INTERNATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL FLAME CEREMONY

Girl Scouts come from many lands
All with smiles and helping hands
Though they speak a different way
The Law and Promise they obey.

I light the BLACK candle in friendship for all the black skinned Girl Scouts and Guides in the world. Watch the flame closely, please.

I light the RED candle in friendship for all the red skinned Girl Scouts and Guides in the world. Watch the flame closely, please.

I light the WHITE candle in friendship for all the white skinned Girl Scouts and Guides in the world. Watch the flame closely, please.

I light the BROWN candle in friendship for all the brown skinned Girl Scouts and Guides in the world. Watch the flame closely, please.

Have you noticed the light from one candle is the same as the others, even though the outside coloring is different on each one?

The culture of the nations varies from one to another. This is necessary, but we all have basic needs. We wish to be recognized, to be called by name, and to be loved.

Continents and oceans are easily spanned, bringing the world closer to us. Let us all strive each day to highlight the ideals of international friendship and understanding.

Let’s close by saying together the "Girl Scout Promise" and sing "Make New Friends".

Black, Red, White and Brown Candle
A log with holes in it for the candles or candle holders
Matches

Potlatch is a ceremonial exchange of gifts practiced by Indians of the Pacific Northwest.

The Potlatch ceremony stems from a legend explaining why birds have colored feathers, Two Indian girls plucked the feathers from a magic bird they met in the forest. They shared these colored feathers with the colorless birds that lived in the forest. From that time on birds have had brightly colored feathers and these simple gifts were remembered at Potlatch Ceremonies.

The Indians celebrating this ceremony made beautiful gifts to exchange with other families. To invite another family to their ceremony the host tribe would send a bundle of twigs containing the exact number of family members to be invited. After lots of singing, storytelling and eating it was time for gift giving. The gifts were always beautifully made with lots of color, beads, feathers and ribbons. After the gift giving they would sit around the campfire and tell yet another story.

1.		Explain to the other leaders about the invitation so you’ll have enough sticks and gifts for each girl.
2.		Decide which troop will bring what for the snack and drink.
3.		Decide I you want to hold it outside with a fire or inside at the meeting place. (You do not have to have a fire)
4.		Discuss gifts so you both don’t make the same thing.
5.		Most important of all is to have fun. Get into the spirit of giving.

1.		Tell them the story. Ask if they would like to have a Potlatch ceremony.
2.		Make you stick bundle, tie with any of the following: leather, yarn, ribbon. Add feathers, beads, whatever you can find. Add a small slip of paper telling when and where. Deliver to their meeting, knock on the door and leave. Don’t let them see you. Try to schedule it no more than two weeks from when you leave the bundle.
3.		Make your gift (you might want to make two, one to give, one to keep)
4.		Plan lost of fun songs, circle games and a few stories.
5.		Give the girls time just to talk and visit.
6.		Don’t forget to enjoy yourselves.