The six Frontier Week tribes have been named!

Following breakfast, the teams gathered in their meeting spots to choose a Native American tribe after which to name themselves for the duration of Frontier Week. Presenting your Frontier Week 2024 tribes: Royal blue Mohegan, White Yahi, Navy blue Creek, Black Modoc, Red Shakori, and Green Ojibwe.

Now known by their tribe names, rather than by the color of their Chief’s shirt, the teams scattered to their campsites to begin the monumental task of clearing debris, gathering sticks, and planning their shelters. The campsites are located in the woods that surround Owego. While there are paths by which to reach these sites, they are cluttered with the remnants of a long, cold winter. Skeletons of last summer’s Frontier Week shelters still remain, but each tribe must start this process with a clean slate.

The rakes came out, the gloves slipped on, and every member of the tribe got to work. The youngest campers were sent into the surrounding woods to gather sticks. They marched back to their campsites, arms full of kindling, both for shelter building and for fire starting which will become essential to cook tribe meal on night 4. Older campers cleared the debris, gathered larger logs for the actual structure, and put their heads together to design a shelter that will fit the entire tribe. This Frontier Week business requires all hands on deck!

After lunch and a break from the campsites for Rest Hour, the tribes split up to tackle various tasks. Many team members returned to the campsites to continue shelter prep, while others reported to Arts & Crafts where groups of about 5 created a banner that represented the tribe’s name as well as its traditions. These artists had one hour to plan the banner’s design (based on the factual information researched about each tribe), sketch it out with pencil, and paint it to look colorful and bold. Then the banners had to dry. Battery-powered clip-on fans were retrieved from bunks and some team members were assigned to “drying duty” while others painted feverishly. At the one hour mark, all supplies were surrendered and the banners were finished.

All of Owego gathered at the Stage for the Banner Presentation. One by one, each tribe stood before the crowd and proudly displayed its banner. Head coaches and Chiefs spoke to the audience about their tribe’s history and traditions, and how they mirror our values at Owego. Medicine Men, Warriors, and Scouts held the banners high for everyone to see. The banners depicted rivers, forests, bears, alligators, eagles, owls, and, most significantly, the colors of the six tribes in competition. Each tribe spoke of the bonds that hold us Owegans together. Though we compete as six different teams during Frontier Week, we will soon be reunited as one camp.

The evening’s main attraction was the always popular Tug-of-War competition. Six tribes in a round-robin tournament, vying for rope supremacy. While the campers dug in their heels and pulled with all their might, coaches and counselors ran back and forth along the rope imploring the campers to “Pull!” and “Get low!” Modoc had the most impressive showing, winning all but one of their match-ups, but all of the tribes celebrated at least one win. Some match-ups were closer than others! But it was a real treat to see Juniors sprinkled in with Seniors and Hi-Seniors, all working towards a common goal. Everyone’s effort counted, and everyone on the team contributed.

That’s what Frontier Week is all about.