When I was a boy some of my friends were in the Boy Scouts. I was one of the lucky ones. I was an Indian Brave in the YMCA Indian Guides. This organization was great as it wasn't used as a babysitter for boys. Fathers actively participated in activities with their sons. It was a great memory builder.
As you can see from the pics above, we got to wear our Indian outfits and had a great time at the meetings. Yes, that's me ("Lighting Bolt") on the left circa 1974-75 with my mustachioed dad ("Thunder Cloud") and younger bro Kurt ("North Wind") at one of the lodge campouts.
Recently I posed with my Pa (yes that's us almost 40 years later) in our Indian Guides vests. As you can see there were plenty of patches on them....which meant we spent a lot of quality time together doing various things from campouts to road rallies to rocket derby competitions. Pa received several awards from the YMCA for his contribution to the Indian Guides. I've scanned a few of the plaques above.
The motto of the Indian Guides is "Father And Son, Pals Forever" and the purpose: to foster companionship of father and son. When we got too old for the Indian Guides we d
idn't want it to end. Luckily we continued on in a club for older boys called the Trailblazers.The YMCA (Young Men's Christian Associations) of yesteryear has undergone a lot of changes. Its mission then (as stated in the Indian Guide manual) was "to achieve its Christian purpose by interpreting moral and spiritual values in all relationships and activities....based on the teachings and examples of Jesus."
Unfortunately today the YMCA is simply known as "The Y" and the Indian Guides have been disbanded in many states due to Native Americans balking at the perceived stereotype. I say "perceived" as the Indian Guides manual tells the true story. It uses "the high standard of relationship between fathers and sons among early Indian sets as an example for fathers to follow. The Indian father was responsible for his son's ethics, physical
development and attitudes toward others."I
f only this would be used as an example today. Luckily it still is in some localities. The Indian Guides haven't vanished altogether and I found several websites of "tribes" still enjoying and promoting father and son companionship like we did back in the 1970s with campouts, fishing trips, and bonfires.With Father's Day this month it is nice to be able to recall the time spent growing up in the YMCA Indian Guides. Thanks Pa!
(Last pic above was found in my photo album, I think it is of Mike, Tim and Robby Miller, who were members of our Indian Guides Cree Tribe in the Detroit, MI area in the early 1970s....wonder whatever happened to them....)
