Who's the Harry Potter guy and his friend in the skirt?
Highlanders and Wellingtons
By: Mikelle Street
"OHHHHLAAAAAYYYY OHLAY OHLAY OHLAY OHLAAAAAAHHH
OOOOOHHHLLLLLAAAAAYYYY OOOOOOHHHHHLLLLLAAAAAYYYY!" I turn and watch as a mob of guys, some clad in capes, but mostly in kilts, stomp their way around the outskirts of the track. This was my first live introduction to the Highlanders and Wellingtons. Yeah, yeah, I've heard all the legends and myths but never before had I encountered them en masse. Seeing them in this way is a sight to behold.
The first time I read about these societies was on Wikipedia. I was doing a bit of research on Sewanee and found that there were two secret societies under the names of the Highlanders and the Wellingtons who wore kilts and capes respectively. That was all the information I could find so my interest was immediately piqued. I wanted to know exactly what they did.
When I got on campus, I kept my ears open. Nothing happened until rush weekend when I saw three figures standing behind the bleachers of the men's soccer game wearing capes. On the way back from the game, I saw droves of guys wandering around in shades and kilts. This inevitably became a dinner topic among my friends and I
"They are the drinking societies," one person revealed. "It's the Highlanders and the Wellingtons. The Highlanders wear kilts, I think, and the Wellingtons wear capes," she explained. "They just drink a lot before the games, and I heard they have intense initiation tasks." Those at the table immediately began swapping stories.
When I finally did talk to a Highlander, I got a different explanation:
"Our purpose is to propagate traditions, and be a part of the Sewanee community. We want to foster a relationship with the community and the athletes and the fans," the representative explained. "We are here to strengthen and build a supportive environment for the athletes because they are good role models for the kids. We love kids, " he added. I nodded along as he talked.
After researching further and asking him questions, I found that no matter how rambunctious the bunch is, there is a level of organization. The organization is chartered, and membership is awarded on an invitation-only basis. While I never really got a definitive answer, I gather that anywhere from 15-30 people per year are invited to each intrafraternal organization. It was also revealed to me that the organizations aren't so much the Highlanders and Wellingtons as the Highlander/Wellingtons, with the Highlanders being superior (or so I'm told).
Even the cheering has certain guidelines. Whether at a soccer, football, or basketball game (the three that are mostly attended) the organizations strive for creativity. This creativity is to involve no cursing and no be negativity. The Highlander I spoke to summed it up very well by saying, "We're more 'go us', not 'boo you'!"
The Highlander/Wellingtons are a long standing fixture here on The Domain. They are one of the most, if not the most, noticeable attractions to our football games, and they strive to strengthen our community. Yeah, they may be a little tipsy, and you might get flashed by a Highlander who's a little too excited, but who else belts out "Yea Sewanee's Right!" every couple of minutes at a football game?
is a member of the 
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