“BURN HIM, BURN HIM, BURN HIM!”
This was not the kind of thing I expected from a sleepy village in mid Sussex.
But it gets stranger.
Now imagine the above in the voice of hundreds of children chanting this intently.
I was at Lindfield Common for the annual bonfire and fireworks.
Everyone’s faces were aglow from the torches of the procession that had finally stopped to gather around the mountain of timber that had been accumulating on the common for several days.
The chant was the final riposte to the – what the announcer called - The Bonfire Night Prayer.
“Remember, remember the 5th of November…”
Yes, the verse that every British schoolchild knows about the famous 'traitor' and Catholic sympathiser Guy Fawkes who was caught in the act of trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
(We also know in gruesome detail how he was punished for his act. Plot spoiler: it wasn't pleasant).
It turns out that the little ditty has more than one verse - which I didn’t know – and ends with the question:
“What shall we do with him?”
And at the final chant of 'burn him' by the little darlings of Lindfield, torches were flung onto the timber which exploded in flame.
Atop the blaze was an effigy of Guy Fawkes who had been carried through the village.
And yes, the whole thing reeked of The Wicker Man.
Which means I loved it.
So what does this little display tell us about the power of ritual in building a cult following.
Well, let's start with a super-short history lesson.
Building belonging through identity
If it all seemed a little well rehearsed there’s a reason.
The bonfire society in this village has been doing this every 5th November for 130 years.
And on and off at various points for several hundred years before that.
In fact, there are a ton of ‘bonfire societies’’ in this part of England - the Lewes Bonfire is world-renowned for being the best, most intense and, quite frankly, petrifying example.
And if you wanted the definition of “cult”, this is it.
Each society has its own distinct character and peculiarities. Each has its own uniform to identify the members, usually from a certain region or area of the town.
There are societies for younger participants and then there are societies which are known to be a little bit more raucous than others.
Each has its own rituals and behaviours, expressed in how they execute their bonfire procession and its lighting.
What’s more, there is competition between societies and towns and invariably this is one of the dynamics that creates a sense of belonging for those who are part of this.
These rituals are important.
You will find them in any club, community, organisation or body where there is a need to coalesce around a sense of shared purpose or direction.
At the most obvious level, these rituals and ceremonies commemorate events.
There is a point in the calendar and, usually a place, rooted to the tradition. Because tradition is also a key part of the ritual.
Do not discount the importance of specific times and dates around which to root demonstrations of belonging.
This is as important to your Broadcast as it is to specific events designed to bring followers together.
At the next level, rituals add a sense of purpose and help participants feel connected to the place, or the historic event, or the cult leader… but most of all to each other.
There is a sense of identify and purpose. And taking part in these rituals helps reinforce between between followers.
But there is an event deeper level, and this is around commitment and being ‘seen’ to express your belief or connection to the group by taking part.
Ritual as a force to control
These are emotional bonds created through ritual.
But ritual can also be a form of control and cohesion.
Interestingly enough, the original reason that many bonfire societies were founded was a desire to have a clear day in the calendar when people could let loose.
It is probably no coincidence that the bonfire societies emerged during the Victorian era.
Men who had returned from combat and who didn’t fit the strait-laced, cloying rules and manners of the Victorian era suddenly found an outlet.
November 5th was fortuitous because it already had an association with being a ‘lawless night’ - hence the ‘trick or treat’ tradition.
Another tradition of ‘Mischief Night’ was known in various places, differing depending on where in England you lived.
For authorities, it made sense because it allowed some small control of potential unrest.
The wider danger was civil disobedience spreading into wider society.
And so, as well as an outlet, the bonfire night tradition became a form of control, allowing for emotional release and societal cohesiveness.
If this sounds familiar, you're right.
There are many examples of narratives in culture talking of days and nights of excess acting as release valves to maintain social order...
Ahem...
Rituals are everywhere
Rituals more generally create a sense of belonging and cohesion - if followed collectively.
This happens all around us.
From something as simple as eating turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas - because that’s what you’re supposed to do – to going to church every Sunday, we have rituals and traditions all around us.
We have birth rituals and death rituals - things that must be done when seeing people into and out of this world.
Equally, not adhering to the (often unwritten) rules can leave you excommunicated and rejected by the ‘tribe’.
If you don’t think this happens, wear a white poppy on Remembrance Day or check to see what happens when a public figure refuses to wear a poppy.
The annual 'shaming' of those who refuse to wear poppies is another example of self-policing or enforcement of unwritten rules around rituals and convention.
(Although in this particular case it is driven by an aggressive media, which pushes it into harrassment and bullying.)
The point to take is that done well, well-rehearsed and repeated rituals, ceremonies and traditionals create a framework for building identity and belonging.
And it gives your followers an opportunity to show their commitment by both adhering and enforcing these rituals.
How to use this
1 - Start with self-awareness
Consider what rituals you follow in your life - how did you know about them? Were you told or are they unwritten - you do them because you saw others do them?
2 - Consider how you indoctrinate and bring in new followers
What do they experience? How do you welcome them? Is there space for a rite of passage that shows they have crossed the threshold?
3 - Watch for patterns
More often than note, rituals emerge. It can be very organic and may not require your involvement.
For example, one of the key rituals for Bad Boy Running when a Do-Badder finishes a race is for them to perform press-ups to 'officially' finish.
We didn't make that up.
It emerged naturally from the community and caught on, supported by the conditions we created.
You may already have rituals that you can elevate and promote to further strengthen their power.
Seriously, get this right and watch as the strength of feeling of belonging and identity within your following grows.
Has your cult following got any interesting or quirky rituals you're happy to share? Hit reply and let m know.
Laters!
Jody
