Did the Rangers of the North do the Standing Silence?

[Faramir42]

So in the Two Towers Faramir shows to Frodo and Sam the "Standing Silence", a custom of the Rangers of Ithilien (I assume all the Dúnedain of Gondor do this as well). They stand and look towards the west in silence before a meal.
As Faramir says in the book "[...] we look towards Númenor that was, and beyond to Elvenhome that is, and to that which is beyond Elvenhome and will ever be."

I assume the "Elvenhome that is" referes to Tol Eressea, and "that which is beyond Elvenhome" is about Valinor. Although I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Do you think the Dúnedain of the North also practiced this custom? Personally, I think yes, but I am curious to know other opinions.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Hmm. Well, Aragorn is the Chief of the Northern Dunedain, and never practices this, so "in-story" possibilities would seem to be either:
1 -- They didn't; or
2 -- He didn't want to make a big thing of it, preferring to follow the customs of whatever people whose company he kept.

My own opinion is that Tolkien didn't think of it until he got to that chapter. 😄

 

[Olorgando]

With the Northern Line of Arnor and then Arthedain remaining unbroken, if reduced to a chieftainship after the loss of Arvedui last-king in 1975 Third Age, I could imagine that such, and more such, traditions were remembered there better than in Gondor. Add to that the contact that the chieftains upheld with Elrond at Rivendell - Aragorn was fostered there for some years - and the presence of reincarnated Glorfindel (and probably some others that had survived from the First Age, both in Rivendell as well as in the Grey Havens under Cirdan), the Rangers of the North most likely knew much more about such things than those of Gondor. Gondor had grown suspicious (not to say superstitious!) of the Elven kingdom nearest to them, Lothlórien.

 

[Faramir42]

Hmm. Well, Aragorn us the Chief of the Northern Dunedain, and never practices this, so "in-story" possibilities would seem to be either:
1 -- They didn't; or
2 -- He didn't want to make a big thing of it, preferring to follow the customs of whatever people whose company he kept.

My own opinion is that Tolkien didn't think of it until he got to that chapter. 😄

Yeah, I also think Tolkien didn't think of it by the time he was doing Fellowhip, because it also never mentions Boromir doing it. I like your interpretation of him not doing bc he was following the customs of his companions, I hadn't thought of it, and sounds very in character for him. Thanks!

With the Northern Line of Arnor and then Arthedain remaining unbroken, if reduced to a chieftainship after the loss of Arvedui last-king in 1975 Third Age, I could imagine that such, and more such, traditions were remembered there better than in Gondor. Add to that the contact that the chieftains upheld with Elrond at Rivendell - Aragorn was fostered there for some years - and the presence of reincarnated Glorfindel (and probably some others that had survived from the First Age, both in Rivendell as well as in the Grey Havens under Cirdan), the Rangers of the North most likely knew much more about such things than those of Gondor. Gondor had grown suspicious (not to say superstitious!) of the Elven kingdom nearest to them, Lothlórien.

I had also thought this! Since Elrond raised all the heirs of the chieftains I figured they were closer and more knowledgeable of these customs than their "cousins" in Gondor. I had forgotten about the Gondorians being suspicious of Lothlórien, you're right. Thanks a lot!