OBU Traditions

Hymn to the Alma Mater
The Bison Glee Club singing The Hymn to the Alma Mater
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By Mary Ann Tisinger and Warren M. Angell

OBU all hail thy name! Sons and daughters honor thee;
May thy standard green and gold Lead eternally.
Proudly stand on Bison Hill 'Neath the wind-swept sky;
Alma Mater we will praise thee As the years go by.

When the shades of evening fall,
Through the hush of fading day,
Silent voices praise thy name, Hearts look up to pray.
May thy spirit guide thy sons, Keep thy daughters true,
Loyal to our Alma Mater, God bless OBU.

The Bison - The OBU Mascot
The Bison provided food, clothing, and shelter to the Native Americans. Before OBU was established, what is now known as Bison Hill was well-known bison territory. The founders of OBU chose the Bison as the mascot because they hoped OBU graduates also would help meet the needs of the world.

Green & Gold - The School Colors
In its early days, Oklahoma wildflowers known as black-eyed susans provided a sea of green and gold for Bison Hill when they bloomed in the spring.

Ka-Rip!
Ka-Rip! is a spirit chant yelled by the OBU fans and cheerleaders during basketball games. New students learn the yell during orientation and try it out during the first concert of the year the night before classes begin.

Ka-rip Ka-rap Ka-riplo typlo tap
Oh! Oh! Rincto lincto hio-totimus
Hopula scipula copula gotimus
Chink-to-lack Chink-to-lee
Ka-willa, Ka-walla, Ka Victory
Oh! Oh! Hoogula choogula choogula can.
Ragula tagula melican man
Let'er go rip, let'er go ruse
Tingula Tangula, turn'em a-loose
Zip! Bang! OBU!

The Beanie
OBU was founded in 1910, and shortly after, the freshman beanie became a tradition which is still in practice. The beanie is worn by freshmen during orientation activities in order to dinstinguish and highlight new students for returning students.