Jacob Hurwitz is an official MIT pirate.
An underground novelty has surfaced into official MIT culture. Although student pirates have existed informally for some 20 years, the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) has issued the first pirate certificates to six students who have completed the requirements. The arrrrr, arrrrr, arrrrr’ing must have been heard across the river because the Boston Globe just covered the news with an article and a video.
What are the requirements? Students must complete four physical education courses: pistol, archery, sailing, and fencing. There is also rumor of a secret oath.
Sophomore Jacob Hurwitz, featured in the video, says pirate lore fits nicely into MIT’s campus culture.
Rachel Clark: "I'm going for my pirates' license."
“In geek culture, there is a big pirates vs. ninjas war,” Hurwitz says. “I’m on the pirates side. I think pirates do a lot more. They do sword fighting, sailing, collecting treasure. All ninjas do is hide.”
And what do the students receive? The certificates, authorized by the “swashbuckling” Institute, are printed on faux parchment and affirm that the named “salty dog’’ is entitled to a pirate certificate “with all its privileges and obligations thereof.” And surely they celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19.
Don’t expect to see these newly hatched pirates commandeering boats up and down the Charles River. The certificate limits actual pirating to “entertainment purposes only.”
Official MIT pirates certificate.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s fantastic — what a great idea!
Do Somalia pirates get these certificates? Do you also certify murderers, thieves, other types of criminals?
Historically, pirates a lot less actual murdering than you might think. They had such great PR — that is to say that they projected such a fearsome image and were surrounded by sufficient lore — that most of their targets surrendered without shots being fired or blood being shed (it helps that their targets were usually hired crews of merchant vessels carrying plenty of insurance). It could be said that this was one of the first uses of “terror” and “terrorism” to achieve a specific goal — intentional or not.
That’s a relief. So MIT is not glorifying murderers. Just terrorists.
False: Pirates have existed at MIT since 1912, although our letters of marque were forcibly merged after 2007. Long live XIII !
see here for proof, matey: https://plus.google.com/photos/104975530142387068209/albums/5718142354436501457
So MIT pirates have an even longer and richer history! Thanks for letting us know.
Can pirates receive their certificates retroactively? I’ve completed all of these courses and would very much like to be rewarded for my harrd work.
They need a “Ninja” certification too! (would focus more on physical endurance/agility):
Gymnastics
Triathlon
*Some sort of Martial Arts course*
Ultimate Frisbee (yeah, it doesn’t sound that impressive, but closest thing I could think of to throwing something)
Swordfighting
Archery
I’d just like to point out that there are three different types of pirates:
1) Treasure Island variety (see article)
2) Terrorists (including Somalian sea-terrorists)
3) Torrenters
@ Jeff, except that torrent does not automatically equal pirating.
Ahhh the perils of alliteration…
Nice to see that parents and grantors money being well spent, after graduation the students will be well set for a life in high finance, politics or perhaps lobbyists
do you have to be an MIT student to enroll in the pirate program?
i would like to become a pirate
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