Camp Lewallen

The predecessor of the Anpetu-We Lodge was the Jonito-Otora Lodge. The Jonito-Otora Lodge #100 was chartered to the Southeast Missouri Council #305 on April 5, 1937. Jonito-Otora means "bear cub." The Jonito-Otora was disbanded in 1939.

 

After the disbandment of the Jonito-Otora Lodge, an honor society called the Golden Sun was established at camp. The Golden Sun was organized in such a way that all scouts attending camp participated in it. The first year a camper was a papoose and went through an ordeal much like an ordeal candidate does today. The second year the camper was a brave and served as a slave to a third year or more camper. The brave did work around camp under the direction of his warrior master. The third year camper was a warrior and the following years he was an old warrior. All these events took place on a certain day of each week set aside as Indian Day. The day was climaxed in the evening with the Golden Sun call out ceremony. The Golden Sun was much more exclusive than the Order of the Arrow with only one or two people per year being selected from each troop.

 

On March 5, 1956, the Lodge #100 was rechartered with the Southeast Missouri Council. The name of Anpetu-We, meaning "rising sun", and having Sioux origin, was given to the lodge. This name was chosen because of the closeness to the Golden Sun. The Turtle was selected as our totem, at the time the Lodge was founded. Our rules of operating procedures states that the sun and turtle must be on all lodge pocket flaps and backpatches.The use of the bead necklace, with the turtle totem at the bottom, was started in 1972. This was a means of showing what functions were attended or lodge offices held; also whether a member was Ordeal, Brotherhood, or Vigil.

 

The call out ceremony was originally held in the field in fron of the old dining hall near the flag poles but was moved to the present site near the lake upon its completion.

 

The Ordeal Ceremony Ring on Mt. Logan was originally the Golden Sun warriors circle. Upon close inspection of the rocks making up the altar and walls you will find that many have numbers painted on them. One of the tasks of a new warrior, a third year camper, was to carry a 20 lb. rock five miles. The morining of Indian Day a new warrior found a rock, had it weighed and numbered then the rock was hauled five miles from camp. That afternoon the new warriors were told where to locate their rock. They walked to where the rocks were left and carried thm back to camp. That night each new warrior carried his rock to the warriors circle and at that time was officially made a warrior. He was given an Indian name and his rock was used to add to the warriors circle.

 

Anpetu-We lodge members are allowed only one of each color neckerchief for life. There have been six different colors used in making the neckerchiefs. The colors most commonly seen today are the brown from 1964, yellow from 1971, red from 1980, from blue to green in 1991. We have had six different pocket flaps with the only difference in the last five being a change of border color and the adding of the scout emblem. In 1990 we made a special flap commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Order of the Arrow. We also made a contingent patch for the National Order of the Arrow Conference in 1992.

 

Through the years Anpetu-We Lodge has devoted much time, energy, and money to the improvement of Camp Lewallen. Some of the projects done are the building of the Williams shelter, the rifle, shotgun, and archery ranges, the amphitheater at the lake, rewiring buildings, building picnic tables, re-roofing buildings, upkeep of the swimming pool, remodeling the health lodge and staff cabins, building new staff showers and a new handicraft lodge, and a basketball court, plus many more.

 

(credit to Jerry Hampton)