Do you have a professor or peer that you want to see pied in the face? Then look no further than the University of Victoria’s (UVic) “ORDER OF THE PI” Medieval Charity Event.
Order of the Pi
Order of the Pi is a beloved annual charity event hosted by the Engineering and Computer Science Student Society (ECSS) at UVic. This iconic event features volunteers who walk around in medieval-inspired outfits to raise money for the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island. According to the ECSS Co-Director of IT, Diljot Manj, for donations, “last year was a record high with $5,400 raised!”
Order of the Pi has been around for 32 years—yes, you read that right it’s been going strong since 1993. This event is held every year during the week of Mar. 14 aka the “Holy Week of Pi.” Get it? 3/14…3.14. This event gives everyone the chance to accuse a friend, peer, or professor of something hilarious and have them pied (with a delicious, locally-made vanilla pie from Saltchuck Pies in Victoria), all in the name of charity.
Getting Pied
What, you think we’re going to spoil all the fun here? Too bad for you. You’ll have to be pied or get someone around you pied to find out the juicy inner workings of how these events take place. You can be assured that this event is taken extremely seriously. There is a huge amount of role-playing that occurs with some seriously detailed enactments. All you need to know is the pieing goes to a good cause and you should get involved! Oh, and if you get pied you get a custom take-home certificate (wink-wink).
How to Participate?
The forms are open now! The form includes sections about who you are accusing, what you’re accusing them of, and if they have allergies. The cost for the event is a donation of at least $20. After the form is filled out, the accused will be sent an email, asking if they consent to being pied and telling them the time and place to show up.
So what happens if the accused person denies their call to be pied? Well, they have the opportunity to connect with the ECSS to confirm or deny their consent, and if the consent is denied, then the accuser gets to select another victim.
Volunteering
Now, do you not have anyone to pie in your life so maybe you just want to get involved? Don’t worry—you still can! The ECSS is accepting volunteers via sign-up on this form to participate in this year’s tomfoolery. To take part in this righteous cause all you have to do is fill out this form ASAP for a chance to be part of a great cause and have some fun at the same time!
There are three types of volunteers:
- Inquisitor/Counsellor (Speaking)
- Executioner/Undertaker (Multiple things to do – little to no speaking)
- Bard/Pie Bearer/Flag Bearer (Easy, one thing to do – little to no speaking)
A Brief History of Order of the Pi
At UVic in 1993, the event, originally named “Cream Pie a Friend Charity Drive” was first run by the ECSS. Engineering students would put “hits” on designated “victims” to be subjected to being hit with a pie. However, you could, as a victim, avoid being pied if you outbid the original donor.
The original costumes were far simpler in comparison to the ones worn today (which now feature complex and custom monk attire). The engineering students who were the pie-throwers wore their engineering jackets and the so-called victims were subjected to wear shower caps and garbage bags.
In 1995, the ECSS event was elevated for theatrical purposes. Eight monk robes were constructed, alongside the new name, “Order of the Pi” by the Antaneous Technologies Group.
In 1996, only a year later, the event underwent even more serious and complex upgrades. For example, Executioner Stocks were implemented to prevent the spread of debris, and each of the monks now had specialized robes according to their designated role. Their “Piethagorean Chant” is a 40-minute song held on an iPod Nano, was also extended to include fantastical elements such as a Spanish-sounding finale. That year they raised $3,000.
Over the next few years, the Order of the Pi continued to undergo several upgrades and changes to progress with modern times—while increasing its medieval flair.
All of these traditions are preserved in a large document entitled “The Book of Pi.” The Vice-President of Events for the ECSS, Mitchell Martin, said that the Book of Pi is “where [current organizers] can carry on the tradition of the Order and can refer to for advice from past organizers.” Better yet, the whole thing is written in pseudo-Shakespearean English!
So now it’s time to act before it’s too late! Order of the Pi only happens once a year so go fill out the form or you’ll be stuck waiting until 2026…