Order of the Arrow - Scouting's National Honors Society
-The purpose of the Order of the Arrow is to recognize those who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Scout Law in their daily lives and promote camping and responsible outdoor adventure, leadership development, and cheerful service to others.
-Order of the Arrow includes more than 170,000 youth and adult members in nearly 300 local councils through the United States and its territories.
Lodge History
The Tipisa Honor Camper Society was born in 1930 at Camp Kanesatake in southeast Michigan. Camp Kanesatake was built in 1926 and was the Wolverine Council camp until it was sold in 1981. Tipisa is believed to have been created by George Crossland (Wolverine's first executive) and Byron Vedder, the camp Indian Lore staff member in the 1920's and 30's. The land on which Kanesatake sat was steeped in Indian history. It was a meeting place for Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812, had Indian burial grounds on it and had the ruins of an old Indian smoke tower buried in the center of the camp. Kanesatake means "Camp on a hill". The camp was located near the intersection of two of the oldest Indian roads in the midwest.
It was originally announced in a 1930 Michigan newspaper article that the "Order of the Arrow" was being organized at Camp Kanesatake. When camp opened it was not the OA but Tipisa that was organized. Some council exec's were not thrilled with having to pay dues to have the OA program. Considering the Great Depression was in full force it would seem that George Crossland decided to come up with his own program similar to the OA without the dues requirement. I have been told more than once that Ku-Ni-Eh was organized in Cincinatti in 1923 for the same reason, the OA dues requirement. Whether or not it is true I don't know. I do know the OA was supposed to organize in 1930 at Camp Kanesatake and Tipisa was created instead and proved to be a popular program in the three states where it existed for many years.
In Michigan two boys were chosen per week of camp and underwent an ordeal of twenty four hours of silence, hard work and had to find food in the wild. The boys were awakened at midnight and told to remain silent. They met at the Indian mound where a secret ceremony was performed then they were taken to an isolated area on Washington Lake where they spent the night alone then continued their ordeal throughout the following day. If they were successful they were inducted into Tipisa during the council fire. A council fire heavily stressed Indian lore and ceremony, a campfire was song and skits. The council fire was the highlight of the camp session.
The widespread use of council fires throughout scouting can be traced directly to Ernest Thompson Seton and his Woodcrafters program. Each successful candidate was given a real eagle feather to wear at council fires as well as a felt arrowhead shaped camp award patch to put a small red tipi felt segment on (which was only for members of TIPISA). During their initiation ceremony at the council fire they wrote their given names on a piece of bark and then threw it in the blazing fire then were given new Indian names as members of TIPISA. Every living member of Tipisa that I have found remembers their Indian name to this day, quite a testamonial to how impressed they were with the Tipisa induction.
The Tipisa initiation ceremony was taken DIRECTLY from Ernest Thompson Seton's "Woodcrafters" program. The ceremony involved four torches being lit with each one representing one of the four primary virtues of the American Indian; Love, Truth, Wisdom and Beauty. Each of these four "hills of life" had three subdivisions. They were Love- kind, helpful, joyful; Truth- brave, fair, honest; Beauty- clean,strong, vigilant; Fortitude- respectful, reverent, responsible.
When George Crossland left the Wolverine Council in 1932 he transferred to the Meshingomesia Council in centralIndiana and started a second TIPISA there at their camp at Goose Lake. His replacement at Wolverine, Harold Pace, stayed until 1938 when he transferred to the CentralFloridaCouncil in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Pace started the third TIPISA there at Camp Wewa in about 1938-39. Their OA lodge retained the name "TIPISA" when it was converted from a society to OA lodge #326 in 1946 and has the name to this day. The Indiana society was converted to the Me-she-kin-no-quah OA lodge #269 in 1944. Me-she-kin-no-quah was the pricipal Indian Chief defeated at the Battle of Fallen Timbers by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Me-she-kin-no-quah means "little turtle". The original society in Michigan was converted to the Tecumseh OA Lodge #332 in 1946. Each society issued their members a society patch. The original Floridasociety patch was a near twin to the Michigan society patch. The Floridagroup issued a second society patch that also served as their first OA Lodge patch. It was a 2" round felt patch. The Indiana society was the only one of the three to issue it's members a patch that actually had the word "Ti-pi-sa" embroidered on it. The Indiana patch was a 3 1/2" diameter felt on felt patch. All three of the societies had the red tipi on all of their patches. It was the one common denominator. All three societies had their members wear the membership patch on their merit badge sash down in the point of the sash over the hip. Florida's second patch might have been an exception to this. For complete information on TIPISA, read the Winter 1997 issue of the Scouting Collectors Quarterly which is the official publication of the National Scouting Collectors Society. Tipisa is a Sioux Indian word that means "Red Tipi". A 1930 Michigan newspaper account of it's creation referred to it as "TIPISA, The Order of the Red Lodge".
Historical Information provided by: David L. Eby and Dr. Terry Grove
Chapter History
1958-1961
In 1958 Tipisa Lodge was broken up into three chapters: Kaliga, Tomoka, and Dakota. Tomoka and Dakota chapters still exist today. Tomoka chapter was the northern coast of CentralFlorida(east Volusia county and Flagler county) and Dakota chapter was the southern coast of CentralFlorida(Brevard county).
1961-1965
In 1961 three more chapters were added, Halapataw, Wewhitcka, and Woapalanne. Halapataw was added in west Volusia county. Wewhitcka became the Northwest corner of CentralFlorida(Lake county) and Woapalanne was added between Tomoka and Dakota. Woapalanne took the northern end of Brevard county and Dakota took the southern end.
1965-1980
In 1965 Halapataw changed its name to Allapataw and Kaliga changed its name to Mayaca chapter and the upper part of Mayaca became Manacha chapter. Manacha chapter was located in Orange and south Seminole counties.
1980-1982
In 1980 Allapataw chapter changed its name to Micconope chapter and expands to include Flagler county. Hinklas chapter was formed in Seminole county. Illahaw chapter was formed in West Orange county and the remainder of Manacha chapter was renamed to Hatchinehaw chapter. Finally Mayaca chapter was renamed to Echosee chapter.
1983-1987
In 1983 Wahitlaw chapter was formed in Osceola county and Chulee Afopkeh chapter was added in centralOrange county.
1987-1996
In 1987 Chulee Afopkeh chapter was merged with Illahaw chapter and the name Illahaw was retired. Echosee and Hatchinehaw chapters were merged to form Econlockhatchee chapter. Hinklas chapter was renamed to Eluwak chapter and expanded into northwest Orange county.
1996-Present
In 1996 the eastern part of Eluwak chapter and the majority of Econlockhatchee chapters were combined to form Tosohatchee chapter. Econlockhatchee chapter is the currently the centralpart of Orange county.
Oct 15th by Bo Terry