Mölndal Hash House Harriers

Hashing began in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1938, when a group of British expatriates started a hare and hounds running group. They named the group after their meeting place, the Royal Selangor Club Chambers, which was known as the "Hash House" because of its unimaginative monotonous food.

Hash House Harrier runs were based on the traditional British public school paper chase. A "hare" would be given a short head start marking his trail with shreds of paper, soon to be pursued by a shouting pack of "harriers." Only the hare knew where he was going, the harriers followed his marks to stay on trail. Apart from the excitement of chasing down the hare and solving the hare's marks, reaching the end had its own reward, for there thirsty harriers would find cold beer.

Hashing died during World War II, but came back to life in the post-war years, spreading slowly through the Far East to Australia and New Zealand and then exploding in popularity in the late 70s and early 80s. The second HHH Hash was founded in Singapore in 1962, followed by Kuching in 1963, Brunei, Kota Kinabalu, and Ipoh in 1964, Penang and Malacca in 1965. Perth, Australia was the first "overseas" Hash, formed in 1967. Even in 1974 there were only 35 Hashes worldwide. Now the Hash world has over 1200 active Hashes in some 160 countries and this despite the total absence of any central organization.

Despite its growth, hashing hasn't strayed far from its British and Malaysian roots. A typical hash "kennel" is a loosely-organized group of 20-40 men and women who meet weekly or biweekly to chase the hare. Although some of today's health-conscious hashers may shun a cold beer in favour of water the trail's end is still a party. Perhaps that is why the Hash is called

"a drinking club with a running problem!"