Crow River District-Cashe Crossland successfully lead the induction ceremony as Alowat Sakima, called the Ordeal, the first step toward full membership. During the Ordeal, candidates maintain silence, receive small amounts of food, work on camp improvement projects and are required to sleep alone, apart from other campers. The entire experience is designed to teach significant values.
The four stated purposes of the Order of the Arrow are:
To recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives.
To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit.
To promote Scout camping.
To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.Scouts are elected to the Order by their fellow troop members, following approval by the Scoutmaster. The scout must be a rank of 1st Class or above, have experienced 15 days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the two-year period prior to the election. The 15 days and nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. The balance of the camping must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps.
The Lenape (also known as Lenni-Lenape, Leni-Lenape, Delaware Indians and Munsee) are a tribe of Native Americans. Allowat Sakima (also Alowat Sakima , meaning “great chief”), refers to the head deity of the Lenni Lenape pantheon. The name is also used to describe legendary heroes and chiefs. A headdress including an eagle tail bonnet, eagle feather coupstick and leggings of deerskin was a symbol of Allowat Sakima. Kishelemukong is the creator god, not involved in the daily affairs of the Leni Lenape. Instead, he directed the manitowak , the life spirits of all living things, which were created by Kishelemukong. The manitowak were venerated in ceremonies, rituals, dreams, visions, games and ohtas (see below), as well as through the interventions of the Metinuwak , the shamans who were healers, spiritual and emotional guides and religious leaders; they could communicate with the manitowak.
