Dear OA Leaders,
The Order of the Arrow has recognized that it has become necessary in our Induction to:
- retire the use of Native American imagery and words
- edit our ceremonies to be inclusive of all our youth membership
- ensure that the Induction is inviting, so that more candidates follow through after their election and continue to Brotherhood.
The national committee is currently pilot-testing a prototype designed to accomplish these goals. However, the prototype is a complete rewrite of the ceremonies and Induction experience we now have. The attached “Higher Vision” revision, in contrast, is an alternative designed to preserve the best of what we have, while still accomplishing the above-stated goals. It is the work of a small group unaffiliated with the national committee that, with varying membership, has focused its efforts on stewardship of our Induction for over 60 years.
This group, sometimes working with the Induction and Ceremonial Events sub-committee and sometimes independently, has produced the Spirit of the Arrow, the Ten Induction Principles, the Elangomat system, the current pre-Ordeal, the Brotherhood Hike, the current Brotherhood ceremony, the Model Induction, the Aim High Orientation, and Polestar: Induction Leadership Training, among other things. Despite this track record, our offers to assist with the national committee’s work were declined.
Nevertheless, we quietly continued to pursue enhancements to our current ceremonies and Induction that also accomplish the goals of the Order’s Vision, Mission, and Purpose. The attached “Higher Vision” revisions are the fruit of this effort. We are confident the “Higher Vision” revisions will help youth and adults better understand the steps of the Quest for the Arrow, clarify the purpose of the Day of Four Challenges while shortening the service day, create an immediate sense of belonging, inspire new members to return in service to their units, and energize lodge leaders to create a fulfilling Induction experience. Our rationale is contained in the Notes on page one, so we encourage you to read them carefully before reviewing the rest of the package.
You, who serve directly in chapters and lodges, deserve to know about this alternative to the program devised by national. We believe you will find the Higher Vision revisions familiar, yet also fresh, exciting, inspiring, and satisfying. It is important to note that these are unofficial, unapproved materials, and have not yet been subject to national committee review. We invite you to explore these “Higher Vision” revisions (version 2), and encourage you to share them with other leaders.
For the working group, and in the Spirit of the Arrow,
Jay Dunbar and Paul Lackie
If you are interested in reviewing the Higher Vision 60-page document you may request to see it using this email:
highervision25@gmail.com
Contents of this proposed “Higher Vision” package (Version 2):
- The Day of Four Challenges
- The Call to Adventure ceremony (formerly the pre-Ordeal ceremony)
- The Four Challenges (formerly the Ordeal)
- The Quest ceremony (formerly the Ordeal ceremony)
- The Brotherhood ceremony
Reminder: While some of the internally referenced materials (such as Aim High Orientation, Polestar, etc.) are already approved by the Order of the Arrow and posted on the OA Induction Portal, the ceremony revisions themselves are still unofficial works-in-progress. They have not been reviewed or approved by the National Committee.
