Timucuan Longhouse: The Great Eagle Feather Award Program

Throughout our daily lives we find it most important that everyone be recognized for their achievements.  Too often, especially in business, self-worth is based on how few mistakes we make, rather than what we do in service to others. Yet the warmest satisfaction we get is receiving an award for something we’ve done to benefit others.

The American Indian of our past did not have medals or trophies as we know them.  Upon an outstanding achievement or the making of a great contribution to others, the tribe member was awarded a feather.  These feathers were highly prized by the Indian as symbols of bravery and usefulness.

The feather patches you have received are representations of the achievements that each young brave and princess has accomplished WITH their big brave over time and should be worn on your vests with great pride!  The feather patches are to be earned by BOTH child and father and awarded by either their Tribe Chief or Nation Chief at a formal gathering once the task has been completed. 

FIRST YEAR FEATHER AWARDS

GREEN/ BLACK TIP Father and child hike two miles together. Make a list of interesting things you see on the hike. Give an oral report to the tribe at the next meeting.

RED/BLACK TIP Father and child must recite the Indian names of all other members of the tribe.

YELLOW/BLACK TIP Father and child must recite from memory the Native Sons and Daughters Pledge, Aims and Slogan at a tribe meeting.

GREEN/WHITE TIP Completion of a worthwhile service project with tribe. Best effort must be made to have majority tribe participation and a note of appreciation from the organization served.

NATURAL/ RED TIP Completion of work on two (2) of the following tribal items: Talking Stick; Drum; Property Chest; Totem; Coup Stick; Banner.

NATURAL/ BLUE TIP Participate in a Longhouse event (e.g. tribal skit, critter race, scavenger hunt, canoe race etc).

NATURAL/ BROWN TIP Completion of 4 activities you have never done before (e.g. archery, fishing, shooting BB gun, rope swing, canoeing, getting a strike in bowling, learn to tie a useful knot with a rope, etc). 

YELLOW / RED TIP Attend ten (10) events in the program year (e.g. Tribe meeting, Longhouse, Fed-sponsored event).

Your best, honest effort should be made to complete these during the first year.  They may also be earned during the second year of the program.

SECOND YEAR FEATHER AWARDS

YELLOW/ BLACK STRIPE Awarded to both father and child for father being a Tribal or Fed Council officer.

NATURAL/ RED STRIPE Night Off for Big Tau (Mom). Father and child plan, purchase, cook and serve dinner for the family. The kitchen and dishes must be cleaned and the son/ daughter will give blessing. Big Tau writes simple report to the Tribe Chief to acknowledge this award.

GREEN/ BLACK STRIPE Father and child must start a fire without the use of matches or lighter at a Federation-sponsored camp out. 

NATURAL/ BLUE STRIPE Take an overnight camping trip and cook a meal over a fire (Longhouse weekends qualify).

NATURAL/ BROWN STRIPE Make one of the following: Moccasins; Bead design; Peace pipe; Tomahawk.

NATURAL/ BLACK STRIPE Bring a new family into the program, host or attend a recruiting event.

BLUE/ BLACK STRIPE Child with father’s help, must write and submit a smoke signal article to the Smoke Signal Chief.

RED/ BLACK STRIPE Open Feather. Each family decides what duty must be completed to earn this feather.

Your best, honest effort should be made to complete these during the second year.  They may also be earned during the third year of the program.

EAGLE FEATHER STRIPE Awarded for earning 13 of 16 feathers over the first two years.  Congratulations!!

You should receive the Eagle Feather Patches as shown above in your new member kit and are to be carefully cut out and placed on the back of your vest once they are awarded as shown below