Muscogee Lodge 221 Elangomat Flaps
The Nendawagan Elangomat Program is a recognition and incentive program for Elangomats proposed for Muscogee Lodge 221. Its name is derived from the Lenâpé word Nendawagan,meaning “A torch”. It is in recognition of those Arrowmen who by exceptional service as an Elangomat, serve as guide to other, newer Arrowmen, much as a torch is used to guide one through darkness. The purposes of this flap is to encourage Elangomats to stay in contact with their clan and encourage them to achieve brotherhood.
In 1997 the S25 was introduced and was the first Nendawagan flap made by Muscogee. It is their standard flap of the time, but with a yellow border. When Muscogee came out with their current standard flap back in 2007, a Nendawagan flap was made off of that design, the S37.
The flap has not served its purpose well to encourage Elangomates to boost brotherhood rates. Most youth that serve as Elangomates do not keep track of their clan and this leads to very few of this flap being earned. Over the past 5 years only two people have received this award.
The criteria for the Nendawagan flap is as follows:
1. Seal your membership in the Order through Brotherhood membership. This requirement must be completed before attending Elangomat training or serving as an Elangomat or Assistant Elangomat.
2. Attend Elangomat training, and successfully pass a written review indicating that you have adequately learned the information necessary to serve as a quality Elangomat.
3. After completing requirement 2, serve as an Assistant Elangomat for a clan of at least 8 candidates.
4. After completing requirements 2 and 3, serve as an Elangomat for a clan of at least 8 candidates.
5. For at least one year after serving as an Elangomat (requirement 4), stay in touch with each member of your clan (unless they leave the council or Scouting). Encourage their participation with their unit, their attendance of lodge and chapter functions, and their achievement of Brotherhood.
6. At least 50% of the members of your clan seals their membership in the Order through the Brotherhood. This must be completed within 2 years of the Ordeal in requirement 4, but may be completed in less time.
Muscogee Lodge S25 Elangomat Flap
Muscogee Lodge 221 S37 Elangomat Flap
Submitted by Lodge Officer Josiah Peeler
Please Leave Comments Below!
Part of the problem might be that people don’t know about the award. If we gave out a piece of paper with the requirements on it when we gave out the elangomat rounds that might encourage then to work towards that goal.
I’d like to see somebody do a similar article on the 221 Ceremonies chenille. Josiah gave such an honest take on the Elangomat flap that maybe he or someone else can do the same for that super rare super special issue.
Great job Josiah! Thank you for writing this up and for pointing out that the flaps really aren’t serving their purpose of encouraging members to serve as Elangomats. I remember some rather heated debate while I was a youth officer over the beginning of this program; I think I tried to make the point then that the only ones wanting to get the flaps would be the collectors. I’d be curious to see if the program gains any more interest, especially since there is now the Elangomat Round.