Order of the Arrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Order of the Arrow |
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| Previous Name | Wimachtendienk Wingolauchsik Witahemui (WWW) | ||
| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Age range | 11–20 >(Co-ed youth) 21 and over (Co-ed adults) |
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| Headquarters | Irving, Texas | ||
| Location | United States, Puerto Rico, Japan, Germany, Philippines | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | July 16, 1915 (109 years, 11 months and 8 days ago) |
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| National Chief | David Gosik | ||
| National Vice Chief | John Andrew Segebarth | ||
| National Chairman | Chris A. Grove | ||
| National Director | Cortland Bolles | ||
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The Order of the Arrow (OA) is like an honor society for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It's made up of Scouts and adult leaders who really show what the Scout Oath and Scout Law are all about in their daily lives. Other Scouts choose them for this honor.
The OA was started in 1915 by E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson. They wanted to help Scouts remember and live by the Scout Oath and Law. At first, it wasn't an official part of the BSA. But after a review in 1948, it became a full program of the Boy Scouts of America.
The OA is not a secret group, but it does have special ceremonies that are kept private. These ceremonies are for the three levels of membership: Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil. They help recognize leadership, camping skills, and other Scouting ideals. The OA uses special symbols, handshakes, and rituals to create a strong sense of community among its members. Since the 1980s, parents and leaders can learn about the ceremonies, and joining is always a choice.
Members of the OA are called Arrowmen or Brothers (this term is used for everyone, regardless of gender, as BSA programs are open to all). They are part of local groups called Lodges, which are led by youth. These Lodges help members connect, encourage camping, and do service projects for their local Boy Scout councils and communities. Each Lodge works with a BSA council. Lodges are also divided into smaller chapters that match up with Scouting districts. Arrowmen wear special patches on their uniforms, like the OA pocket flap and a sash for official events. The OA also hosts many events, gives out awards, and offers training.
The OA's traditions were influenced by groups like the Freemasons and use ideas from American Indian cultures for their ceremonies. Some Native Americans have said that the OA's symbols and rituals are cultural appropriation. This means they feel the OA is taking parts of their culture without fully understanding or respecting them, often using stereotypes. The OA has also had discussions about its past ties to Freemasonry, even though it changed some of its terms in the 1930s to avoid upsetting religious groups.
Contents
- How the Order of the Arrow Started
- Who Can Join the Order of the Arrow?
- How the Order of the Arrow is Organized
- Ceremonies and Symbols of the Order of the Arrow
- Awards in the Order of the Arrow
- Order of the Arrow Events
- Training for Order of the Arrow Members
- Using and Adapting Native American Cultures
- Discussions About Freemasonry Ties
- The "Sash and Dash" Issue
How the Order of the Arrow Started
The Order of the Arrow began as a special group at Treasure Island Scout Reservation on the Delaware River. It was started by E. Urner Goodman, who was the camp director, and his assistant, Carroll A. Edson. They called it Wimachtendienk Wingolauchsik Witahemui.
They hoped this new group would make summer camp better and encourage older Scouts to keep coming back. At first, it was not part of the Boy Scouts of America. The group's name came from the Lënape language.
In 1921, the different OA Lodges decided to organize themselves into a larger group, similar to how the Freemasons were set up. They wrote a new set of rules and updated their ceremonies. The next year, the Boy Scouts of America decided to try out the Order of the Arrow as an "Official Experiment."
During the 1930s, the Order of the Arrow was carefully reviewed. They slowly changed some of the words they used to sound less like the Freemasons and more like Native American traditions. The Boy Scouts of America asked for these changes. They wanted to make sure the OA didn't offend religious groups, as these groups supported many BSA units. This was important before the OA could become a full part of the BSA.
By 1948, most BSA councils had an OA Lodge. That same year, at a big event called NOAC, it was announced that the Order of the Arrow was officially a program of the Boy Scouts of America.
Who Can Join the Order of the Arrow?
As of August 2018, more than 160,000 young people and adults are members of the Order of the Arrow. Scouts can be chosen to join the OA in Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scout units.
There are three levels of membership in the OA:
- Ordeal
- Brotherhood
- Vigil Honor
How the Order of the Arrow is Organized
The Order of the Arrow believes strongly in being led by young people. Only youth members under 21 can vote and be elected to leadership roles. Adults serve as advisers, helping and guiding the youth leaders.
The smallest part of the OA is the chapter. A chapter usually matches a district in a local Scout council. A youth chapter chief leads the chapter, helped by other elected youth officers. An adult volunteer acts as an adviser. Chapters often meet every month or week.
The next level is the lodge, which is connected to a local BSA council. A youth lodge chief leads the lodge. An adult volunteer is appointed as the lodge adviser. The lodge's youth officers plan and lead the lodge's activities and programs. Many lodges have teams for ceremonies, service projects, and other activities.
Lodges are grouped into sections, and sections are grouped into regions. A youth section chief leads each section, with adult advisers helping. Sections have two other elected youth officers: a vice chief and a secretary. All sections meet once a year at a section conclave, where the section officers lead the planning.
The OA used to have four regions, just like the Boy Scouts of America. But in 2021, after the BSA changed its regions, the OA also changed to have only two regions. Each region has an elected youth region chief and adult advisers. The region chief is chosen at a national meeting by the section chiefs from that region. Each region also holds annual gatherings for all section officers and advisers, where they get training. Regions also offer a special training called the National Leadership Seminar.
At the very top, the national chief and national vice chief are chosen by the section chiefs at the OA's national planning meeting. The OA is guided at the national level by the National Order of the Arrow committee, which includes the national chief and vice chief. Adult leaders include the national chairman and the OA director.
Ceremonies and Symbols of the Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is known for its special symbols on uniforms. There are two main types:
- Symbols for your membership level (like Ordeal, Brotherhood, or Vigil Honor)
- Symbols for your local Lodge
The Lodge symbol, usually on a pocket flap, is worn often. Other symbols, like ribbons or sashes, are used for more formal events.
After Scouts are chosen in Unit Elections, there are four ceremonies:
- Call-Out or Tapout (this is a public ceremony)
- Induction (Ordeal) (this is a private ceremony)
- Brotherhood (this is a private ceremony)
- Vigil Honor (this is a private ceremony)
While you can find out what you need to do to take part in these ceremonies, the actual details of the ceremonies are kept private. They are only shared with members and adults who have been properly approved.
Awards in the Order of the Arrow
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Besides the membership levels of Ordeal and Brotherhood, the Order of the Arrow also offers several awards. These awards recognize special service and leadership.
Some of the awards you can earn in the Order of the Arrow include:
- Vigil Honor
- Founder's Award
- Distinguished Service Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Red Arrow Award
- E. Urner Goodman Camping Award
Order of the Arrow Events
The national OA committee also organizes many service opportunities across the country. The oldest one is the National OA Service Corps at the national Scout jamborees. Here, Arrowmen help with many tasks, like putting on shows and running exhibits.
The OA Song
The OA has an official song, often called "Firm Bound in Brotherhood." It was written in 1921 by OA founder E. Urner Goodman. The music comes from an old Russian hymn tune.
High Adventure Program
The Order of the Arrow runs special service groups at the four National High Adventure Bases. These groups focus on conservation work, like protecting nature. The program started in 1979.
It began with the Order of the Arrow Trail Crew at Philmont Scout Ranch, where members built and fixed trails. Then it expanded to the Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases with the OA Wilderness Voyage, fixing trails in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. In 2005, Ocean Adventure started at Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, where members remove harmful plants and help with ocean health programs.
After three High Adventure Bases were involved, the OA created the OA Triple Crown Award in 2009. The OA also started the OA Canadian Odyssey program, which does similar service work in Canada's Quetico Provincial Park. In 2014, The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve began hosting the Order of the Arrow Summit Experience, where members help the New River Gorge National River.
National Order of the Arrow Conference
The National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) is a big event that usually happens on a university campus. Thousands of OA members from all over the country come together for training and fun activities. NOACs are held every two years, sometimes adjusted for special anniversaries.
Youth leaders plan and run these national conferences. Events include training for programs, leadership, and American Indian culture. There are also competitions in sports, ceremonies, cooking, and American Indian dances. Members can visit exhibits about OA history, outdoor activities, and camping. It's also a chance to meet national leaders, do service work, and trade patches. Evening shows feature different themes, including American Indian culture, awards, and entertainment.
Training for Order of the Arrow Members
Besides the training offered at NOACs or section conclaves, the OA also has special leadership training events. These are usually weekend events for members. They include:
- Lodge Leadership Development (LLD): A one or two-day event run by a lodge to train its officers and advisers.
- National Leadership Seminars (NLS): These are run by regions for lodge officers and advisers. Many lodges send their main officers to get this training. Each region usually has three or four NLS weekends each year in different locations.
- National Lodge Adviser Training Seminar (NLATS): This training is for adult advisers and is often held at the same time as an NLS. It focuses on the role of advisers in the OA.
Starting in 2017, a new program called the Developing Youth Leadership Conference began to replace NLATS.
Using and Adapting Native American Cultures
When the Order of the Arrow was founded, Goodman and Edson chose to use what they saw as Native American traits to represent "Scouting excellence." They felt that the imagery, costumes, titles, and rituals "brought to mind a traditional Indian image, which had disappeared from the modern world but could still be reached through rituals and special objects." They started the OA based on their own ideas from Hiawatha and the novel The Last of the Mohicans. Early OA ceremonies involved members meeting around campfires in "ritual Indian costume."
Later in the 20th century and now, the Order of the Arrow has faced criticism for using Native American cultures in ways that some see as cultural appropriation. People have said that the OA's imitation of Native American ceremonies, clothing, and art can be offensive and spread stereotypes of Native Americans.
Concerns include the use of Native American sacred objects by non-Native groups like the Boy Scouts. One mother of former Scouts said, "While native children in residential schools had their culture and language beaten from them, the Boy Scouts were using the language and their version of 'Indian culture' in their OA ceremony." She felt that the OA's use of headdresses, face paint, eagle feathers, and dancing with a pipe was "downright offensive." She believed that using these items showed a lack of understanding of Native people. An expert on North American Indian cultures, John H. Moore, wrote in 1998 that the Boy Scouts of America might have "done the most damage in misinforming the public about Native American cultures." He said the Order of the Arrow introduces many boys to a "romantic version of Indian culture" through ceremonies based on old stories.
David Prochaska, a history professor, explains that the Order of the Arrow is an example of "playing Indian." He says this involves dressing up and taking on another's identity, which can mean replacing or silencing the original culture.
Simon Mayo-Smith, a journalist and member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, explained why using Native American headdresses is a concern: “The headdress is reserved for our revered elders who, through their selflessness and leadership, have earned the right to wear one. It’s a spiritual garb, not just cultural; it’s not merely an addition to one’s attire. Wearing one, even an imitation headdress, belittles what our elders have spent a lifetime to earn.”
On July 23, 2018, the National Order of the Arrow Committee said they had received "many complaints" from different American Indian tribes about how these ceremonies were done. In 2019, the rules changed. The Voice of America reported that "Scouts will no longer be allowed to dress up as 'Indians' and incorporate Native American motifs into two of the order's more important ceremonies." In 2023, the BSA surveyed its members about changing or removing these rituals due to concerns about stereotypes.
On December 23, 2023, the national Order of the Arrow leadership announced that "American Indian Activities (dancing, drumming, and crafts) will not be a part of the program at the 2024 National OA Conference." They explained that because there are many different tribes, it's impossible to get everyone's agreement on how to represent their cultures. So, national-level American Indian programming is not appropriate.
However, the OA allows local Lodges to decide on this practice. This means that Lodges that already have good relationships with local tribes can continue to follow those tribes' guidance. Lodges that want to use American Indian traditions but don't have a relationship yet are expected to build one and get written agreements before continuing.
Discussions About Freemasonry Ties
The Order of the Arrow started with some influence from Freemasonry, as seen in its early history. In the 1930s, the OA changed some of its words to avoid offending religious groups. The OA has become a very important part of the Boy Scouts of America. However, discussions about its connection to Freemasonry still happen.
Some people believe that the Order of the Arrow is still like a Masonic organization today. They point to the OA's history and some similarities that they see between Freemasonry and the OA's organization, private ceremonies, and other rituals. Several articles have explored this idea.
The Order of the Arrow has not directly talked about its current ties to Freemasonry. But on its official website, the OA does mention its past. It uses old Masonic terms in a historical way and admits that these terms likely came from the Masonic system.
For example, the OA website states: "In 1921 Wimachtendienk, W.W. (a common way at the time of referring to what we know as the Order of the Arrow) was ready to have a national structure. Patterned similar to the Freemasons, it was decided that each lodge would become a member of the Grand Lodge." It also says, "The usage of the term “Grand Lodge” appears to have come from the Masonic fraternal system that also calls their national organization a The Grand Lodge."
The OA also acknowledges that it had to change this language in the 1930s: "As part of the agreement made by the OA National Executive Committee with the BSA to become an official part of the Boy Scout program the OA agreed to change certain terminology effective January 1, 1935... The BSA was concerned about heavy reliance on Masonic fraternal terms in the Order. So the term “lodge” which is what Masons call their local groupings was replaced with the word “tribe”... Likewise the Masons use of the term “Grand” to describe their highest governing body was changed to “National”... Similarly, the term “Degree” became “Honor” and the term “Password” became “Admonition”. The term “Manitou” referring to a deity was completely eliminated from ceremonies, this being done to satisfy religious groups concerns."
The "Sash and Dash" Issue
The Order of the Arrow has a unique and popular patch that goes on the right pocket flap of the uniform. This has led to a problem sometimes called "Sash and Dash" or "Patch and Dash." This term refers to Arrowmen who are chosen by their peers and complete the Ordeal ceremony, wearing the patch and/or sash, but then are not seen at any Lodge events afterward. They don't participate in activities. The Order of the Arrow knows about this issue and has tried to solve it by offering training to help keep members active and involved.
