They Make You Kiss A Cod To Join A Club
Category: Superstitions & Lore 28th June 2026
Mate, right, picture this: you go on holiday, you chew a bit too much scenery, and then some kindly local says "wanna be one of us?" and you end up puckering at a cod. Proper weird, innit?
It is called a screech-in. It's a Newfoundland thing. The gist is simple. Visitors get declared honorary Newfoundlanders after they perform a tiny ritual. You take a shot of screech, which is basically rum that has been told to behave itself. You recite a line, most often "Long may your big jib draw." Then you kiss a cod. Sometimes it's a dried cod, sometimes a wooden one, sometimes a plastic prop. It depends how theatrical the pub is that night.
People ask why. Well, it's folklore and welcome rolled into one. Fisherfolk culture in Newfoundland has always been heavy on ritual and bonkers tradition. Turning a stranger into an insider with a fish-kiss means they might be trusted at sea, or at least trusted to buy rounds. It's symbolic. It is daft. It works for photos.
I did this years ago on a stop where I was supposed to be learning local life. I mean, I learned something. Mostly that my lips do not appreciate cod. Also that a room full of strangers applauding you for smooching dead fish is oddly satisfying. You walk out of the pub with a certificate and a small, inexplicable pride. Like you passed an exam called "Can You Take A Shot And Not Blubber?"
There are variants. Some places add slaps on the back, some add seats of honour, some make you wear a sou'wester hat. Touristy? Absolutely. Folk-lore? Absolutely. It's not a superstition to ward off bad luck in any strict sense, but it's a rite of passage soaked in sea salt and storytelling. It ties you to a place with humour instead of paperwork.
So next time you're offered a screech-in, think: kiss a fish, drink some rum, recite a sailor's blessing, and you will be treated like you're from there. It is daft. It is warm. And if nothing else, it makes a brilliant tale for the pub later on.