Order of the Arrow Reminds Us to Honor Our Roots

2003 National Chief for the Order of the Arrow , Nick Digirolamo, wrote a letter titled, "Thoughts on Tradition," from which the following excerpt was taken.

"...ceremonial work has helped me to gain a better understanding of our Order. When I was a new Arrowman attending my first Lodge conclave, an older member of the Lodge approached me and asked if I would help out with a ceremony. I jumped at the opportunity to hang out with the older guys, and I found myself portraying Allowat Sakima later that night in the pre-Ordeal ceremony. I was not very prepared for the role and, admittedly, I was nervous about being the "little guy" in the midst of three seasoned ceremonialists. I was even more intimidated by the amount of candidates and brothers whose eyes were glued on me for the longest 3 minutes of my life, as I recited what lines I could recall from the script." Click here to view the full letter.

The Order of the Arrow isn't just about cheerful service to others, or about maintaining the spirit of Scouting. The OA follows many of the Native American traditions as well. But why? Why all the regalia and ceremony? Why do Vigil members receive a special Native American name?

I love the history of the Native American people, their dance and regalia. Their tradition and culture. Without the Order of the Arrow I would never have taken such an interest, that's for sure. The OA allows us to explore a culture that many of us find very foreign. My family made all their own regalia, danced in the Pow Wow. I learned about different styles of dance and the meaning of different feathers. It's tradition that many kids today miss out on. They miss out on their own history and we're now an i-phone culture. Slow down, go back to the roots. Explore your family tree. Learn what you don't know about your family and maybe you'll discover something about yourself as well!

See you at the top!

Sensei Brian