A Week at Outdoor School

In a community where the environment is important to the people, teenagers must go through a rite of passage to show that they themselves are worthy to grow from adolesence to adulthood

Every six months or so, high school students from the ages of 15 to 18 go to Outdoor school. The change that happens to the student leaders is both physical and psychological, for it helps define you as a person. The teenager turns in a period of six days from a clean, quiet teenager, to a filthy, loud singing role model, teacher, and babysitter. The passage is for both male and female, but is most commonly done by the female gender. It takes place in the Multnomah Tribe of Oregon. The rite of passage can also happen multiple times, some completing it once while others go as many as five or six times, but some go even more times than that.

The student leader must first be trained on how to to act during this time. They are taken to a Spiritual Ground where technology magically stops working They spend a day on Spiritual Ground with 200 other students, learning basic tribal chants, how to behave amongst the younger children, and how to inform the younger children about one of four key elements to human life: Water, Animals, Soil, and Plants. Once they have completed this journey, they are sent back home and await their message of when they will return for their rite of passage.

Once they receive their letter, they must wait for their chance to go. This can take one week to seven weeks. During this time, the student leader must inform the elders of their teaching that they shall be gone for a week for their rite of passage and collect work that they should do before they leave but will ultimately do the night before they return. The student leader must also pack for their week long passage. This involves multiple jackets, about twenty socks, and a hat for each type of weather.

The most important part of preparation is the making of your bead. Your bead is a signature part of your advancement. You make as many beads as you can, but the more the better. The minimum is thirty, but you need no more than 100. The bead normally has something to do with your spiritual name (which will be discussed later), but you can honestly do whatever you want. The only requirement is that it is either stickable or on a safety pin.

Once everything is packed, you are ready to travel to the Spiritual Grounds. Only a few people know how to navigate the tough routes to the site, so you and about 20 other teenagers meet up at the sacred building known as MESD on a Sunday. You all load your bag of items onto the large yellow carriage and travel to the grounds together. A PL (Program Leader) or a FI (Field Instructor) will be on the carriage to lead a meeting. The meeting consists of stating your spiritual name, the small tribe section that you come from, and how many passages you have completed. Your spiritual name is a name that you decide for yourself. It can be anything except an actual name. For example, you could be Disney, Gingko, Sprinkles, or even Bayleef. But, you can not be Kevin, Bailey, Mark, or Hank. The exception to this rule is if your real name is that of a nature sense (so if your name is Forest, you can be Forest).

Once you reach the Spiritual Ground, you and the other people unload the bus of your belongings and go to the dining hall. You then meet in your element groups and the corresponding Field Instructor and enjoy a feast of meat between bread and curled potato slices. The Field Instructor is in charge of your element and is extremely helpful. They inform you of what you should be teaching the children, how you can improve, and to assist you in your teaching if you are stuck. They are not there to completely teach the children, but to help you to teach the children.

At this point you receive your twood cookie. Although spelt weird, the “t” in “twood” is silent, being pronounced “wood”. Your twood cookie contains your spiritual name that you wish to be called. This is so that anyone will be able to know your name without having to constantly re-introduce yourself at every moment. The children also have twood cookies, but it holds the name they are given at birth.

Once the meal is completed, the men and women separate into groups. It is at this time you are given your living arrangements for the week. Boys stay in one area of the ground, girls in the other. Depending on your tribal house, you will be assigned a Program Leader. The Program Leader is an adult that works on the Spiritual Ground. They monitor the tribal houses, making sure that everyone is getting along well. They provide support for the Student Leaders when struggling with their children, help with the cleaning of the grounds, and lead PL/SL meetings (which I will get to later). If you are male and have completed the Rite of Passage before, you are the only SL in your tribal house. Females, on the other hand, are partnered in groups of two and sometimes three, depending on how many females go on the trip. If you are a first timer (either male or female), you stay with a Leader of your gender who has done the journey more than once. After your first time (as a male), you are on your own unless you yourself are leading a first time. The females almost always have a partner, no matter the amount of times.

Upon moving into the cabin, the Student Leaders pick a bed that is closest to the door. The beds are in bunks, normally able to fit up to 14 people total. The Student Leaders pick beds by the door(s) because sometimes negative spirits will wander into the grounds. The Student Leaders must be able to fend off these negative spirits by pushing them back into the outside world before they enter the minds and bodies of the children. Once the Student Leaders move in and make their beds, they return to the central meeting location.

Around three or so that afternoon the children come. The children are from four separate clans and come for their own Rite of Passage. While their trip is not required in the Multnomah Tribe, a majority of children undergo this change. The children are in their seventh year of education, but is oddly called the sixth grade. Their goal is to learn about the elements that make up their world and receive the beads that prove this to the outside world. The children also arrive on the large yellow carriages.

At this point the Student Leaders split into two groups. One group are Tour Guides. Consisting of 8 girls and 4 boys, the Tour Guides lead a small tribe of children around the grounds, showing them the dining hall, the medicine man’s hut, the fire pit, and each place that the element teachings take place. It is two Student Leader female for a group of student girls and one male Student Leader for a group of student boys. The rest of the Student Leaders are Unloaders. These student leaders form what is called a “fire-line” and pass the belongings of the students down into a collective area where it can be picked up later. Unloaders must have some unknown strength and be able to toss items from duffel bags to musical instruments, from large suitcases to small Pillow Pets. What leaves the yellow carriage is always a mystery to the Unloaders, but is not fully questioned.

By the end of the hour, the tours and unloading should be undone. Everyone is placed in the same room together to undergo Initiation. This involves learning the names of the SLs, PLs, and FIs. Basic chants and incantations are also taught, including the Announcement Time Incantation and the Weather Chant. The Announcement Time Incantation is performed towards the end of each meal and summons the Site Supervisor. The Site Supervisor is the leader of the Spiritual Ground and has ultimate say in what occurs. The Weather Chant summons the Weather Crew, who inform the rest of the clans what the weather will be like for the rest of the day. Another major thing that is taught is how to behave in the dining hall so that meals go smooth and are enjoyable for all.

Once all of the basic tutorials are completed, the boys and girls separate once again to get tribal house locations. This is where the SLs find out who will be staying with them. This is a crucial part for both Rites of Passage because SLs and students both must make sure that the tribal houses bond together in the short amount of time they have together. The children are on the grounds for three days, but the SLs are there for six days. Two groups of children arrive a week, allowing multiple children in the Multnomah Tribe to complete the rite of passage. Once the children get assigned their living space and the SLs are assigned their children, the children go find their luggage from one of the piles made by the Unloaders. The students are assigned bunks, unpack a bit in the tribal houses, and wear warm enough layers to last the rest of the evening.

The small groups move to the dining hall, where a long procedure takes place. There are three jobs held by the children. 16 of the children are Jump Ups. Their job is to bring food to the tables initially and get more of it from the cooking pits. They also return the trays that carry the food back to the cooking pits for washing at the end of the meal. The Jump Ups also get to wear red aprons to show the rest of the population that they have an important job. The second job is Hosts. There are about 32 Hosts total, two for each table. The Hosts pick a Guest (Who is either a PL, a SL, a FI, or one of the teachers that came with the clans) to eat dinner with them. This is a large honor for the Guests, for if they were not selected then they would not be able to eat. The rest of the children are Regular Eaters. Their job is to simply eat the food and enjoy conversation with the others at their table.

Once jobs are assigned, everyone gets in line according to their job. The Jump-Ups are allowed in first to stand at the tables. Once they enter, the Hosts and Guests are allowed in. But, the dining hall is a positive environment, so everyone must be silent, polite, and smiling. One of the PL’s will pick the best line and let them enter first. The Hosts and Guests are given a table to stand at along with a Hot or Cold Side. The Hot Side helps to plate food and get it to everyone sitting. The Cold Side pours water for everyone. The hosts and guests sit across from each other partially to be the center of attention but also so that there is a SL at each end of the table. The children then enter, walking over to the tables.

No one has sat down yet, as they are waiting for the command of the PL in charge to give them the topic of the meal. Once the topic is set, everyone but the Jump Up sits down. The Jump Up gets up and goes along the blessed Jump Up route, collecting the food from the cooking pits. The Cold Side Host pours water for everyone and the Hot Side Guest puts food on the plates. Soon everyone is eating and chatting, starting out with the topic of the meal but quickly changing as people respond. Dinner lasts about half an hour or so. Once dinner is complete, Jump Ups return the extra food to the Cooking Pits and collect the well desired dessert. Dessert is served at lunch and dinner, but not at breakfast. While desert can be anything from brownies to cobbler, the most highly cherished would be that of the chocolate chip cookie. No matter which Sacred Ground you travel to or when you go, the chocolate chip cookie is by far the most delicious thing you will eat while you are there.

Once dessert is passed out, the Dismissal Chant is taught and performed. The Dismissal Chant is very basic and short. For breakfast and lunch, it is a happy and party like, but for dinner it is slower and can be very somber, to help set the mood for the evening. Once this chant is taught, the Announcement Incantation is performed. The Site Supervisor is summoned in the center of the room and gives various announcements that vary for each meal. One of the key announcement given at dinner is that of the Performances. At the Fire Pit Ceremony, various tribal houses perform a short play. Half of the houses perform the first night, the second half the next. It is the job of the SLs to make sure that the plays are practiced and appropriate for the live studio audience. The plays are mostly random, but follow a basic theme. At the end of announcements for dinner, the Dismissal Chant is performed and the clans break into their original clans and have class meetings.

While the class meetings are going on, the PLs and SLs have a PL/SL meeting. The meetings always start out with an Ice Breaker, which helps to relax everyone and help people learn about each other. Once the meetings start, however, they are often a bit rushed but contain important information for the rest of the evening and part of the next day. The SLs also sign up for chants to perform and teach while at the Fire Pit Ceremony. At the end of the meeting, 8 SLs go to the spots of the class meetings and bring the children back to their appropriate tribal house.

There is an hour or so between the end of the meetings and the Ceremony. This gives time for houses with skits to plan their skits, but also houses without skits to get a chance to know each other and prepare for sleeping. The first night is also the night when Tribal House Constitutions are written. A Tribal House Constitution is a set of guidelines that will be followed in the tribal house. Once the guidelines are agreed upon, everyone signs their names at the bottom to show agreement for anyone else who enters.

Once this is done, everyone makes their way down to the Fire Pit Ceremony. Depending on the weather, the Ceremony may occur inside with a fire box built into the wall or outside with an actual fire pit. Whatever the case, the Ceremony is very basic. Roll Call takes place, where each house calls out their house chant to show they have arrived on time. Once Roll Call is complete, the plays and chant teaching take place. The first half of the night is full of laughter, dancing, and enjoyment, each performance receiving large amounts of clapping and cheering. It is when the Candle is brought out that the night takes a more peaceful turn. Loud chants end and are replaced with softer ones. Stories of old are told in place of the childish plays. Clapping is replaced with reflecting the light of the fire with our fingertips. At the end, everyone crosses their right arms over their left and hold the hands of those around them, signifying love and unity. The final incantation, “Green Trees”, is performed, symbolizing the end of the day and releasing everyone to return to the tribal house.

On the first night, everyone goes to their houses and gets into bed. The SLs go around and say goodnight to everyone, both to comfort them on their first night and to keep the evil spirits away. But on any other night, the SLs would leave to go to a meeting. The children are informed that it is a boring meeting to do homework, where in all reality it is to have fun and relax from a long and exhausting day. This is a test for the children to see if they can go to be quickly and quietly. If the children can do this, then they earn their Z bead. The Z bead is a three-pieced bead that symbolizes the children’s ability to do as requested by their SLs late into the evening.

That next day follows a simple pattern. There are some chores to be done early, including Table Toppers, Flag Ceremony, and Weather Crew. Some people go to the dining hall to set the table for the meal. Some go to the flagpole to be instructed on how to raise the flag up. Some go to the Weather Crew Station to figure out the weather that day. This includes if it will rain, how windy it will be, and how many layers should be worn throughout the day. Everyone else lines up by the flag pole and goes through the Flag Raising. This includes calling out that you are there, similar to Roll Call at the Ceremony, but this time it is three groups. Once this happens, the groups step towards the flag. The flag raisers go to the flagpole and raise the flag while everyone else silently watches. Placing your hand over your heart is optional.

Once the raising of the flag is complete, everyone files to the dining hall and the same procedure that happened the night before takes place. When the Dismissal Chant occurs, the song is now of a happier tone. The Announcement Incantation occurs, but new announcements occur. The Z bead count is presenting, showing which cabins have won points to receive their Z bead. The Weather Crew presents the weather. The Field Instructors inform the children which clan is going to their element study and how to prepare for it.

After breakfast, there are a few more chores to be done. The dining hall must be cleaned, the boxes from the meal must be flattened, and the bathrooms must be purified once more. Once this is done, the children prepare for their element studies and head out.

Each element study differs in what is taught, but they all include stations that the children are taught and almost all of them include a hike. The hikes contain stations in them, allowing all of the children to learn the same material no matter who is teaching them or when they are taught. At the end of their hike, they fill out a small section of their element guide. Their guides have a blank page in which they must write three words they learned that day and connect them to each other. Once they do this, they earn an element bead. The element beads are in the same shape as the Z bead, but each is a different color. The bead shows their intelligence in that element. The SL teaching the children also has the option to give their personal bead to the children in their group, but it is a personal decision.

At the end of the element study, it is time for lunch. The meal procedure goes through, chants are taught, announcements are given. The announcements this time are almost the same as dinner, although not including the Z bead announcement or weather crew. The next element study is announced, the clans switching and learning a new one. But, before element study, there is an hour break. The hour break takes place in the tribal houses and is a time for everyone to relax. This can be a time for reading, writing, or playing games in the cabin.

At the end of the hour break, the element study occurs. The same process occurs, but something different happens. The children write down their three words, but they can also connect with the previous study. This is significant if they can make the connections on their own, for it is a sign of their intelligence and should be treated highly. Once element study is completed, a snack is passed out and the children sign up for an activity. The activity can vary from archery to field games to hiking to bracelet making. There are plenty of options so that everyone can do something pleasurable. While the children are at their activities, the SL’s are at “another meeting”, but during this time songs are signed up for the Ceremony, snacks are eaten, and the SL’s have a chance to complete work from their elders and relax.

At the end of the Activities, people are taken for more chores. The dining hall must be set up once again, the Conservation Crew assembles, and people go to learn how to lower the flag. Once chores are done, everyone goes to the flag pole. The same procedure occurs, but instead the flag goes down instead of up. At the end of this, everyone goes to have dinner. Dinner and the class and PL/SL meetings occur the same. That night, small packing is done when there is free time, for the children are leaving the next night. The Fire Pit Ceremony occurs, and the children are sent to bed. The SLs go to their meeting and relax before finally falling deeply asleep. While the SL’s are asleep, one of the PL’s is on Spirit Watch, where they make sure the negative spirits do not enter and that the children are not causing a ruckus.

Tuesday starts out the same as Monday. Chores are done, breakfast is eaten, element study occurs, lunch is eaten. Instead of having the break, however, the time is spent moving out of the tribal house. The SL’s items stay in the tribal house where everyone else must move their items down to be loaded onto the bus. Once this is done, the afternoon element study takes place. At the end of this, Field Day occurs. The Tuesday Field Day starts out with the Signing of the Twood Cookies. Children go around and get their favorite SL’s to sign their twood cookies. Lines are formed, sometimes beads are given out, and both sides of the twood cookie are signed by all. Once this ends, everyone gets back in line and Field Day truly begins. The stations vary, but groups for two or three tribal houses go from station to station to participate in activities. The activities vary from Pictionary to Canadian Baseball to Chicken towers. The activities vary depending on the Field Day. But, there is always a station where cookies and juice are given out as a snack.

At the end of this, the tribal houses get together and listen as the Site Supervisor announces how well Field Day went. The Site Supervisor announces who will be a part of the Final Flag and the Final Tree Ceremony. Both of these are a huge honor and the children that get to do this job are picked by their teachers. The Final Flag Ceremony consists of 12 children, three from each clan, and two SLs. The SLs are nominated by a secret process that I myself am not aware of. In this Ceremony, the 14 people state their favorite part of their time at the Sacred Ground and what clan they came from. They then help to lower the flag. The Final Tree Ceremony consists of one child from each clan and one SL, nominated in the same fashion. The children help to plan a tree in this beautiful spot using one of the each elements for it to grow and to make the point that they all are interconnected.

Once the announcements are made, everyone but those participating in the ceremonies go up to the dining hall for dinner. Dinner this night is eaten in cabins instead of randomly. Food is saved for those participating, but it is simple and quickly eaten. Once the people return, some SLs leave momentarily to help load the carriages up so that the children can leave quickly. While this sounds harsh, it prevents the heartbroken children to truly escape. Once everyone is in the dining hall, the Announcement Time Incantation is sung one more time. This is the most important announcement given, for the true names of the leaders are given. It starts out with the SLs, and the procedure is as follows: “Hello, my name is [insert spiritual name here], I go to [insert clan you are from], I am [insert level in school], and my name is [insert birth name here]”. While there is variety to this, that is the basics of it. After the names are announced, the Final Flag and Tree Ceremonies take place. Once they are completed, the children recieve last minute side hugs and are moved onto the carriages. As the carriages drive away, the SLs sing them goodbye, not stopping until the carriages are completely out of sight.

That night, it is a chance for the SLs to hang out. Work and Shower time is given, basic chores completed, and then a large hang out session until 11 that night. Then, the sleep overs. Instead of the SLs having to stay in their houses with just two or one person, the leaders of the same sex get together and sleep together in the same cabin. This is a chance for more bonding to occur, with stories swapped, games played, and chants sung. Sleep is not achieved until midnight or 1, but it quickly hits. That morning is very relaxed. Breakfast is eaten in element groups, instructions given, and basics covered once more.

Then it all starts over once more. Things vary a bit depending on the day, but it is the same basic schedule. New children come, hikes are given, chants performed, and laughter echoing between the trees.

That Thursday night, however, is a bit different. Instead of having a normal PL/SL meeting during class meetings, the Candle Pass occurs. The SLs get in a circle with the lights out. The only light is from a single candle. The candle is passed around the room and the SLs talk about their week and how much they have grown. I would like to point out that my eyes are watering up as I type this. I personally have completed this Rite four times, but every time I reach Thursday I am an emotional wreck. The Candle Pass is by far the hardest part of the entire experience. While the children have the ability to sap you of all energy, the Candle Pass forces you to share your true thoughts. You expose your weaknesses to the entire group and you realize just how strong of a bond is formed between 20 leaders in just five days. It is truly a major point of the Rite of Passage, and may be the most important part of completing this passage.

After that the night is normal. The Fire Pit Ceremony occurs, the SLs holding a candle to symbolize that they are the light in this camp. At the end of the ceremony, the candles are blown out and returned to the PLs. The children are put to bed and the relaxing time occurs. The snack is unlimited ice cream, enjoyed by all. The twood cookies from the students are collected, signed there instead of at Field day due to a lack of time. Then Evaluations. The SLs are grade by their PL and FI on how well they did in their areas. 1-2 is failing, 3-4 is passing, 5 is exceeding, and 6 is being a truly remarkable leader. The SLs must fill out a self evaluation reflecting their experience. Once this is done, the night is left to the SLs to pass out beads and relax.

Friday is similar to the end of Tuesday. A last element study occurs, Field Day is actually done on Thursday, and names are announced. The change is between Final Flag and Final Tree. For the SLs who have completed the rite five or more times are given recognition, receiving a formal frame with a certificate of their accomplishments. A PL or a FI talk about that SL, saying how much they have improved over the years. It is a truly beautiful moment, signifying the truly strong ones of the entire Multnomah Tribe.

After all is said and done, the children board their carriages and depart. The SLs clean the site up well, preparing for the next group of children and SLs to arrive on Sunday. Once this is done, the SLs get their twood cookies signed by the FIs and PLs. But soon it is time for the SLs to depart. They load up their carriage and get on. The Site Supervisor climbs on and tells us all how great of a job we have done this week, inviting us back soon. The carriage leaves as the PLs and the FIs perform a special chant.

The carriage ride back is their re-integration into the main Multnomah Tribe. While the SL is not ready to depart, they know it is time to return. Their twood cookies are passed around the carriage, being signed by all the SLs.

The SL returns to their clan, a new person. They have no physical mark on their bodies. No scars, no tattoos, nothing. All they return with is dirt caked onto their skin, chants that are decades old stuck in their heads, a twood cookie covered in beads and signatures, and memories that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

While what is commonly called Outdoor School is not a huge deal to most people, it means so much to me. Being a Student Leader at both Namanu and Milk Creek since my sophomore year, I have truly changed into a role model. I am proud to call myself Bailey “Bayleef” Farmer, teacher of Animals Field Study, a fourth time Student Leader. While I am unable to attend Outdoor School this session, I have nothing else to thank for my development as a beautiful person. While the United States does not have an official rite of passage, this is as worthy as a baptism or a marriage.

Author's Note

I wrote this as a class essay in my anthropology class for a rite of passage paper. While it does not fully cover all that occurs during a typical week of outdoor school, it was written late at night. Review and comments are cool but not needed.
Also I got 100 percent for it!