Cree Indian Opening

Waconda Day Doo Wah Poh Ah Me Ah Ah Ton Ah Hey [The translation of this: Great Heavenly Spirit, we thank Thee for Thy Creations, bless our council for the night.]
Here soon will be ashes that once were trees

In Spring, they gave us delight
In Summer, shade
In Autumn, the colours of their falling leaves
In Winter, the beauty of their bare branches
May our lives like the trees be lives of service
I declare this campfire open.

This is an emblem:
Sparks that upwards fly
So may our hearts be young
And spirits high.

As the flames point upwards
So be our aims
As the red logs glow
So be our sympathies
As the grey ash fades
So be our errors
As the good fire warms the circle
So may our Ideals warm the world
[General Godfrey Faussett]
As fuel is brought to the fire
So I propose to bring My strength, My ambition, My heart's desire, my joy, and my sorrow
To the fire of Humankind
For I will ted as my fathers have tended
And my fathers' fathers since time began
The love of man for man - the love of man for God.
The North Wind brings the cold that builds endurance
The South Wind brings the warmth of friendship
The East Wind brings the light of day
The West Wind from the direction where the Sun sinks brings night and the stars.

[This could be done by four Scouts bringing in a flaming torch from each of the four corners of the world erhaps adding the words "brings; greetings to this campfire circle"]

Oh Fire Maker bring forth the Sacred Fire from the wood of the forest
so that we may have light
that we may have warmth
that we may sit in this council tonight.
Oh Fire Maker light now our Council fire.
From the North, From the South, From the East, And from the West May Good luck come to you.Brother Scouts, the campfire is open.
First a curl of birch bark
As dry as it can be
then some twigs of soft wood
Dead from off a tree
Last of all some Pine knots to make a kettle foam
And there's a fine to make you think you're sitting right at home.
Scouts of the World wherever you be
God shed his blessed grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From Sea to Shining Sea.
[John Thurman]
A little bit of kindness to each other now and then
A little bit of blindness to the faults of other men
A little bit of happiness - A lively Wolf Cub's smile
And then as on through life we go - We'll find it's all worth while
It ain't no use to grumble and complain
It's just as cheap and easy to rejoice
When God sort out the weather and sends rain
Why - Rain's my choice
[J. W. Riley]
No breathless hush in the close tonight
it's wind on the heath and in tent withal
It's cold and it's damp, so we'll pack in tight
So our hearts shall keep warm; weather befall.
Onward and upward; straight is the course, and narrow the way, but others before us, the path have trod and the top of the hill is the Heart of God.
Oh ye of the East be with us
Oh ye of the dawn and day
Oh ye of the West behold us
Oh ye of the storm and night
Oh ye of the South be with us
Oh ye of the path of the Sun
Oh ye of the North behold us
Oh ye of the Mother of Day.
Who hath smelt woodsmoke at twilight?
Who hath heard the birch log burning?
Who is quick to read the noises of the night?
Let him follow with the others
For the young men's feet are turning
To the camps of proved desire and known delight.

[Rudyard Kipling]

Kind hearts kind words, kind deeds,
Come easy with our friends.
Can We with strangers do the same
And happier hours spend?
The fire is lit, the gloom is chased
And brotherhood now takes its place.
As our campfire smoke curls upward,
'May all that is evil amoung us go with it,
And ma y some kind evening breeze waft it away.
Never to be seen again,
And may peace and deep contentment be our lot.
As the red log glows,
So may our spirits;
As the flame leaps upwards,
So may our aims;
As the gray ash fades,
So may our sins;
As the good fire warms our circle,
So may our ideals warm the world.
Kneel,always when you light a fire,
Kneel reverently, and thankful be,
For God's unfailing charity.
And now, as we come to our last campfire,
Let's pause for a moment and praise the Almighty God
Who saw fit to inspire our founder who gave us these days.
May this fire be good medicine,
Where fellowship, adventure and fun go side by side.
Cold night weighs down the forest bough,
Strange shapes go flitting through the gloom;
But see! - a spark, a flame, and now the wilderness is home!
By the shore of old Lake .....
By the brightly shining water,
Stand the wigwams of our campers.
Dark behind them stands the forest,
Stands the chestnut, oak and hemlock,
Stand the firs with cones upon them.
Many things they learn and do here:
How Wakonda, the Great Spirit,
Cares for all his faithful children,
Cares for all the forest people:
Learn they of the stars in heaven,
Of the birds that fly and nest here,
Learns the language of all creatures
Call them friends whene'er they meet them.
0, Great Spirit, then, in Heaven,
Send us flame to light our campfire
That we may for this be grateful.
0, Great Spirit, this we ask Thee
Send us fire, and we shall praise Thee.
[This may be used with a runner carrying a flaming torch, or a flaming arrow shot from a tree guided by a strong wire to the centre of the campfire]
If you sit down at set of sun
And count the acts that you have done,
And counting, find:
One self-denying deed;
one word That eased the heart of him who heard;
One glance most kind
That fell like sunshine where it went
Then you may count that day well spent.
Come, come, light up the fire.
Come, come, join in the ring.
Here find dreams to inspire,
Stories to tell,
Music to sing.
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