Charisma is the ability to attract the attention and admiration of others. It is a core value in our House as it is the first value that is identified in a Madeliefie. We always encourage our fellow Madeliefies to be charismatic and confident as these are the characteristics that make us stand out. Charisma also means confidently embracing who you are to inspire and encourage those around our Madeliefies to do the same wherever we are.
Madelief has several traditions which we are proud of as they are the beautiful aspects that make Madelief unique. These traditions are below.
Madelief’s jottirs are one of the oldest traditions we have. We are the only residence that wears jottirs, which clearly distinguishes us from other female residences on campus. The jottir is a symbol of pride for your House as a Madeliefie. Additionally, when jottirs are worn, a strict rule is followed which states that they may not be taken off our heads unless the ribbon falls off or sadly, it suffers damage and when it is carried, it is essential to ensure that it does not touch the ground. The most important phrase used to emphasise the importance of our jottirs is “My pride, my crown, my jottir”, it is said during special occasions when our first years become Dahlias and during our HC hand over ceremonies.
The term ‘Mademoiselle’ is said by our Dahlias when they greet their HC members with their names and surnames as well as when they greet our Semi’s and Seniors of the House. It is a courtesy of respect and encourages Madeliefies to acknowledge one another by greeting each other to get to know each other better.
This tradition is specifically honoured by our first years. They do it when our Dahlias greet their fellow Mademoiselles. They ought to ‘jottir flex’ by placing their right hand to the side of their jottir or their head when their jottirs are not worn, followed by the greeting, “Good Day Mademoiselle(s).”
Our HC sticks are an integral part of the HC uniform. They are also one of our oldest traditions. Madelief HC sticks are used for several occasions such as during O-Week when we introduce our first years, Dahlias to the residence, to hype any group of Madelifies at TuksRes events and to mainly indicate that we arrive not only with style but with class and respect. We are also the first female residence to have started this tradition due to the culture of this House which is based on Charisma.
This tradition is mainly for efficiency purposes. Dahlias are expected to walk along the sides of the corridor to make room for their Mademoiselles to walk. It is also a tradition that is followed by every Madeliefie as it clears Charisma Lane and ensures that nobody walks into each other but instead makes room for each other when they walk which embraces politeness within the House.
This tradition accommodates Dahlias as they are expected to count the flowers when they are inside the elevator, if any older Madelifies are present with them in the lift. This eliminates awkwardness when in the lifts with the Semi’s and Seniors, and it is a memory every Dahlia will keep with them whilst they are counting with their own fellow Dahlias.