Equipment: Ceremony board or log with 3 small candles and one large candle;
tom-tom; artificial campfire.
Setting: With the tom-tom beating, Akela enters and walks behind the fire. Akela
gives the Cub Scout sign and the tom-tom stops.
Narrator: Akela was the big chief of the Webelos tribe; tall, stalwart, straight as
an arrow, swift as an antelope, brave as a lion—he was fierce to an enemy, but
kind to a brother. Many trophies hung in his teepee. His father was the son of the
great yellow sun in the sky. He was called the “Arrow of Light.” His mother, from
whom he learned those wondrous things that mothers know, was called “Kind
Eyes.” He began to understand the signs and calls of the Webelos tribe. Then he
was taken on little trips to the forest among the great trees and streams. Here,
from the Wolf, he learned the language of the ground; the animal tracks and the
ways to food.
Akela: (Lighting the small Wolf candle from the large candle) From this candle,
representing the “Spirit of Akela,” we light the trail of the Wolf. From the signs
along the Wolf trail, I see the following braves are ready for advancement in the
Wolf Clan of Akela’s tribe. (Akela calls the names of the boys receiving Wolf
badges (w/parents) and arrow points. They come forward and stand before the
campfire. Akela presents awards, as appropriate.)
Narrator: Then, from the big, kindly bears, he learned the secret names of the
trees, the calls of the birds, the language of the air.
Akela: (Lighting the Bear candle) With the “Spirit of Akela,” we light the Bear trail.
From the signs along the Bear trail, I see the following braves are ready for
advancement into the Bear Clan of Akela’s tribe. (Akela calls the names of the
boys receiving Bear badges (w/parents) and arrow points.)
Narrator: But, before he could become a Scouting “brave” on his own, he had to
prove himself by trying out new skills, performing certain tasks and passing tests
of accomplishment.
Akela: (Lighting the Webelos candle) With the “Spirit of Akela,” we light the trail of
the Webelos. From the signs along the Webelos trail, I see the following braves
have shown their skill in…(he calls the names of the boys receiving activity
badges and indicates which badges they earned). And, the following braves have
demonstrated the skills and knowledge necessary to advance into the Webelos
Clan of Akela’s tribe (calls names of boys who have earned their Webelos
badges and invites their parents to come forward; presents awards). From the
four winds, Akela hears that you braves are doing well along the trails that will
lead you into Boy Scouting and the highest trail of all, that of Eagle. Will all Cub
Scouts stand and repeat with me the Cub Scout Promise?
(Everyone exits to the sound of the tom-tom.)
2003 Pirates of the Caribbean