As we sat upon the Images one Sunday night last summer, the lake still and quiet after an afternoon rain, the sun glowing pink in a haze, we were invited by our Middlers to contemplate change. It was a timely reflection, and the quotes and poems that the campers chose to share during Vespers focused on the importance of courage and resilience in the face of change, a sure sign of the times they are living in, but also of the hope that change can bring about positive and profound transformation. Rather than something to be feared, the Middler campers invited us to consider change not as loss, but as an opportunity we are given to grow towards a fuller expression of who we are.
At Camp, challenges presented by the global pandemic demanded immediate modification and innovation to ensure we could remain a nurturing, empowering – and healing – summer home for campers. In 2020, the support and determination of our Wawenock family enabled us to embrace change in spite of both fear of the unknown and some apprehension about what could be lost in the process of adapting a program grounded in long-standing tradition and rituals. We examined and then maintained our core values while becoming open to new possibilities, and with careful consideration, deep intention, and candid conversations our camp family experienced one of the most joyful summer seasons!
Emboldened by the success of the 2020 season and the many lessons we learned, we were able to design an experience in 2021 in which things more or less felt “normal” in spite of a few continued tweaks. Some changes to Camp we understand to be temporary, but we also now delight in the understanding that our identity and our transformation are not mutually exclusive. We know who we are, now more than ever, and as such we can continue the process of self-reflection and begin to seek out those changes that will strengthen us as we lean into the future.
As the Middlers reminded us, the changes that are hardest for us might be the very ones we most need to make. Wawenock spirit has endured and sustained us for 112 years. It is a daring and imaginative spirit that has enabled us to not only survive historically formidable times, but to emerge stronger and more vital than ever. As Maxie, Senior staff member, said in her Vespers speech, “Change is the only constant in life…By sharing our experiences we can prepare ourselves and those we care about for the changes that will come, and we will be ready, because whatever life throws at us, we’ve got this!”
The spirit of “we’ve got this” and the acceptance of “change” forced on us due to the pandemic, gave us the fortitude and confidence to reflect on and assess other aspects of Camp, to ensure all that we do aligns with our values and allow us to be an inclusive community committed to belonging and respect for others.
Whether you’ve been to Camp once or twenty-one times, universally we all love the land here in Maine – the lakes, the rivers, the forests, the mountains, and the ocean – there’s no better place to have a camp experience. If you close your eyes, you can probably elicit the smell of the pines, the feel of the summer breeze on your face, the sound of the waves lapping at the shore of Sebago. We have a deep connection to and respect for the gift of this land. The respect for the land and the desire to preserve it for future generations has been embedded in our camp program and psyche since its inception, when Dr. Kendall – a naturalist, biologist, artist and writer – saw this as a perfect place to explore and teach young people about nature.
Recently we’ve been learning and recognizing that there were people on this land, who loved this land for over 10,000+ years before us. These are our neighbors – The Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac and Maliseet, who together make up the Wabanaki Alliance – and they too still love this land. We recognize the need to learn more about Wabanaki people and history and find ways to build bridges. We are just beginning this journey – and we know it has promise to help us be better stewards of the land, as well as better mentors and educators of young people.
Last Spring, we identified that a good place to start was to assess traditions at Camp and felt we should look judiciously at areas of appropriation of Native American culture. Specifically, we engaged the staff and campers in a process to consider our “Tribes” and the “Council Fire” ceremony which takes place at the beginning of the camp season to welcome first time campers into their “Tribe”.
Campers and Staff have long had agency in making this “their camp” – the power in their agency teaches them to think critically and work together to create solutions to make this Camp a community to which we are all proud to belong. Having heard from Penobscot Nation Tribal Ambassador, Maulian Dana, how appropriating traditions from their culture hurts Indigenous People, campers and staff felt compelled to make change. (Click here to listen to a TedX Talk by Maulian Dana) We wanted to help tell the real story of Indigenous People who lived in this area, and modify our camp tradition so that we don’t perpetuate inaccurate information and wrongly take from native culture, while also preserving the tradition that many campers at Wawenock have come to know and love. We also wanted to honor our alumnae who current campers feel connected to through long held special camp traditions.
Just as we had for many aspects of camp life during pandemic impacted summers, we worked together as a camp family to distill down what the important aspects were of our Council Fire Ceremony. In addition, campers identified aspects they felt were important to change. What emerged is our newly named “Commitment Ceremony” where, through much of the same pomp and circumstance, first time campers now officially become part of their ‘Team’ – the Wawenocks or the Owaissans – and receive their commitment pin – an orange sun for the Wawenocks or a blue wave for the Owaissans.
We talk with staff and campers about the importance of having a growth mindset, in their camp activities as well as in life. It is through our mistakes that we learn, and if we stay committed and curious we have the opportunity to become a better version of ourselves today than we were yesterday. We are so proud of our campers and staff for approaching change so bravely and thoughtfully, and for continuing to work together to ensure that Wawenock is a safe welcoming space for campers, staff, and directors alike to learn and grow together. Maya Angelou sums it up well in this quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Pictured above are the pins given to campers and staff for Commitment Ceremony – a blue wave for the Owaissans, an orange sun for the Wawenocks, and a sun setting on the lake for staff. All campers in 2021 received a pin and going forward first-time campers will receive a pin as they are officially welcomed onto their team.