Ghughuism

Ghu (pronounced "goo," with the silent fannish H, also GhuGhu) is the earliest fannish ghod.

Revealed by Donald Wollheim and John B. Michel on August 6, 1935 Ghu is either a beetle living on Vulcan or Wollheim personified — or possibly both, depending on who was defining it and when. Various members of the New York Futurians served as acolytes of GhuGhuism with fitting high-sounding church titles.

Ghu's holy color is purple because Ghuists published using spirit duplicators or hectographs and the primary ditto or hecto carbon is purple. The Wook is the Ghuist spirit in charge of mimeo. The Yobber is a Ghuist mystery.

To curse one to Ghuist Territory is retaliation for offenses so grave we would rather not even hint at their nature.

See Fantheology, Ghod.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959

A foul and hideous order who worship Ghughu as their ghod. According to the researches of FooFoo scientists, Ghughu is a beetle-bodied monster living on the sunward side of Vulcan, who telepathically controls a zombie named Don Wollheim -- Wollheim itself being usually regarded as Ghughu by its followers, at least before the Great Revival of the 50s. There are archbishops in every city where there are Ghuists except possibly those in which the archbishop has at some time left his diocese, thus losing his office. Other officers included the High Priest John Michel and Dick Wilson, Ghuardian of the Gholy Ghrail (the ghrail is now held in a secret place by FooFooists). In many cases devotees had several titles; "Saint" was a common prefix. Their chief intellectual effort was a Ghuist calendar, the general scheme of which seemed to be cribbed from the World Calendar tho their year started at the summer solstice. The months were named in dishonor of the Ghuists, the first Dawn, for D. A. Wollheim; others were J'Mil for John Michel, Sterl for Kenneth Sterling, ktp, plus some named from other fantastic words like vomb, cthulhin, et cetera. Thus purple religion was founded 6 August 1935, and with this long start gained adherents in numerous places. "But a new day and deliverance dawned in 1938," exults Speer, "when Pogo proclaimed the Sacred Order of FooFoo!" With the Second World War Ghughuism, like FooFooism, suffered from a slackening of fan interest (and I don't care what the stories say about not having any atheists in foxholes). When the Sacred Writings of R*o*s*c*o*e appeared in SPACEWARP during 1948 a revival among the false faiths was prophesied; in the case of Ghuism, this developed from the entrance of Lee Hoffman and QUANDRY into the fanzine field. The deity evidently worshipped by those to whom Leeh brought the word shows certain differences from the original Ghughu, being purer and more spiritual although still unspeakably vile. Whether GhuHoffwoman is in fact an entity different from GhughuWollheim or is merely purified by disassociation from DAW (who had become a vile pro by 1951) is not clear. Ghuists, tho misled, are mostly likable people and will no doubt be saved, despite their delusions, on account of their natural virtue.

From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944

a foul and hideous order who worship ghughu as their ghod. According to the researches of FooFoo scientists, ghughu is a beetle-bodied monster living on the sunward side of Vulcan, who telepathically controls a zombie named Don Wollheim, wollheim itself being usually regarded as ghughu by its followers. there are archbishops in every city where there are ghughuists except possibly those in which the archbishop has at some time left his diocese, thus losing his office. other officials include the high priest John Michel and Dick Wilson, ghardian of the gholy ghrail (the ghrail is now held in a secret place by FooFooists). In many cases the devotees seem to have several titles; "saint" seems a common prefix and Doc Lowndes calls himself demighod as well as archdeacon infernal of all ghu. The ghughuists make much of the fact that (at last survey) no ghughuist has ever died. they have issued some books of their gholy ghible, but their chief intellectual efforts has been a ghughuist calendar. the general scheme seems to be cribbed from the World Calendar, but their year starts at the summer solstice. months are named in dishonor of the ghughuists, the first one being called dawn, for dawollheim; others include j'mil for John Michel, sterl for Kenneth Sterling, etc, plus some named from other fantastic words, vomb, cthulhin, ktp. This purple religion was founded 6 Aug 35, and with this long start, gained adherents in numerous places, but a new day and deliverance dawned in 1938, when Pogo proclaimed The Sacred Order of FooFoo!

---

Fanspeak

1935—

This is a fanspeak page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was coined, whether it’s still in use, etc.