Shriners
If you’ve been to a parade in North America, you have probably seen the Shriners: attired in their dapper red fezzes, they drive their miniature cars, honking and waving as they pass by. I always loved the Shriners. It’s not hard to see why. Small versions of things are fun. Funny hats are whimsical. The Shriners carry the mystic weight of a secret society — the name evokes dread ritual before the fane of some profane deity — but their principles seem to be lighthearted and jolly. Who are the Shriners? What is the eponymous “shrine?” Why tiny cars? Why any of it?
The Shriners are an appendant group of the Masons. This isn’t a splinter group; there’s no great Mason/Shriner schism, oceans of blood spilled beneath VFW halls, brother turned against brother for control of the annual potluck. In the 1870s, a group of Masons who met regularly for lunch decided that they wanted a more “fun” group, away from the dry and mystic ritual of the Masons. One of them, Billy Florence, was inspired by a themed party thrown by an Arabian diplomat he had recently attended. This gave shape to the emerging organization: the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. All Shriners, as they would gladly explain, are Masons, but not all Masons are Shriners. Only Master Masons, who have completed their third Masonic Degree, can become Shriners.
Masonic offshoots are nothing new, and most of them bear out the ritualized, formal style of the Masons. It was the work of a few days to design new costumes, a special emblem, a set of rituals, and of course, the iconic red fezzes. The fez is meant to be the equivalent of the Masons’ white apron, an outward sign of membership. Each “temple,” or local Shriner organization, has its own specific icons which are added to its members’ fezzes, and further customization reflects the wearer’s rank in the organization and membership in subgroups and clubs.
The Shriners’ emblem also sets them apart. Like all secret society emblems, it is freighted with meaning. The sword, an Arabian scimitar represents the members, who form the “backbone” of the Shriners. The claws represent the Shriner fraternity and philanthropy. The Sphinx represents the governing body. The star represents the children helped by the Shriners. How each of these things relates to their supposed meaning is unclear, but perhaps that’s the point.
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Like all Masonic organizations, “brotherhood” and “fraternity” are important to Shriners. They see each other as part of a global family. Pitches to join the Shriners tend to focus on brotherhood and closeness, the mutual support that such an organization can provide. Though they are separated into numerous temples, once a year in July they come together for their “Imperial Session.” This is a business meeting, allowing them to vote on the direction of their organization for the next year, but it also includes a parade (of course!) where they can show off their little cars. This is sort of a “Shriner convention” and provides an opportunity for geographically disparate Shriners to meet each other and form bonds.
Being a Shriner is not just about fun and fellowship. They have a strong philanthropic focus, even by the standards of Masonic societies. The Shriners are best known for Shriners Hospitals for Children. There are 22 of these hospitals across North America, nonprofits that treat children in three areas: orthopaedics (scoliosis, clubfoor, hip dysplasia etc.), burns, and spinal cord injuries. They also treat cleft lip and palate. Care is provided regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. Shriners will dress up as clowns to entertain the children staying in their hospitals, in addition to providing the financial backing that makes such treatment possible.
The Shriners descend from the anglo-American Masonic tradition, and therefore do not allow female members. There is a women’s auxiliary, known as the Ladies’ Oriental Shrine of North America (LOSNA), and another called the Daughters of the Nile. The Daughters wear a crown, and require some Masonic affiliation or relation to join (although anyone treated at a Shriners Hospital is eligible as well), while the LOSNA is more of a true female equivalent to the Shriners and has its own fez (white, not red). It’s hard to give them a pass for this: Continental Masons, those based out of France and elsewhere in mainland Europe, have allowed female members for a long time. The stubborn insistence on remaining unisex among anglo-American lodges and their offshoots taints Masonry. Hopefully they will find a way to relax this policy, though as hidebound and traditionalist as the organization is, it’s hard to imagine.
While the Masons have figured in a number of shadowy conspiracy theories, it seems impossible to ascribe sinister motivations to the Shriners. What kind of global plot would require those silly little cars? The Shriners are fun-loving and generous. Every year thousands of children are treated at their hospitals, and they raise money for a number of important causes, mostly related to medical research. Plus, they throw candy at parades. That’s gotta count for something.
