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Pollywogs or wogs in short, refer to sailors
who have not yet crossed the equator, an
imaginary line which divides the earth into
northern and southern hemisphere. Sailors
who are crossing the equator for the first time,
have to go through "trials" and "tribulations"
before they are proclaimed as trusty
Shellbacks, deemed worthy for the Seven
Seas.

These “slimy” pollywogs (or “wogs” for short)
Those who have already crossed the equator must endure the entire ceremony at the hands of
are considered Shellbacks or a Son or the shellbacks before being accepted into their
Daughter of Neptune who has proven his or number.
her worth as a mariner, and is thus presented Those who complete the ceremony while also
with a certificate testifying to their safe crossing the international dateline are termed
passage.
“golden shellbacks” because the international

To become a Shellback, Pollywogs must dateline is known as the “realm of the golden
endure the entire Equator Crossing ceremony dragon.”
at the hands of the Shellbacks, before they can During the ceremony, the Pollywogs undergo
join their ranks and are deemed worthy for the a number of increasingly disgusting ordeals
Seven Seas.
(wearing clothing inside out and backwards;
Although the ceremonies were particularly crawling on hands and knees on non-skid-
tougher in the 17th century, the ceremony in coated decks; being swatted with short lengths
modern times functions more as a of fire-hoses; being locked in stocks and
commemorative rite for a sailor's first pillories and pelted with mushy fruit; crawling
experience of crossing of the equator. through chutes and large tubs of rotting
garbage; kissing the Royal Baby's belly
The tradition was originally created as a test coated with axle grease, hair chopping, etc),
for seasoned or experienced sailors to ensure largely for the entertainment of the
new shipmates, usually junior crew or Shellbacks.
midshipman are sea worthy and capable of
handling long and rough sea. Once the ceremony is complete, a Pollywog
receives a certificate declaring his new status.
Titles were given to those who have and have A watered-down version of the ceremony,
not been through the rite: those who have typically featuring King Neptune, is also
crossed the equator are termed "shellbacks" sometimes carried out for passengers'
(often called "trusty shellbacks", also entertainment on civilian ocean liners and
nicknamed as "Sons of Neptune") and those cruise ships.
who have not are called "pollywogs" (also
rendered "polliwog").