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It is a staple of The Bachelor and Bachelorette – so much so that audiences feel like they’re missing out on it when the participants don’t deliver. So, what is the meaning of “huju”, and what did former contestant Tyler Cameron have to say about it?
What is the meaning of ‘huju’ in The Bachelor?
“Huju”, or HUJU, however one prefers to write it, stands for “hug jump”, or “hugging jump”. It is a regular occurrence on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, and former contestant Tyler Cameron’s endorsement of it (see below) has moved it into the official lexicon of the show.
In a nutshell, one of the two people involved in a huju runs – or walks quickly – into the arms of the other. On arrival, they perform a small hop so as to be able to link their arms around the other’s neck, above the shoulders.
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If done correctly, the hugging-jumper then interlocks their legs behind the other’s back. The jumper then finds themselves hoisted, looking down at their opposite, engaged in what some regard as an essential rite of passage for couples on The Bachelor(ette).
Can anyone do a huju?
Of course! Although, some have called attention to the strain it puts on the non-jumper’s back, especially if performed incorrectly.
The huju is a moveable feast. Most, if not all, of the romantic pairings on the show are heterosexual and consist of big, muscular men with relatively petite women. As such, it makes sense for her to huju into (or onto?) him.
But there’s no reason it couldn’t work the other way round if, say, he was shorter and lighter than her, or if it were a couple involving two hims, two hers, or two thems, instead.
In fact, nowhere in the rulebook does it say that a huju has to be between two romantic partners – its meaning is unfixed. In the case of The Bachelor or Bachelorette, the meaning of a huju is intimately tied up with romance. But elsewhere, sportspeople often perform hujus, for example when celebrating a goal.
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Since when did huju enter the Bachelor(ette) lexicon?
In recent weeks, fans of the show have been rating hujus. There are those, too, who divine whether or not a relationship will last, based on either the quality of a huju or the absence of one. In particular, Katie Thurston has earned praise for her readiness to huju.
For the Games of Roses podcast hosts, the huju has been a talking point for some time. Some like to witness the huju; some very much don’t.
Meanwhile, curiosity is rife about whether or not it is a requirement of those who go on the show to perform “the jump hug thing”.
Whatever one’s take on the huju is, Tyler Cameron, who was a contestant on the 15th season of The Bachelorette, officially endorsed it during an interview with E! News, giving it a “toast”, as opposed to a “roast”.
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