SecretSocieties:ABriefEssay

ByMarkMirabello,Ph.D.
ProfessorofHistory
ShawneeStateUniversity

''SecretSocietiesareconspiraciesworkingcovertlytoachieveahiddenagenda.
Formembers,secrecyisasanctuaryandasourceofpower.

Secretsocietiesoftenclaimtobeancientandtheyclaimdirect"initiatorydescent"
fromafabledfounderorgroupoffounders.Bydefinition,nosecretsocietycan
appeartobeanovelty.

Thus,theBrotherhoodoftheRoseCrossclaimsdirectdescentfromthe
mysteriousChristianRosenkreuz(13781484)andtheOdinBrotherhoodclaims
thatitwasestablishedin1421.

Criticsview"SecretSocieties"asmalevolentorganizationsworkingagainstthe
generalinterestsofmankind.Theyaresometimesoutlawed,andtheUnited
KingdompassedtheUnlawfulSocietiesActof1799whichwasthefirststatue"for
themoreeffectualsuppressionofsocietiesestablishedforseditiousand
treasonablepurposes."Thislawwasineffectuntil1967.

PURPOSESOFSECRETSOCIETIES

Secretsocietieshavevariousfunctions,usuallyesoteric,political,orcharitablein
nature.Secretsocietiesmayplotworlddomination,subvertlegalorfinancial
institutions,enlightentheworld,distributecharity,protectasecret,or"attemptto
rewritehistorybycirculatingcertainliterature."

ONSECRECY

Tokeepanythingcompletelysecretisimpossible.AsthepoetIbnQutayba(A.D.
828889)lamented,notonlydoesamandisappearafterdeathhissecretsare
spreadabroad.

ColonelWendellFetig,commanderoftheFilipinoAmericanforcesbehind
JapaneselinesinWorldWarII,madethisobservationaboutsecrecy:"Itisalmost
impossibletomaintainbutoftencanbebetterachievedthroughtheuseof
misleadingrumorsthanthroughtightsecurity."

Toprotectthemselves,however,manysecretsocietiesusetheDoubleBlind.In
thedoubleblindthetruthisrevealedontheassumptionthepublicwillnot
believeit.WhendetailsoftheMajestic12conspiracy(anallegedgovernmentUFO
groupestablishedaftertheRoswellincident)wererevealed,conspirators
claimedadoubleblindrusehadbeenimplemented.ThePrioryofZion,the
BrotherhoodoftheRoseCross,theOdinBrotherhood,andtheIlluminatiallegedly
employthisdeception.

Ifandoesrevealtheirsecret,mostsecretsocietieswilldiscredittheinformant.
Accordingtooneinterestinganddiabolicaltheory,"thepsychological
classificationofparanoia"hasbeenINVENTEDbyconspirators(thehidden
powersthatcontroltheworld)forthepurposeofdiscreditinganyonewho
attemptstoexposethem.

TYPESOFSECRETSOCIETIES

Generallyspeaking,therearesixtypesofsecretsocieties.

1) Inthefirsttype,theexistenceofthegroupisknownandthemembershipis
publicknowledge,buttheritualsandthemeetingsaresecret.This
describestheFreemasons.

2) Inthesecondtype,themembershipandtheobjectivesarepublic
knowledge,butallmeetingsareprivate.ThisdescribestheBilderberg
Group.

3) Inthethirdtype,theexistenceofthegroupisknown,butthemembership
andtheobjectivesoftheorganizationaresecret.ThisdescribestheHellfire
Club.

4) Inthefourthtype,theexistenceofthegroupisrumored,butfew,ifany,
concretefactsareknownaboutthegroup.ThisdescribestheIlluminati.

5) Inthefifthtype,theexistenceofthegroupisrumored,theidentitiesofthe
membersaresecret,buttheritualsandtheobjectivesareknown.This
describestheOdinBrotherhood.

6) Inthesixthtype,theexistenceofthegroupisdenied,buttheidentitiesof
themembersandtheobjectivesofthegroupareknown.Thisdescribesthe
Mafia.

INITIATION

Admittanceintoasecretsocietybeginswithaninitiationritual.Often,this
involvesdarkness,blindfolds,bloodoaths,andsymboliciconssuchasskulls,
daggers,andsacredtexts.Thecandidateundergoessomekindofordeal,oftena
symbolicdeathandresurrection.

AccordingtohistorianRonaldHutton,initiationintheSocietyoftheHorseman's
WordinvolvesreadingtheBiblebackwardsthreetimesoverthreeyears,indulging
inamockEucharist(withbread,jam,andwhiskey),andattheclimaxofthe
initiation"shakingthedevil'shand."Onthelastpoint,theblindfoldedinitiate
hadtograspaheatedspade.

InitiationintotheOdinBrotherhoodwhichonlyoccursatthesolsticesinvolvesa
kindofvisionquestcementedbya"ceremonyofblood."Theriteinvolvessolitude,
adietofbreadandice,awhiteshroud,adagger,andafire.

Theinitiateafterproperpurificationmakesthreeincisionsonhisbody.Done
inthenameof"holyviolence,necessaryviolence,"themaleneophytemakesthree
incisionsonhischest.

Hethen"devotes,hallows,andsanctifies"hissoultothegodswholiveby
penetratingafirethreetimeswithadaggerstainedwithhisownblood.

Thescarsarecalled"TheMarksofJoy."Theyarebasedonthe"markingwiththe
spearceremonydescribedintheYnglingaSagabySnorriSturluson.

Thefemaleneophyte,however,makesthreesmallincisionsonthetipofherright
indexfinger.TheOdinBrotherhoodbelievesthefemalesbreasts"thelastand
mostbeautifulembellishmentshereceivesinlife"mustnotbedisfigured.

MerciaEliade,inShamanism:ArchaicTechniquesofEcstasy,notesthatsecret
societyinitiationsresembleshamanicinitiations,andincludeseclusion
(symbolizingthe"beyond),somesortofprohibition(asinadiet),coveringtheface
andbody,usuallywithsomethingthatiswhite,andadifficultordeal,which
involvestheinflictionof"cruelties."

Manysecretsocietieswillhavelayersofmembership,withapersonenteringfirst
asaneophyteofsomesort,andthenadvancingthroughtheranksashe
participatesmoreintheorganization.Theseranksareveryoftencalled"degrees".
Someorganizationshaveasfewasoneorthreedegrees,othersasmanyas
thirtythree.

Astheapplicantadvancesthroughtheranks,hewilloftenlearnnewpasswords,
handgrips,orothermodesofrecognitionduringtherituals.

INITIATIONRITUALSOFDANGEROUSSECRETSOCIETIES

Inthemostdangeroussecretsocieties,theinitiationritualrequiresnewmembers
tocommitanatrocitythatwillmakethemodioustosociety.

Thecrimebindsparticipantsmorecloselytotheoutlawgroup,forcingthemto
shareahatefulsecretthatputsthembeyondthepaleofhumanity.
Outcastspariahstheycanneverrejointheordinarycollective.

Thus,inmagicalconventicles,initiatesarerequiredtocommitbrothersister,
fatherdaughter,ormothersonincest.
TojointheLeopardMenofAfrica,initiatesmustprovideadaughterorniecefora
cannibalmurderfeast.

ToqualifyasasoldierintheMafia(afullmember),theindividualmusthave
killedatleastoneman.Tocompletetheinitiation,thesoldiertobepierceshis
fingerrubsbloodonthepaperimageofasaintburnstheimagetakestheashes
inhishandandswearsthisoath:

Isweartobeloyaltomybrothers,nevertobetraythem,alwaystoaidthem,and
ifIfailmayIburnandbeturnedtoashesliketheashesofthisimage.

Accordingtoreports,tojoinsomeAmericanoutlawgroupstheinitiatesmust
commitmurderandinfrontofmembersofthechaptetheymusthavesexual
intercoursewithanunderagegirl,anelderlywoman,andacorpse.

IntheAryanBrotherhood(orAryanNation)Americasmostdangerousprison
organizationtheruleisbloodin,bloodout.Menbecomemembersby
committingmurder,andtheymayleavethegrouponlywiththeirowndeaths.

ThemostfamousoutlawinitiationinhistorywasdescribedbySallust,theRoman
historianwholeftawrittenaccountoftheCatilineConspiracy.Theseare
Sallustswords:

TherewasarumorcurrentatthetimethatwhenCatiline,ontheconclusionof
hisspeech,calledontheassociatesofhisplottoswearanoath,hepassedaround
bowlsofhumanbloodmixedwithwineandwhenallhadtastedofitafter
invokingacurseuponthemselvesiftheybrokefaith,inaccordancewiththe
usualpracticeatsuchsolemnceremonies,herevealedthedetailsofhisscheme.
Thisheissaidtohavedoneinorderthattheconsciousnessofhavingjointly
participatedinsuchanabominationmightmakethemmoreloyaltoone
another.

DEATHOATHS

Somesecretsocieties,suchasPropagandaDue,includedeathoathsintheir
initiationprocess.

LicioGelli,aP2founder,instructedmemberstocommitsuicidewiththedrug
digitalisprovidedbytheorganizationiftheywerepressuredtorevealsecrets.

Intheabsenceofanautopsy,afataldoseofthedrugdigitaliswouldbe
indistinguishablefromaheartattack.

SOMEREPRESENTATIVESECRETSOCIETIES:

ORDEROFTHEASSASSINS

TheOrderofAssassinsknownalsoastheOrderofDevotedMastersoftheQuiet
DeathwasorganizedbyHasanbinSabbah,whowasbornin1034inIran.
Hasanwasoneofthefoundersofasymmetricwarfare.Hediscardedorthodox
warwar,hebelieved,waswastefulandheusedassassinationinstead.Hasans
Ordertargetedleaders,eitherkillingthemor(morecommonly)threateningthem
withdeathunlesstheycomplied.

AccordingtooneAssassinpoem:

Byonesinglewarrioronfootakingmaybestrickenwithterror,thoughheown
morethanahundredthousandhorsemen.

TheelitekillersofHasansOrderweremastersofdisguise,treachery,and
murder.Sentagainstkings,religiousleaders,andmilitarycommanders,the
killersweredeployedaloneorinpairs.Theyinfiltratedtheenemys
palaceusuallyasservicestaff.

Theassassinsusedthe"DoctrineofIntelligentDissimulation."Thatistosay,they
pretendedtobesomethingtheywerenot.Lyingallowedthemtomovecloseto
theirtargets.

ThetwoassassinswhokilledConradofMontferratforexampleletthemselvesbe
baptizedasChristians.Whilepraying,theywereabletomoveclosetoConradand
assassinatehim.

Famousfortheirpatience,membersoftheOrderwaitedsometimesfor
yearsuntiltheopportunitywasright.Thentheystrucksuddenly.Theirfavorite
weaponwasthepoisoneddagger.

Always,membersoftheOrdermadenoattempttoescape.Norwasanyeffort
madetorescuethem.Theywereeffectivebecausethesepiousassassinswantedto
dieinordertokill.

LittleisknownaboutthesecretsoftheOrder.AccordingtoChristianaccounts,
theassassinshadthreegradesofinitiation.Interestingly,theteachingofeach
levelnegatedanythingthathadbeenpreviouslytaught.Theinnermostsecretit
wasallegedisthatheavenandhellarethesame,allactionsareindifferent,and
thereisnogoodorevil.

Theactualassassinsmemberswhohadattainedthehighestdegreeweretaught
thatthereisnosuchthingasbelief.Allthatmattersisaction.

Nothingistrue,taughtHasan,andallispermitted.

BEATIPAOLI

AsecretSiciliangroupofblackrobedandblackhoodedvigilantes,theBeatiPaoli
defendedordinarycitizensfromthetyrannyofthestateandthechurch.Meeting
insecretandplottingvengeance,membersweresilentkillerswhostabbedand
strangledpowerfulpeoplewhooppressedordinarypeople.

Today,theMafiaclaimsdescentfromtheBeatiPaoli.

TheBeatiPaolioperatedatnightfromtheirrefugeinthecatacombsandtunnels
underthecityofPalermo.Thesetunnels,calledtheGrottoofBeatiPaoli,maybe
enteredthroughahouseinPalermo.Anotherentranceisviathevalleyofthe
Orphans.

TheBeatiPaolikeptnorecords.LiketheDruids,allimportantinformationwas
keptonlyinthehumanmemory.

Describedinfictionseveraltimes,thebestknownnovelisbyLuigiNatoli.Writing
underthepennameWilliamGalt,hisnovelIBeatiPaoliwaspublishedin1909.
ThebookwaslatermadeintoafilmcalledTheBlackMaskedKnights.

BLACKHAND

TheBlackHandwasasecretsocietyofSerbassassins,formedin1911astheOrder
ofDeath.ItspurposewastouseassassinationtoliberateSerbianlandsheldby
othernations.

OrganizedbyColonelDragutinDmitrievich,aSerbianarmyofficerwhousedthe
codename"Apis,"theBlackHandrecruitedyoungpeoplewhoweredyingfrom
terminaldiseases.

Initiationinvolvedadark,candlelitroomandatableholdingaskull,apistol,a
bomb,andavialofpoison.Initiatesweretoldtoplaceahandontheskullandto
repeattheoathoftheBlackHand:

Bythesunthatwarmsme,bytheEarththatfeedsme,byGod,bythebloodofmy
ancestors,bymyhonorandlife,IswearfidelitytothecauseofSerbian
nationalism,andtosacrificemylifeforit.

ThemostfamousmemberoftheBlackHandisGavriloPrincip(18941918).The
mostinfluentialassassininhistory,GavriloPrincipwasnineteenyearsofage
whenhesparkedWorldWarIbyfiringtwoshotswithapistolandkilledanheir
totheAustrianthrone.

Princepswallowedcyanideaftertheattack,butthepoisonwastoooldanditfailed
tokillhim.Seizedbymilitaryofficers,theirabusecausedPrinceptoloseanarm.

Tooyoungforthedeathpenalty(atthattimereservedforpeopletwentyoneyears
orolder),Principwassentencedtotwentyyears.Hediedin1918from
tuberculosis.

HonoredasaherobytheSerbs,theGavriloPrincipMuseumisdedicatedtohis
memory.ThemuseumpreservesPrincipsBlackHandOathinhisown
handwriting:

BROEDERBOND

TheAfrikanerBroederbond,anationalistsecretsociety,grewupamong
AfrikanersaftertheirdefeatintheBoerWarin1902.
Foundedin1918,aftertheCenturyofWrong,a1964studyfoundithad6,768
membersin473localdivisions.Membershipwasrestrictedtowhite,Afrikaans
speakingmales,whowereProtestantsovertheageoftwentyfive.Freemasons
werenotpermittedinthegroup.

Intheinitiationceremony,thenewmemberpledgednottodivulgehis
membershiporthatofothers.Hepromisednottodiscloseanythingaboutthe
Bondsdiscussions,decisions,oractivities.HealsopledgedtoservetheAfrikaner
nation.

In1948theBroederbondhelpedelevateawhitesupremacymovementthe
NationalistPartytoapositionofpower.

ILLUMINATI

Afabledsecretsociety,theIlluminatiwereestablishedonMay1,1776.Originally
calledtheOrderofPerfectibilists,thegroupwasorganizedinIngolstadt,Bavaria,
theplacewherethefictionalFrankensteincreatedhismonster.

ThefounderoftheIlluminatiwasAdamWeishaupt,alawprofessoratIngolstadt
University.HeusedthecodenameSpartacus,inhonorofthefamousrebel
slave.

EducatedbytheRomanCatholicJesuits,Weishauptwasacceptedinto
Freemasonryin1774.HewouldrecruittheIllumantifromtheFreemasons.The
Illuminatimemberstookanoathvowingperpetualsilence,unshakableloyalty,
andsubmissiontotheorder.

TheIlluminatiestablishedthemodelofasecretsocietyrunbyleaderswhohide
thetruepurposesfromthegeneralmembership.Knownas"doubledoctrine,"the
rankandfilelearnanodynegoals,whileunknownsuperiorsknowthe
organization'strue,andquitedifferent,innersecrets.

Accordingtotheirenemies,theallegedgoaloftheIlluminatiistodestroy
Christianityandallworldgovernments.Theywillthenuniteeveryoneunderone
worldgovernmentwhoserulerisLucifer.

OthersallegethattheIlluminatiwantautopiansuperstateandtheabolitionof
privateproperty,socialauthority,andnationality.Theyallegedlyfavorfreelove,
universalbrotherhood,peace,equality,andfeminism.Theyareantikingand
antichurch.

AccordingRobertSheaandRobertAntonWilson,however,theIlluminatiaretoo
sophisticated,ruthless,anddecadenttowanttotakeovertheworld.Instead,it
amusesthemtoplaywiththeworld.

KNIGHTSOFTHEAPOCALYPSE
TheKnightsoftheApocalypseasecretsocietywhichisonlyrumoredtoexistis
anoutlawgroup.ComposedoffiercelypiousRomanCatholics,thegroupwas
allegedlyestablishedin1693.

Membersofthegroupareassassins.Theirmissionistosavemankind.Whenever
theAntiChristisborn,theyhuntSatanschildandmurderhiminthecradle.
Allegedly,theyhavekilledseveralchildrenalready.

KUKLUXKLAN

CalledAmericasmostpersistentterroristorganization,theKuKluxKlanwas
establishedin1865bysixconfederateveteransinPulaski,Tennessee.

TheoriginalKlanwasanundergroundresistancemovementtorestorewhite
supremacy.MembershadtoswearanoathofsecrecyaboutKlanactivitiesandthe
identitiesofotherKlansmen.

NahanBedfordForrest,aconfederatecavalryleader,waselectedGrandWizard
oftheKlanin1867.Thephrase"InvisibleEmpire,"whichreferredtothe
territorieswheretheKlanexisted,wascoinedatthesametime.

TheoriginalKlanwasdormantforatime,butin1905ThomasDixon,Jr.
publishedanovelcalledTheClansman:AnHistoricalRomanceoftheKuKlux
Klan.DixonsnoveldepictedtheKlanasanorderofchivalrydevotedtosaving
theSouth.

ThenovelinspiredD.W.Griffith'sfilm,TheBirthofaNation,andthefilmand
bookledtotherevivaloftheKlanin1915.

PresidentWoodrowWilson,afterviewingthefilm,claimedthattheK.K.K.had
savedcivilizationontheNorthAmericancontinent.

PresidentWarrenHarding,Wilsonssuccessor,wasinitiatedintotheKlaninthe
GreenRoomofWhiteHouse.SupremeCourtJusticeHugoBlackjoinedtheKlan
inthe1920's.

Also,ayoungHarryTrumanpaidatendollarinitiationfeetotheMissouriK.K.K.

Attheendofthetwentiethcentury,however,theKuKluxKlanchanged.

In1983,RobertMiles,aKuKluxKlanleader,claimedthattheorganizationhadto
reverttoitsoriginalformasamilitaryundergroundoperatingin
"enemycontrolledterritory.

AccordingtoMiles,theKlancouldnolongersupportthepoliceortheAmerican
Constitutionbecausehostileforcescontrolboth.

Alsoin1983,LouisBeam,inhis"EssaysofaKlansman,"saidthatforthethird
timeinthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesthegovernmentistheenemyofthepeople.
Theothertwotimes,heclaimed,were1776and1861.
Beamsaidthatresistanceshouldcomefromdecentralizedcadres,likethe
Minutemenin1776andtheoriginalKlan.Heclaimedthat1776wasnotapopular
uprisingitwasan"unpopularrebellionofapoliticallyradicalminority."

SOCIETYOFTHELEOPARD

CenteredinWestAfrica,inSierraLeone,theSocietyoftheLeopardisanancient
secretsocietyofmenwhohunthumans.

TojointheSocietyoftheLeopard,initiatesmustprovideayounggirlforsacrifice.
Thevictim,whohastobetheinitiate'sownsisterordaughter,ismurderedwitha
clawknife.

Membersofthesocietyalwayskillatnight,wearingleopardskinsoverthebody
andpronged,clawlikeweaponswithdoubleedgedbladesoverthehands.The
leopardistheirtotem,andtheypracticeritesinvolvingcannibalismandblood
drinkingtogainmagicpower.

Whennothunting,theLeopardSocietymembersliveanotherwisenormal
existence.LiketheThuggeeofIndia,theyaresworntosecrecy.

OnAugust5,1895,theBritishexecutedthreeLeopardmenformurdering
travelers.OneoftheLeopardmenhadbeenaChristianSundaySchoolteacher.

LUDDITES

Establishedin1811,theLudditeswereasecretsociety(withoathsandpasswords)
dedicatedtodestroyingthemachinesoftheindustrialagethatwerecausing
humanunemployment.

TheLudditeattackersoperatedatnight,woremasks,andusedhandtoolsto
smashthemachinerydestroyingjobs.Thegrouptookitsnamefroma
semimythicalworkerinLeicesterwhodestroyedmachinery.

In1812,theBritishgovernmentintroducedthedeathpenaltyforbreaking
machines.Notethatthegoverningclassvaluedamachineoverahumanlife!

MAFIA

Aformoforganizedcrime,theMafiaisthemostsecretandmostpowerfulofall
secretsocieties.Firstreferredtoinaplayfrom1862,onlymemberscanbe
certainofitsexistence.

Thefactthatamanisamembercanneverbeadmitted.Atmost,themember
allowshimselftobecalleda"manofrespect"ora"friendoffriends."

TheMafiahasnosecrethandshakesorpasswords,butamembercanbe
recognizedbecausehewillhavespectacularsuccessinallofhisendeavors.The
MafialawyerwillwinallofhiscasestheMafiaphysicianwilldrawallofthe
patientsthemafiabusinessmanwillneverlosemoney.
ThedefiningfeatureoftheclassicSicilianMafiaistheconceptofOmerta.The
wordliterallymeansmanliness,andOmertaobligesamantobestrong,tobe
potent,andtodominate.

Moreprecisely,omertameanssilenceandselfrestraint.Ifwronged,themanof
respectwillnotshowanger,hewillnottellthepolice,andhewillnotactrashly.
Hewillwaitforyearsifnecessaryandavengeinthecoldestwaypossible,often
strikingwhenheseemstobethevictimsfriend.

ODINBROTHERHOOD

AmysteriousOdinistorganization(onededicatedtopreservingtheloreand
virtuesofthegodsandgoddessesoftheNorsepantheon,asdescribedinthe
EddaicVerses),theOdinBrotherhoodtohavebeenestablishedin1421,aftera
necromanticceremony.

Initiation,whichinvolvesbreadandice,adagger,afire,andmarkingsonthe
flesh,isconductedonlyduringthesolstices.Womenaswellasmenarefoundin
themovement.

Unlikemostsecretsocieties,theOdinBrotherhoodisnonhierarchical.Members,
whoinitiatethemselvesafterreceiveacallinginadreamvision,belongtoa
conspiracyofequals.

Intermsofeschatology,theOdinBrotherhoodteachesthatnothingdies
forever.Deathisinevitable,butfromdeathcomesnewlife.

ORDEROFSKULLANDBONES

TheOrder,whichisalsocalledChapter322,andwasonceknownasthe
BrotherhoodofDeath,iscalledSkullandBonesbythosewhomakelightofit.
Amysterioussecretsociety,itwasfoundedin1833atYaleUniversityby
HuntingtonRussell(anopiumtrader)andAlphonsoTaft(anancestorofthe
president).

TheemblemoftheOrderistheDeathsHead,ortwocrossedbonesandaskull.Its
headquarters,calledthetomb,isadark,windowlessbuilding.Thereareclaims
thattheOrderpossessestheskullsofGeronimo,PanchoVilla,andMartinVan
Burenallstolen.

AccordingtoAnthonyC.Sutton,theauthorofAmericasSecretEstablishment,no
onecanasktojoinSkullandBones,whichadmitsonlyfifteennewmemberseach
year.Membershipisbyinvitationonly.

Allegedly,theOrderdoesnotwantloners,iconoclasts,orindividualistsinthe
organization.Theywantamoralteamplayerspeoplewhowillsacrifice
themselvesforthegroup.
AccordingtoSutton,theinitiationofnewmembersinvolvessomenudity.The
initiateisplacedinacoffinheiscarriedtothecenterofthebuildingheis
chantedoverandhisnameisinscribedinabone.

Newmembersarecalledknights.Afteroneyear,theyarethencalledpatriarchs.
Theywillbecalledpatriarchstherestoftheirlives.TheOrderreferstoall
outsidersasvandals.

ThepatriarchsoftheOrdermeetannually,ontheoddlyspelledDeerIland,in
theSt.LawrenceRiver,inNewYork.

Membersaresworntosilence.Theyareforbiddentodiscusstheorganization,its
procedures,oritsobjectives.WordsspokenwithintheOrdermaynotbe
writteneveninletterstofellowmembers.

Membersmustalwaysdenymembershiptooutsiders.IftheOrderisunder
discussion,membersmaynotremainintheroom.

ThefunctionoftheOrderistobringaboutcertainmysteriousobjectives.Honors
andfinancialawardsareguaranteed,andinitiatesareassuredcareer
advancementsuccessevenwealth.

THUGGEE

TheThuggeeanancientcultofmurderandterrorhavebeencalledthemost
successfulterrororganizationinhistoryand"themostremarkableexampleof
organizedcrimeonrecord."Allegedlyextinct,therearereportsthattheystillexist
today.

TheThuggeearedevoteesofKali,theHindugoddessofdeath.Kaliisdepictedas
blackskinned,withfourarms.Inherfirsthandshecarriesasword,inhersecond
handshecarriesaseveredhead,herthirdhandisraisedinagestureofpeace,and
herremaininghandisgraspingforpower.ThecityofCalcuttaisnamedinher
honor.

Accordingtolegend,thefirstThuggeewerecreated(fromthebrowofthegoddess)
tohelpKalidestroyahordeofdemons.Thedemonshadtobestrangled,fortheir
bloodonceshedturnedintomoredemons.SoKaligavetheThuggeethenoose
tokilldemons.

InreturnforhelpingKali,theThuggeebelievethattheyreceivedtherighttokillin
perpetuityandtokeepthelootfromtheirvictims.Theyareobligedtostrangleat
leastonepersonperyear.Thevictimmustneverbeawomanorawanderingholy
man.

TheThuggeebelievethattheirvictimsgostraighttoparadise.ByservingKali,the
Thuggeealsogotoparadise.

ThewordThug(pronouncedt'ug)isderivedfromtheSanskritwordwhichmeans
deceiverorswindler.Membersofthissecretcultleaddoublelives.Formostof
theyear,theThuggeehaveregularemploymentandliveopenlyinthecommunity
asrespectedandorderlycitizens.

Inautumn,however,whentheroadsarecrowdedwithpilgrims,theThuggeehunt
humans.TheyattackinNovemberandDecemberalwaysatleastonehundred
milesfromtheirhomes.Whenthekillingseasonends,theymeltbackinto
ordinarylife.

TheThuggeeworkinunitsoftentofiftymen.Dividedintosmallgroups,some
serveasscouts,someaskillers,andsomeasgravediggers.

TheThuggeestrangletheirselectedvictims,usinggarrotesfashionedfromwhite
oryellowsilk.(WhiteandyellowaresacredtoKali.)Theagonyofthevictimis
prolongedbecauseKalienjoysterror.

Usually,therearethreeThuggeekillerspervictim.Whileonestrangles,oneholds
thedyingmansfeet,andoneholdsthearmsorsitsonthechestofthevictim.

Afterthekillings,thevictimsareburiedinsmall,deepgraves,withtheirbacksand
thighbonesbroken.Tohidetheactivity,thegravesareduginsidetents.

Thegravesaredugwithshovelsandatleastonesymbolicstrikefromasilverpick
axe.Thesiteisstrewnwithpungentherbstomisleaddogs.

TheThuggeealwaysconductanancientceremonyonthegraves.Theyplace
goor,akindofcoarsesugar,onacloth.Afterpouringsomesugarand"holy
water,thosethathadkilledthatday(inorderofseniority)eatthe"sugarofKali"
asasacrament.Itissaidthatonceamantastesgoor,hewillalwaysservethe
goddessofdeath.

Toperpetuatethemovement,menrecruittheirsonsandnephews.Thetrainingof
theboysbeginsinchildhood,butonlyattheageofeighteenaretheboysallowedto
killandtastethesacredsugarforthefirsttime.

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