Author: --
Date: 08-23-04 19:38
Attn. Alumni:
I respect deep-seeded tradition more than anything else at camp. Please enlighten me on this tradition at your camp-- did you participate in this as a camper? Did Doc H. begin this tradition? Do these traditions even have any correlation to the general themes and concepts (hailing to the forrest, rangers, etc.) of your camp?
I just walked into a silent office as all the campers and counselors are sitting around campfires that overlook Lake Snowden. Tonight is our first Council Horseshoe. Every Sunday night camp slows down and we become a little introspective. The Council Horseshoe is a ceremony where the boys are given a chance to talk about camp and reflect on the things that are going on day to day. Each village is led by a veteran counselor who acts as the Chief of that village. It is a great honor to be in this role, for these are the staff men that make up our unit heads and leadership team. Scott Bernstein is the Chief of the Pioneers, Charles Lucterhand is the Chief of the Woodsmen, Jimmy Levin is the Chief of the Foresters, Matt Meltzer is the Chief of the Guides and Danny Robbins is the Chief of the Rangers. Also, Jon Rottter is the Chief of the Founders, Quenotah, our tribe of initiation, Jamie Gross is the Chief of Na’tane, Little Chiefs and Chris Giles is the Chief of Golden Horseshoe. We also have Big H, Harry Prendergast and Bill Engel as our Sages, Chiefs of Tradition and Lee Cush and Jeff Holmes as Keepers of the Chief.
The boys were also elected to leadership rolls within their village. I will post these tomorrow when they are turned in. The campers that were elected are feeling very proud but even to be nominated is a great honor. I’m sure some guys are a little disappointed but there are many other leadership opportunities for guys to attain during the summer.
Last night we initiated the entire camp into “Quenotah”. The Founders of Horseshoe. We stressed the re-kindling and passing of the torches and the values that have been a part of Camp Horseshoe since its founding in 1932. It was a ceremony and night that will be with our boys for the rest of their lives. After being woken up at 10:00 P.M. to the sounds of Native-American music, the entire camp was led down to Doc Hirshberg field and put into the shape of a Horseshoe. I was canoed into camp by torch light and walked through a gauntlet of torches to where the boys were sitting. As I retold the story of Chief Namakagon and Doc Hirshberg a fire ball, meteorite, came from the climbing tower about 600 feet down into a wood pile and ignited a huge bon fire. Everyone was awed including me (that the whole thing worked!) Each camper was then called up individually to be presented a ceremonial leather necklace/breastplate which will be worn at all future Council Horseshoe meetings. As the boys complete a set of goals they will enter both the "little chiefs" and "Golden Horseshoe" and will earn regalia
If you are surprised by these traditions, you should be. They were invented, with little creativity if I may say so, at the beginning of this summer. I do not know where Indian culture has any relevance in your camp, except that the counselors and director have come from a camp that practiced these same EXACT traditions (except for the titles given to them, of course)-- why couldn't Jordan formulate a goal-oriented tradition that did not have to seem completely identical to that at another camp? Is he unitelligent, lazy, spiteful? I have no idea, but whatever his motive, (or lack of) is rather perposterous and an insult to the alumni of Horseshoe.
|
|
