Can a dead sorority be resurrected ?
 

So i was just reading a thread about extinct sororities and as i have been working for a few weeks on starting my own sorority with my best friends and some other gals, i was toying with the idea of resurrecting one of these extinct former NPC sororities as a local maybe , but with all the history and traditions in place. Because what we really want is a sisterhood and to feel apart of something has a real history. Any ideas? am i nuts ? how would i even go about doing this ? Thanks so much !

I would not do this, UNLESS you had the actual documents from the sorority's national HQ explaining the ritual, symbols etc and approval of the sorority's members (or their descendants).

It's a sweet idea, but most likely it would split 50/50 between people who think you're paying a tribute and people who think you're copycatting or stealing.

I know this is not the intention, but I keep thinking - great plot for a zombie movie - "Night of the Living Iota"...

Dozens of "undead" sorority sisters roaming a college campus looking to feast on the brains of living sisters.

If anyone decides to make this movie, I want a 5% cut of the royalties.

Use a "real" sorority's name and you will have a lawsuit to enjoy.

Well, also many NPCs didn't just "die" - they were absorbed by other groups. Using the symbols/rituals/name of one of these absorbed groups might be a great way to find yourself in hot water with the organization that absorbed them originally.

Is there something wrong with the sororities currently on your campus? Do current sororities at your campus not have sisterhood and a real history? Does your campus not have sororities at all?

ETA: Before You Found a New Sorority

LOL! :D

Listen to violetpretty. And if there aren't sororities on your campus or not enough sororities on campus then working with an existing NPC or other national sorority is going to work out much better for you. Do a search here for colonies, expansion, or locals. There are some threads here about locals colonizing into national groups. There is more than one way to become part of an NPC group and starting as a local is one of them. If you wanted to do that, you would most definitely need to start with your own symbols, rituals, etc.

Unless you have some strong tie to an original founder of one of those defunct sororities that didn't get absorbed, I wouldn't involve yourself in that mess. If you're going to spend that kind of effort and MONEY lawyering up, you might as well do the work to find an NPC, NPHC or PHC sorority that is already in existence that fits your goals. Just because it's been defunct for 50 or 75 years doesn't mean there wouldn't be someone attacking you for stealing their ideas.

There may be a reason why they are extinct. If you bring them back, unless you change something, they may last for a little while then go extinct again.

violetpretty, There are 2 other sororities on the campus that i currently attend but hte NPC sororities and at the preivous shcool i went to i was initiated into a sorority * i got terminated for financial reasons due to some army training and other hiccups * and then i got married and i dont really know how well a married undgrad would be received in a sorority that i didnt establish or found myself . so i was just tossing ideas around and it sounds like a would be better off just starting my own local.

And the real story comes out...

Oh. This changes the focus on the picture.

ETA: AlphaFrog you did it AGAIN! I'm tired of buying you cokes!!!!

It's ok, I know not everyone can snark at the speed of light. :p

I believe you can be a member of Beta Sigma Phi and be a member (or ex-member) of an NPC sorority. If you can, something like that would work. It does have a long and significant history and is not tied directly to collegiate life although I think they might have a few collegiate chapters. And of course that's not the only sorority of this type; it's just the only one I have ever had any personal interaction with. They call themselves a non-academic sorority, at least per Wikipedia which we all know is 100% right 100% of the time.;)

DubaiSis is absolutely correct, your situation would not hinder your eligibility to join Beta Sigma Phi. BSP is celebrating its 80th year and has an interesting history, though I may be a tad biased ;). We are a non-academic/non-collegiate sorority, though we do have chapters on college campuses. Internationals also encourages women to start chapters in their area IF they have the time and commitment to do so.

Another organization you could check out is Delta Theta Tau. Not being a member, I can't tell you as much about them, but they seem to be similar in nature to Beta Sigma Phi. Both organizations have websites that you can check out which are linked in the fairly accurate Wiki articles.

As a non-NPC member, I agree that trying to resurrect a chapter as a local sounds like a bad idea. I would stick with either establishing your local or looking into other organizations to join. Whatever you decide, really think through it, and good luck!