Political Science of MSU-IIT's 'Sikhai Polsci' Chant: Where did it come from?

Sikhai PolSci!

That's the chant, we, Political Science students in MSU-IIT, usually shout most importantly during the battle-grazed CASS Days. This is being shouted together with the right hand touching the left shoulder and afterwards straightly raised slanting above the head to make the modified 'Nazi salute'.

Sikhai PolSci chant backed up by the deafening drums being beaten four times well-timed to the syllabication of the screaming PolSci students. That’s the chant.

But where did the term come from? Why Sikhai?

Where did the term originate?Why is it done with the Nazi salute? 

To prevent wild theories from arising, me, as the one responsible for 'coining' the term, will try to explain how the Sikhai chant and salute started.

Long before, PolScis would chant, "Biboooo.... ang PolSci", or "'Di madala sa kulam-kulam...", and all sorts, I, as the one in charge of making the chants was looking for a new chant that would signify the Political Science discipline back in the CASS Days of 2008. A few days before the big event, July 29, 2008 to be exact, I was thinking of a new chant that we can use during the parade.

Being a senior student, we were taught of different political ideologies and theories. We studied Plato to Rawls, from Feminism to Nazism. Thinking of marches, I remembered how the fuhrer Hitler salutes to the Germans. He raised his right hand touching the left shoulder and afterwards straightly raised slanting above the head, it was the Nazi salute. He would then shout, Heil or Seig Heil.

"Seig" means 'victory', and "heil" means 'hail'. The term then meant "Hail Victory!”. It was the battlecry of the Germans during the pre-World War II Era and this was the inspiration behind the PolSci’s version of Sikhai. I also see this as deconstructing the stigma that embodies the National Socialist German Workers' Party.

The reason for adopting 'Sikhai' and not the original German counterpart spelling is simple. First, it would provide confusion on how to pronounce it. Secondly, to alternatively signify the English phrase, “Seek High”. We seek something of high value; we aim for greatness and success. This distinct chant is reminiscent of La Salle's Animo.

The author also does not think that negativity should always be associated with the raising-the-right-hand salute. History tells us that the anti-war demonstrators back in the University of Wisconsin in the seventies also used the Nazi salute in defiance to police brutality.

Ma'am Princess Mae Chua back in 2008.

This term is just proper as a 'war chant' during the highly-competitive CASS Days celebration. Since 2008, the Sikhai has been used in different various events involving the competitive Political Science students..


The Sikhai chant denotes the strength, pride, and unity of the Political Science students of MSU-IIT.


Sikhai PolSci!


Author's Note:
This article was originally posted on his old blog last 2 April 2010. This was refurnished in celebration of the incoming CASS Days for this year.