My Stint With The WOLF CUB MOVEMENT IN BR. GUIANA!
Mimbari
The Wolf Cubs!
Our Motto:
I Promise To Do My Best
For God & My Country
And To Help Somebody Everyday!
The Wolf Cub Chant:
Ah-Kay-Lah,
We'll Do Our Best.
Dib-Dib-Dib-Dib,
We'll Dub-Dub-Dub-Dub.
Which basically mean: We Will Do Our Best At All Times!.
I Remember:
Yes, I was once a Wolf Cub in Pack #16. Which was headed by Ms. De
Lima our Scout Mistress in those formative years of mine. We weret a
pack or group of youngsters/teens, in the compound of The St. Philips
Church, an (Anglican Diocese Church). Every Wednesday of every week,
around 5.00pm. There we assembled as a team of Boy Scouts, supervised
by our Scout Master or Masters, who were Older Scouts in the Scout
Movement. They were our Role Models, and we all aspired to be like
them eventually, when attained the age of 16 years. Those years were
memorable ones, and i often winder if the Scout or Cub movement is
still active in Guyana, my homeland.
I recall a Scout Jamboree event when I was a Cub, I cannot remember
what year it was. But I can recall singing the Jamboree Song for that
50 year commemoration at the Dorcas Club Hall, where thousands of
scouts assembled and celebrated our fifty years of scouting in the
British Empire. Incidentally, the British Boys Scout Movement was
founded by Lord Baden Powell. I cannot recall what year it was, but as
a child growing up in British Guiana (at that time), it was expected
that all Christian orientated young boys aught to become or have the
opportunity to serve within the Scout Movement. preferably from the
level of Boy Scout or Cub, and graduate to the Boy Scouts.
ORIENTATION:
When I was inducted in The Boy Scouts group at that time, we learned
how to be good Christians, how to camp out in the open, how to make a
fire and cook in the open spaces or forested areas, how to assemble or
set-up a tent, how to tie knots, how to cook and swim, and how to
march in step as a group, and perform certain ceremonial parades in
public as representatives of The Scout Movement.
I never learned how to swim, even after several efforts were made by
my buddies to teach me. But I was too scared to learn, and my Scout
master and Mistress, never pushed or forced me to do it either!
As far as I can recall, we never discussed sexuality, sexual
preferences, religious preferences, or politics. Those things were
considered the domain for adults only. As Boy Scouts or Cubs, as we
were categorized, we were expected to show respect at all times for
our elders, leaders, and instructors. Ask questions when we did not
understand anything, and participate in all activities when asked to
do so, Regardless of whether our parents were able to afford any
monetary contributions that may be asked of them.
OUR KIT:
We were expected to pay for our individual uniforms, which consisted
of a Cub Cap, two short trousers, two short sleeved shirts to go with
them, a leather belt with the scout's symbol, a pair of black shoes,
with black or dark brown socks as prescribed. A neck Tie or scaft
(also prescribed), a whistle, (prescribed), and a languard, or cord
that goes under your right arm and up your shoulder lapel.
My Departure:
I left or graduated the Wolf Cub troupe at 15 years, and was unable to
join the Boy Scouts movement, because I had to seek employment to help
out my Mom with the home's expenses. So I never had that experience.
But I often wondered how it would have been with the Boy Scouts or
(older Guys), had I gotten the opportunity. So every time I hear about
discrimination against Gays-Homos, Lesbians, and Atheists. I shudder
to think that in my time, there was no such thing ever mentioned or
even contemplated.
Incidentally, we also had A Girl Guide Movement, A Sea Scouts
Movement, and an Elite Scout movement that was associated with The
Queens College, in British Guiana at that time. This group got a lot
of press for their Orchestral & Drum Brigade.
Derryck S. Griffith
Former Boy Scout/Cub.