The Ile Camera
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Boy Scout builds Fire Council Ring
By E.L. Conley, The Ile Camera
PUBLISHED: November 26, 2004
Photo by E.L. Conley
Ross Schmaeman of Grosse Ile Boy Scout Pack 1261 built the Native American circle for his eagle badge.
About 30 people came to the Grosse Ile Nature Center for a special dedication celebrating a Native American tradition: the dedication of a Fire Council Ring.
Boy Scout Ross Schmaeman of Grosse Ile built it for his Eagle Scout badge under the direction of Kay McGowan.
McGowan, who is a local anthropologist and is a Cherokee and Choctaw Native American, dedicated the council ring with her sister Fay Givens and Native American Dean Pate, a member of the Ponca Tribe. Schmaeman, 14, was given the idea by Bruce Jones of the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy and spent 50 hours working on the ring by himself and 50 more with other Scouts and volunteers. He expects to receive his Eagle Scout badge next summer. Schmaeman successfully put something together that relates to the history of Native Americans.
The fire in the center of the council ring represents the world and oneself and the interrelation of all that lives in the circle of life.
The stones from the circle were collected from all over Grosse Ile and hold an account of time and record of all that has happened on Turtle Island, the Native American name for Grosse Ile.
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