–conjuration–witchcraft–rootwork : beliefs accepted by many Negroes and white persons, these being orally recorded among Blacks and whites by Harry M. Hyatt that can be found in Special Collections. Published in 1970, these books represent the culmination of years of interviews conducted by the author over a large portion of the Southern United States.
Not to be confused (as it commonly is), with voodoo or vodou, which are both religions derived from West African religions with a dash of Christianity thrown in, hoodoo is often classified as folk magic and is practiced mainly in the Southern United States. The difference between hoodoo and voodoo and vodou is similar to the distinction between Wicca and witchcraft. Also similar to Wicca and witchcraft is the fact that people often use all these terms interchangeably, though they have different meanings. Thus, one can belong to the voodoo religion and practice hoodoo, but they don't have to, and vice versa.
In hoodoo, a practitioner draws upon the spiritual power residing within them to perform a ritual to bring about power or success. Today's mainstream culture often portrays hoodoo as a negative thing because of the common misconception that all who practice it are greedy or corrupt.
Hoodoo–conjuration–witchcraft–rootwork is a record of people's interactions with hoodoo, containing many accounts about how the interviewee was affected by a conjure or how someone they knew was affected. One woman relates the experience she had when her neighbor put a conjure on her by burying a bottle containing sulfur, hair, a bluestone, and roots of some sort. According to her, this was the reason she was unable to stay up past ten o'clock each night. She proceeds to relate how she destroyed the bottle and its contents and was able to stay up much later the following night while the next day the woman next door had to go to the hospital due to a major problem with her leg. Another interviewee tells the author about a common practice of putting sulfur and ashes from the fireplace in a bag and keeping it in your pocket to ward off those that would do you harm.
Whether or not you believe that hoodoo works, these books make for interesting reading and are a comprehensive relation of a common practice here in the United States that most of us are largely unfamiliar with. So if you get a chance between your Halloween celebrations, come see us at Special Collections where you can find the books mentioned here along with many others!
"Difference Between Hoodoo and Voodoo | Difference Between | Hoodoo vs Voodoo." Difference Between Hoodoo and Voodoo | Difference Between | Hoodoo vs Voodoo. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. .
The traditional medicine of black Americans, often labeled "rootwork," has its origins in slave culture of the antebellum South. Its continued influence on the health behavior of black Americans is reported for rural areas of the South and for poor urban areas throughout the United States. The rootwork system combines a belief in the magical causation of illness with cures by sorcery and an empiric tradition stressing the natural causation of illness with cures by herbs and medicines. Adherents of rootwork are medically pluralistic and seek help from a variety of practitioners when faced with illness. Adherents enter the clinical setting for the treatment of natural illnesses and present symptoms in accordance with traditional beliefs about the blood and "folk" categories of disease. Adherents may also consult magical practitioners, known as root doctors, for treatment of a variety of psychosocial problems.
In addition to its role in fostering school spirit, the mascot also serves as a symbol of tradition and history. The Valparaiso school mascot has been a part of the school's identity for many years and is seen as a source of pride for the entire community. Overall, the Valparaiso school mascot is an important figure in the school community, representing strength, unity, and tradition. It symbolizes the values and characteristics that the school aims to instill in its students and serves as a source of pride and identity for the entire community..
Reviews for "How Valparaiso school mascots boost community involvement"
1. Sarah - 1 star
As an alumni of Valparaiso High School, I was extremely disappointed with the choice of the Valparaiso school mascot. The decision to go with a banana as our mascot is not only laughable, but it also lacks any sort of meaningful representation of our school or community. It feels like a joke and does not instill any sense of pride or spirit. I hope they reconsider and choose a more respectable and impactful mascot in the future.
2. Robert - 2 stars
While I appreciate the effort to be unique and different, the Valparaiso school mascot of a pencil just doesn't make sense to me. It's hard to get behind a pencil as a symbol of our school. There are plenty of other more inspiring and exciting mascots out there that could have been chosen. It's just a disappointing choice that doesn't reflect the true spirit and identity of Valparaiso High School.
3. Emily - 1 star
The Valparaiso school mascot, a rubber duck, is a complete embarrassment. It's hard to take our sports teams seriously when we're represented by a children's bath toy. It's even more frustrating when our rivals have fierce and intimidating mascots. It's time for Valparaiso to step up and choose a mascot that represents strength, resilience, and pride, instead of something so laughable.
4. Brandon - 2 stars
The decision to make a stapler our Valparaiso school mascot is beyond comprehension. It's a mundane office supply that holds no significance or meaning to our school or community. It feels like a lazy choice and a missed opportunity to give our students and athletes something they can rally around and be proud of. I hope they reconsider and choose a mascot that truly represents what Valparaiso High School stands for.