I’m Considering Going Pro In Hunkerin’
This year marks the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest contributions by the state of Arkansas to the American way of life.
In 1959, fraternity brothers at the University of Arkansas were suffering from a shortage of chairs. In protest, they took to “hunkering,” or squatting.
From Ivy Style
Before long, hunkerin’ had spread, firstly to Missouri, Mississippi and Oklahoma, thence across the rest of the country. While males were the predominant hunkers, it was reported that females hunkerers were welcomed.[3] Within months, regional hunkerin’ competitions were being held to discover champion hunkerers.[3]
Considered by authorities as much preferable to the craze of the previous year, phonebooth stuffing[3], people hunkered for hours at a time on car roofs, in phone booths and wherever people gathered.[2] Life referred to it as “sociable squatting”[4] Different styles of hunkerin’ were reported as “sophisticates” tended to hunker flatfooted while other hunkered with their elbows inside the knees.[3]
Reasons for the popularity of hunkerin’ included the ability for large groups of people to participate together peacefully to discuss issues such as politics or sport.[1] When asked about the popularity of hunkerin’, one hunkerer said hunkerin’ was
“A respite from a world of turmoil. The main purpose of hunkerin’ is to get down and hunker together. It’s a friendship thing: get your friends to hunker with you. The man you don’t know is the man you haven’t hunkered with.” [3]
(Swiped from A Continuous Lean — Click through for more great images.)
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