| 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) | ||
| Headquarters | Irving, Texas | ||
| Location | United States, Puerto Rico, Japan, Germany, Philippines | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | July 16, 1915[1] (109 years, 6 months and 19 days ago) | ||
| Founders | |||
| Membership |
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| National Chief | Samuel Crowder[3] | ||
| National Vice Chief | Ben Jones[3] | ||
| National Chairman | Chris A. Grove[3] | ||
| National Director | Cortland Bolles[3] | ||
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| Website www | |||
The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the honor society of the Boy Scouts of America,[4] composed of Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers. Started as a camp fraternity by E. Urner Goodman, with the assistance of Carroll A. Edson, in 1915, its goal was to reinforce the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. Started without approval of Boy Scouts of America (BSA), it became an "Official Experiment" of the Scouting organization. In 1948, following an extensive review, it officially became a program of Boy Scouts of America.
Inducted members, known as Arrowmen or Brothers (regardless of gender; as BSA and its programs are open to all genders), are organized into local youth-led Lodges that harbor fellowship, promote camping, and render service to scout councils and their communities. Each lodge corresponds to a BSA council in the area. Lodges are further broken down into chapters, which correspond to districts within the council. Members wear identifying insignia on their uniforms, most notably the OA pocket flap that represents their individual OA lodge and the OA sash worn at official OA functions. The OA program sponsors several events, awards, and training functions.
The Order of the Arrow is not a secret organization. However, it uses “safeguarded” ceremonies as a part of its program. There are three main ceremonies for the three membership levels: Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil. These ceremonies are usually for recognition of leadership qualities, camping skills, and other Scouting ideals as exemplified by their elected peers. Influenced by Scout camp customs, the OA uses "safeguarded” (privy only to members and legitimately interested adults) rituals to impart a sense of community. Since the 1980s, concerned parents, Scout leaders, and religious leaders may review the ceremony through a process set by the Order of the Arrow and parents can refuse for their child to take part in the ceremony as membership is voluntary.
It has foundations influenced by Freemasonry and previously used imagery commonly associated with American Indian cultures for its self-invented ceremonies. Native Americans have criticized the OA's various symbols and "rituals" as cultural appropriation based on non-Native stereotypes of American Indians.[5][6] Its Freemason ties have also been source of debates, in spite of its systematic removal of masonic terminology in the 1930s to avoid offending religious groups.
- ^ "NOAC 1998 Memories: A Life of Service". Order of the Arrow. August 4, 1998. Archived from the original on November 26, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
- ^ "2017 Annual Report" (PDF). Order of the Arrow.
- ^ a b c d "National Order of the Arrow Leadership". Order of the Arrow. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
- ^ "Scouting's National Honor Society – Fact Sheet" (PDF). Order of the Arrow, BSA. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
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