Declaration of the Kibbo-Kift Centenary
Kibbo-Kift Scouts International becomes official
Kingarth, August 18, 2020
One hundred years ago, on a day like this; August 18, 1920; John Hargrave, the White Fox, quit the Scouts, to protest because boys were being sent to war, to face certain death.
He knew Scouting was about Woodcraft, about enjoying Nature and learning from her, following Seton’s Ideals, not about learning to “Be Prepared” to kill other human beings, or lose their lives in the attempt! That was a job for Soldiers, for Men, not boys!
So, along with many other Pacifist Scouts and Scouters, he broke apart and founded the Kindred of the Kibbo-Kift, “the Brotherhood of the Strongest”, to practice a Naturist Scouting, recover its Woodcraft roots, and to live the Spirit of the Forest!
Apart they stood for thirty years, clad in Lincoln Green and forest shadows, until 1950, when a Polish Scouter, Tadeusz Wyrwalski (Hunting Wolf) made Full Circle and re-inserted Kibbo-Kift into the Scout Movement, by developing Wolnego Harcerzy Lesnych, the Polish Free Scouts of the Forest, a mixed system between Traditional Scouting and Kibbo-Kift.
For many years they walked Hargrave’s Path in peace and silence in the Polish forest, while in England, a Kibbo-Kift Musical premiered in 1976, and in 1999 some members were already working to bring back the Brotherhood to its former glory.
But only in 2015, when the Whitechapel Gallery organized an exhibition about Kibbo-Kift, the flame finally re sparked, and some Scouts in America found about this form of Alternative Scouting and started researching it and practicing it.
A book by Annebella Pollen followed in 2016, and much more material surfaced, leading a Woodcraft revival and a rediscovery of century old lost Kibbo-Kift books. By 2018, many Scouts in other countries were interested in practicing Kibbo-Kift Scouting, so we started considering an international organization to provide proper training and safeguarding Hargrave’s legacy.
So, today, August 18, 2020, we formalize the existence of KSI, Kibbo-Kift Scouts International, an organization of Scouts of different countries who practice Kibbo-Kift, Woodcraft, German, or other forms of Forest Scouting.
This is NOT a foundation. This is not a re-birth. We are the SAME Scouts who inherited the Spirit of Brownsea in 1907, those who followed Hargrave when he took a new path in 1920, and the same who returned to the heart of Scouting with the Polish Kibbo-Kifts in 1950. The same who now, in 2020, celebrate our Centenary with this new form of the good old Kibbo-Kift Ways.
Regional Leaders
Scout Master Truthful Wolf for Kibbo-Kift Argentina.
Scout Master Trainer Wolf, for Kibbo-Kift Puerto Rico.
Scout Master Legendary Wolf, for Kibbo-Kift Costa Rica.
Scout Master Eager Jaguar, also for Kibbo-Kift Costa Rica.
Scout Master Gubbian Wolf, for Kibbo-Kift Mexico.
Scout Master Cervus Perseverantis for Woodcraft Chile.
Nominations
So gathered now we appoint SM Truthful Wolf as the First Head-Man of KSI, to guide all Kibbo-Kift Scouts for a period of five years.
We appoint SM Trainer Wolf as International Training Commissioner, to lead International KSI Training for a period of five years.
We also appoint SM Legendary Wolf as International Commissioner for Camping and Woodcraft, to teach Open Air Life for a period of five years.
We also appoint SM Gubbian Wolf as International Communications Commissioner, to lead communications for a period of five years.
And we also appoint SM Cervus Perseverantis as International Commissioner for Woodcraft Scouting to guide all Scouts who follow that Scouting format, for a period of five years.
Promotions
Also, We grant SM Truthful Wolf the rank of WB5 in Kibbo-Kift Scouting.
We grant SM Cervus Perseverantis the rank of WB5 in Woodcraft Scouting.
We grant SM Trainer Wolf the rank of WB4 in Kibbo-Kift Scouting.
We grant SM Eager Jaguar the rank of WB4 in Kibbo-Kift Scouting.
We grant SM Legendary Wolf the rank of WB3 in Kibbo-Kift Scouting.
We grant SM Gubbian Wolf the rank of WB3 in Kibbo-Kift Scouting.
Invoking the Blessing of the Great Spirit over our organization and its members, we declare the existence of KSI, Kibbo-Kift Scouts International, on Kingarth Training Grounds, August 18, 2020.
|
