Five Little Monkeys, a Discordian kids song popular with Shamlicht Kids Club
Shamina and Shamenis, mascots of Shamlicht Kids Club.
Shamlicht Kids Club is a disorganization for Discordian kids. It was "malformed" in 2005 by Sister Hooter and Captain "Sesame Seed" Rogers. It is sometimes called Smagmoid Kids Club.
Origin
Shamlicht Kids Club Handbook version
According to the Shamlicht Kids Club Handbook, Shamlicht Boys or "Sham Boys" was formed on August 20, 2005 by Captain "Sesame Seed" Rogers, and Shamlicht Girls or "Sham Girls" was started on September 4, 2005 by Sister Hooter. But Sister Hooter, disciplinarian for Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception School for Unwed Mothers, claimed the idea first. This is a claim that Captain “Sesame Seed” Rogers, conductor of the Bonobo Boys Band in Boston, disputed. Fortunately, they agreed to disagree, dropped the argument, and kissed and made up. (This is a good example for kids of “harmonious discord.”) The girls’ and boys’ clubs merged on October 3, 2007 (57 Bureaucracy 3173) to become the Shamlicht Kids Club.
Mundane version
According to more mundane sources, Captain Rogers and Sister Hooter actually conceived Shamlicht Kids Club (aka Smagmoid Kids Club) first. After several years working for Childhelp and another housing facility for children, Hooter oversaw a non-sectarian home for troubled girls. At the same time, Rogers, who was a musician and junior high school teacher, worked with troubled boys and led an "anyone can play" band for the boys.
Both wanted a non-sectarian, non-field specific association for their charges. Organizations such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts had a religious orientation, Campfire Boys and Girls had Christian roots, and 4-H was tied to the United States Department of Agriculture. Hooter had been introduced to Discordianism, and Rogers was open to the tongue-in-cheek religion.
So Rogers began Shamlicht Boys with a meeting on Saturday, 20 August 2005, and Hooter began Shamlicht Girls which first met on Sunday, 4 September 2005. The girls' and boys' club "informalized" a merger on 3 October 2005, although the beginning of Shamlicht Kids Club is often listed as 3 October 2007.
Post merger
After the merger, the girls club became known as Nest of Pink Vipers. The name was in honor of founding member Ashley's snake Virginia, who was a pink albino corn snake. The founding members were Alicia (Goldie Bear), Ashley, Debbie (Pope Hilde), Lani (Lani Lina Lian Lain), Layla and Maria (Midnight Ninette). Goldie Bear was later the front cover model for the first printing of Ek-sen-trik-kuh Discordia: The Tales of Shamlicht. Midnight Ninette also modeled for the book, and Sister Hooter, Lani Lina Lian Lain and Pope Hilde contributed to articles.
The boys club took the name Bluebeard's Nest in honor of Captain Rogers' dark beard. The founding members were Brassy, Chris, Hot Dog Joey, Sparky (later known as Sparky Newberg), Sticks, Top Hat, Trump and Willie. Rogers wrote the tune to the "Shamlicht Kids Club Song" and Sparky Newberg with Lani Lina Lian Lain wrote the lyrics. All three contributed to Ek-sen-trik-kuh Discordia.
Sister Hooter's group originally consisted of girls and helpers who stayed at the home, while Rogers' group was made up of band members. The two groups operated independently, and other local groups called "nests" began later. All of the nests share the motto "Be Prepared for Anything" which was adopted from Scouting.
Disorganization
Shamlicht Kids Club is not an organization but a disorganization. The "hierarchy" of nest, tree, grove, forest and the club overall is theoretical. In practice, each nest is completely independent. Nests may band together for a common purpose, but this is usually temporary and for mutual benefit. As with a Discordian cabal, anyone can start a nest of Shamlicht Kids Club with no approval needed. However, nests are designed to help prepare kids for life. Nests should emphasize living in love while accepting individual differences (harmonious discord) when feasible and being open to both order and disorder.
Description
Membership
The club is open to all girls and boys of any gender who are between the ages of X and Y.
Motto
“Be Prepared for Anything."
Purpose
“To prepare myself for a life filled with order and disorder and to live in a spirit of love and harmonious discord.”
Greeting
This is the Bodyshake, which is fully described in the Shamlicht Kids Club Handbook. Very briefly, you touch feet with another member or leader, each form the 537 sign with both hands and touch the other’s hands, then touch foreheads. Then you move your hands and heads back and forth together while saying “Shamlicht Kids” five times.
Mascot
Shamina and Shamenis. Shamina is often pictured as a plump light-skinned girl with blonde pigtails and buck teeth while Shamenis is usually shown as a thin dark-skinned boy with curly black hair who sticks out his tongue.
Song
“Shamlicht Kids Club Song.” Music by Captain "Sesame Seed" Rogers and lyrics by SKC members Sparky Newberg and Lani Lina Lian Lain.
Levels
There are five levels of membership, named after the five basic elements or senses, which correspond to the five levels of maturity. In order from first to last, these are Sweeters, Boomers, Pungers, Pricklers, and Setting Orangers.
Groups
Shamlicht Kids Club has five levels of groups. A Nest is the smallest, and usually ranges from 5 to 10 members (called “nestlings”) with one or two leaders (called “nestlers”). A Tree typically consists of 5 to 10 Nests with one or two leaders and their assistants (called “leaders and their assistants”). A Grove generally includes 5 to 10 Trees. A Forest includes all the Groves of a nation or group of nations. All the Forests together make up the Shamlicht Kids Club. Note that Nests, Trees, Groves, and Forests each make a name for themselves. Examples are “Nest of the Black Lotus,” “Napping Birch Tree,” “Grove 537,” and “Forest Vatican.”
Merit Badges
There are a great number of merit badges a member can earn. Each nest has the right to create its own or to borrow badges from other nests.
Uniform
As the point of the club is preparing its members for a life of diversity, members can wear virtually any kind of uniform they want. They can combine parts of different uniforms or create their own (multiform).
Holyday
Shamlicht Kids Club Day is celebrated on 57 Bureaucracy aka 3 October.
Smagmoid Kids Club
The club is called Smagmoid Kids Club in Janus County, Texas.
Nests
Nests; their Tree, Grove, Forest; their founders; and starting date are below (listed in order of founding):
- Bluebeard's Nest (originally called Shamlicht Boys): Tree of the Atlantic, Peddocks Grove, Forest USA; founder Captain "Sesame Seed" Rogers; (29 August 2005)
- Nest of Pink Vipers (originally called Shamlicht Girls): Bent Palm Tree, Grove Pineapple Pineapple, Forest USA; founder Sister Hooter (4 September 2005)
- Purple Ferret's Nest: Napping Birch Tree, Astronut Grove, Forest USA; founders Minima and Shamlicht Al; (24 November 2007)
- Little Stinger's Nest: Fairy Tree, Grove Disney, Forest USA; founders Princess Unicornia and Fairy Princess Yoshikyoko; (21 June 2008)
- Nest of Khaki Koalas: Eucalyptus Tree, Eucalyptus Grove, Forest Australia; founder Mince Kitten; (30 January 2009). Last active year was 2010.
- Triceratops Nest: Tree of Peaks, Grove of Rocks, Forest USA; founders Tyro Rex and Bronto; (29 May 2010). Last active year was 2010.
- Wildwood Beaver's Nest: Kentwood Tree, Love Grove, Forest UK (pronounced "uck"); founders Reverend Loveshade and Ms. M.C.; (10 February 2012).
Order of Shamlicht
- Main article: Order of Shamlicht
The greatest honor the club bestows is the Order of Shamlicht. This is given for service and support of kids, including promoting their self-respect, respect from others, self-reliation, and preparedness for life. While the award is usually given to nestlers and sometimes to nestlings, it can be given to anyone a club finds worthy of the honor.