APPIE TRADITIONS IN THE 60'S AND 70'S

[Charmain Meier (Heusdens)]

During the sixties and seventies the apprentice intake had a ritual.  The youngsters gathered on a predetermined date at the single quarters  The booze to be consumed on that specific day was placed in the sun.

The older guys got stuck into these youngsters hair, shaving it off to their heart's desire.  After the different styles were cut and a lot of booze consumed the appies had to go to movies.  The front row of the movie house was reserved for them.  Those were the days when Mike Benade and John Irish used to work at the Technical College.  Come on Clive Symes, you should have a lot to tell.

Is this tradition still going strong or not?

Charmain Meier (Heusdens)

[bobbysmith]

hi charmaine,my dad did dickie fits about the rituals,he had to teach the upstarts the monday following,we as kids had many laughs about who got who,poor guys,made men out of boys,the truth be known,i dont think the guys resented it one bit,take good care,hope to speak or email you soon,love bobby

[SandyB]

The  appie  initiation  .. ouch !  a  fatal  brew  called  dag en nag .. sweet  red  and white  mixed   and  left in  the sun .... I  nearly  died  that  day  ...  worse  apart  from  cutting  elaborate designs in  ones  hair  you  were  smeared  with  mechanics blue  and  old  engine  oil ..  I  remember  through  the haze  that I  was  in  a  state ..  the  senior  appies  got  worried   that    I  was  indeed  going  to  expire  ..  got  me  cleaned  up  and  took me to  the mess  for  something  to  eat  .. I  recall   slurping  some soup   when  my  dad  arrived  to  collect  me  ... I quietly   followed  him  trying  to  keep  a straight  line  and  promptly  walked  straight into  the edge  of  the  door  he  was  holding  open for  me ...  down  again ..  now carried  to  car ...  My  mom  had  fits  at  my  total  state  ..   I  had  a  hangover  for  3  days ...  anyhow  the  designs  were  cut  out  of  the  hair  turning  me into  a pan kop  ..  her remedy  was  to  every  night  rub  coconut  oil  into  my  scalp  to  encourage  growth .. the skinhead  look did  not  go down well  with her ...  however looking  back   ...   the initiation was  part  of  the  rites  of  passage ,   made  us  all  equal  and made one  a  part  of  the  club   ...

[SandyB]

with  reference  to My  last  posting  on  the  appie  traditions ...  the pankop  and  my  Mom  rubbing  coconut  oil  onto  my  shaven  head  each  night  to  spur on  the  growth   and  get  rid  of  the  skinhead   effect  ..  attached  picture  shows  a  very  unhappy   pimply  16  yr  old  me  with  the  shaven  head ..  good  for a  laugh  ...

[Clive Symes]

Sandy , Charmaine
Some where I have photos, disgusting events as some of the appies made space for more booze. There are faces you will all remember. Sandy if memory serves, and your mug shot reminded me, I think you star in one of them ( fortunatly the photos are stored in the Attic in a box I dont remember.

Ja the older appies used to say if you could down a bottle of Liebies (23cents) or Zonheimer ( 25cents) in under six seconds they wouldnt your head. Needless to say they lied. By the time you got round to down your bottle you were well on the way and 30 minutes after the bottle was downed you couldnt care less.

[SandyB]

Oops ! i star  in  one  or  two  of  them ?  burn  the attic  and its  contents  ..  I  remember  seeing  one  of  the  making  room  pics .. i  was in  one  of  the  bath  sofas ( remember  the  cutout  bath  with  cushions ? )   and  streaming    a  pinkish   liquid .. not  pretty ...

[Charmain Meier (Heusdens)]

Clive

I'd love to see your pics!

Charmain

[SandyB]

Burn  the  attic  and its  contents  ... I have  vague  memory  of an  equally  bad  appie  party ...   in  the  years following  we would  attend  and  watch  the  event , making  sure  to  park  your  car far away in  case  somebody  drained the  sump  for  some  dirty oil  to "dress"   the initiates .. by that  time I had  progressed to  the  3rd hand  125  yamaha ..Ian  first , Gus   next , and  then  I  inherited it ... I  did  the obvious  overconsuming ...  after the  party  roared  off  on  the  bike  .. Peter  Reshke  told  me  that  they followed  me  to  try  make  sure  I got  home  safely ..  well  it took a  long  time  to get  home  as I  was  kind  of  lost  in  the  alcoholic  haze  and  kept on  driving around  town .. what was  amazing  he said was  that  I did  not  crash  or  kill  myself  as  I  was  bouncing    on  and off  the   road  mounting  pavements  yet  not  once  did  me  and  the bike  topple  .. i was  kind  of  glued  to  the  bike  and  the  bike  to  whichever  surface   I happened  to  be  travelling  on ...   felt  very  skaam  when  I  was  told  the whole  story  on  monday  morning ...

[Clive Symes]

Sandy, you are safe ( I do see you remembered the " Jet stream" I know it was captured on highseed film, I remember the lumps but  would not have been able to tell you the colour, you've obviously got a good memory ( I know I was'nt right for days after my initiation)

On the Side, I was sorry to hear about Ian ( we were in the same class at school)

Please drop me a line with Peter and Sandys contact number, its ages since my Mom heard from them.

[SandyB]

Clive  .. Peter & San ... 021 7128042  ...  San  mentions your  Mum  and  If  I recall  has  invited  her   around  at  times ...

[Clive Symes]

Thanks Sandy, I will contact them just to say HI

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Here's Reiner to join you Sandy  (with the traditional hairdo)

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Oops that would be Rainer Siebers before his coin collection

[Michael Alexander]

Hahahaha... Reiner looks mean, like a kinda Vinnie Jones.....

[SandyB]

Come  come now .. we  need  more  pics  here ... I will even  allow  Clive  to  post  the  one  of  me  in  my  worst moments ...  Guys  ..  scratch around  ...   scan  and  contribute !!!