The Grand Howl is a
ceremony
A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion.
The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin '' caerimonia''.
Church and civil (secular) ...
used by
Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...
and
Brownies. It was devised by
Robert Baden-Powell
Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the worl ...
, the author of the scouting guide ''
Scouting for Boys
''Scouting for Boys: A handbook for instruction in good citizenship'' is a book on Boy Scout training, published in various editions since 1908. Early editions were written and illustrated by Robert Baden-Powell with later editions being extensi ...
'', and is based on the
Mowgli
Mowgli () is a fictional character and the protagonist of Rudyard Kipling's ''The Jungle Book'' stories. He is a feral boy from the Pench area in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, India, who originally appeared in Kipling's short story "In the Rukh" (co ...
stories in
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work.
...
's ''
Jungle Book
''The Jungle Book'' (1894) is a collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, who ...
''. In the ceremony, Cubs act out the
wolves
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; plural, : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been reco ...
greeting
Akela, the "Old Wolf", at the Council Rock and are reminded of the
Cub Scout Promise. Baden-Powell also created a Grand Howl for
Brownie Guide
Brownies are the section in the Girl Guides (or in the United States, Girl Scouts) organization for girls aged seven years old to ten years old. Exact age limits are slightly different in each organization.
History
Brownies, originally called ...
s, which was in imitation of an
owl
Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...
instead of a wolf. It has been used as an
opening
Opening may refer to:
* Al-Fatiha, "The Opening", the first chapter of the Qur'an
* The Opening (album), live album by Mal Waldron
* Backgammon opening
* Chess opening
* A title sequence or opening credits
* , a term from contract bridge
* , ...
and
closing ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. as well as a method of conveying thanks or appreciation by all sections of Scouting.
Origin
In the wild,
wolves
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; plural, : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been reco ...
howl to assemble the pack usually before and after hunts, to pass on an alarm particularly at a den site, to locate each other during a storm or while crossing unfamiliar territory, and to communicate across great distances. Grand howls had been part of social occasions since at least the 1850s.
Five years after the founding of the
Scout movement
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
, Baden-Powell and others worked on a scheme for those who were too young to join the
Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts may refer to:
* Boy Scout, a participant in the Boy Scout Movement.
* Scouting, also known as the Boy Scout Movement.
* An organisation in the Scouting Movement, although many of these organizations also have female members. There are ...
at the age of 11, initially called "Junior Scouts". By the time of the launch of the scheme, Baden-Powell had obtained the approval of his friend and neighbor, Rudyard Kipling, to use the ''Jungle Book'' as a theme. Under the name of "Wolf Cubs", the 8- to 10-year-old boys would take part in basic versions of the activities enjoyed by the older Boy Scouts, but within a background of the jungle in the Mowgli stories of Kipling's 1898 book. The Cubs would act out scenes from the stories, and the adult leaders would adopt the names of characters from the book. For example, the leader in charge would be titled
Akela, after the character
Akela who led the titular
Mowgli
Mowgli () is a fictional character and the protagonist of Rudyard Kipling's ''The Jungle Book'' stories. He is a feral boy from the Pench area in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, India, who originally appeared in Kipling's short story "In the Rukh" (co ...
's wolf pack in Kipling's novel.
Baden-Powell book, entitled ''
The Wolf Cub's Handbook
''The Wolf Cub's Handbook'' is an instructional handbook on Wolf Cubs training, published in various editions since December 1916. Early editions were written and illustrated by Robert Baden-Powell with later editions being extensively rewritten ...
'', was published on 2 December 1916. In the first chapter, he describes the following scene in ''The Jungle Book'' and provides some additional context for the Grand Howl ceremony:
Original Grand Howl
![1st World Jamboree Cubs Grand Howl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/1st_World_Jamboree_Cubs_Grand_Howl.jpg)
The original instructions for the Grand Howl, described by Vera Barclay and Baden-Powell in ''The Wolf Cub's Handbook''.
:Scouter: ''"Pack - Pack - Pack!"'' This calls the Cubs into a Parade Circle.
The Cubs reply as they run to their places in the circle.
:Cubs: ''"Pack!"''
As the Scouter enters the circle, the Cubs squat down on their heels
with their "fore paws" on the ground between their feet and their knees out on either side.
:Cubs: ''"Ah-kay-la! We-e-e-e-ll do-o-o-o o-o-o-u-u-r BEST!"'' On the word "BEST", the Cubs jump to their feet with two fingers of each hand at the sides of their heads, to resemble a wolf's ears.
:A
Sixer: ''"Dyb - dyb - dyb -dyb"'' The word "dyb" means "Do Your Best"
circle around leader DYB DYB DOB which is the first part of the Cub Promise and was the original Wolf Cub
motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
.
On the fourth "dyb", the Cubs lower their left hands and the fingers of their right hands extend to form the
Wolf Cub salute.
:Cubs: ''"We-e-e-e-ll dob-dob-dob-dob"'', meaning "We'll do our best".
[
]
National variants
United Kingdom
In 1966, a complete review of the UK Scout Association
The Scout Association is the largest Scouting organisation in the United Kingdom and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origin of Scouting in 1907, the association was for ...
, ''The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report
The Boy Scouts Association's ''The Chief Scout's Advance Party Report 1966'' attempted to address the association's falling enrolment numbers and modernise its programs. It resulted in changes from traditional iconic uniforms, changes to awards, ...
'', recommended that less emphasis be placed on the ''Jungle Book'' for Wolf Cubs, who were to be renamed Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...
. Although the Grand Howl was to be retained, it was revised, replacing the "dybs" with plain language to "make the significance clearer to parents and public".[ (p. 20)] The recommendations were accepted and began to be implemented in October 1966. The revised Grand Howl is as follows:
:Pack in circle.
:Cub Scout Leader in centre, arms outstretched facing Sixer;
:Cub Scout Leader arms down;
:Pack squats.
:Pack: ''"Akela! We'll do our best"''.
:Sixer: ''"Cubs! Do your best"''.
:Cubs: ''"We ''will'' do our best"'', giving the Scout salute (which had replaced the two-finger salute
The two-finger salute is a salute given using only the middle and index fingers, while bending the other fingers at the second knuckle, and with the palm facing the signer. This salute is used by the Polish Armed Forces, other uniformed services ...
in the Cub Section).[
Following a further programme review between 2000 and 2002, the Grand Howl became optional, allowing Packs to adopt themes other than the Jungle Book - although local groups had always adapted the ceremony.]
The independent Baden-Powell Scouts' Association
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association (''B-PSA'') is a worldwide youth organisation originating in the United Kingdom, with friendly relationships with similar traditional scouting organisations in various countries. Baden-Powell Scouting focuses ...
and British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association continue with the original Grand Howl.
United States
The Cub Scout programme of the Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
and Brownies of the Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized a ...
have used the traditional Grand Howl as a "special recognition ceremony" with the person being honoured (a guest, parent or member of the Pack), standing in the centre of the circle. In addition, a Short Grand Howl can be used as follows:
Canada
The Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...
of Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association providing programs for young people, aged 5 to 26, with the stated aim "to help develop well rounded youth, better prepared for success in the world". Scouts Canada, in affiliation with the Frenc ...
use the traditional Grand Howl. The following version is used in French speaking
French ( or ) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin ...
Packs:
Australia
The Grand Howl used by the Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...
of Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia is a trading name of The Scout Association of Australia, which is the largest scouting organisation in Australia, with an estimated 55,038 youth participants in 2021, and a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movemen ...
is as follows:
New Zealand
The Grand Howl used by the Cubs of Scouts New Zealand
Scouts Aotearoa, known internationally as Scouts Aotearoa New Zealand is a trading name of The Scout Association of New Zealand, the national Scouting association in New Zealand and an affiliate of the World Organization of the Scout Movement ...
is identical to the version currently used in the United Kingdom.
Brownies
A junior section of Girl Guide
Girl Guides (known as Girl Scouts in the United States and some other countries) is a worldwide movement, originally and largely still designed for girls and women only. The movement began in 1909 when girls requested to join the then-grassroot ...
s started in 1914 in the United Kingdom, under the name of "Rosebuds"; this name was disliked by girls and it was soon amended to Brownies, being themed on the story by Juliana Ewing. In Baden-Powell's 1918 book, "Girl Guiding: A Handbook for Brownies, Guides and Rangers", the Grand Howl is described as "the grandest salute a Pack ''(of Brownies)'' can give, and is only for ''very'' special occasions". Baden-Powell describes how the Brownies should begin in a squatting position, in the same way as the Cub equivalent, but repeating "Tu-whit, tu-whit, Tu-whoo-oo" three times, each time getting louder and rising higher, until at the end of the third repetition, the Brownies were to jump in the air and clap their hands above their heads.
In the United Kingdom, the 1966 report called '' Tomorrow's Guide'' by a Working Party set up to revise and update the programme of the Girl Guides Association
Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association, previously named The Girl Guides Association and is the national guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest girl-only youth organisation. Girlguiding is a char ...
, recommended a reduction in the number of ceremonies used by Brownies; the Grand Howl was not retained. The Brownie Grand Howl is still used by the Girl Guides of Canada
Girl Guides of Canada (GGC; french: Guides du Canada) is the national Guiding association of Canada. Guiding in Canada started on September 7, 1910, and GGC was among the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (W ...
.
Cultural impact
A Wolf Cub Grand Howl takes place in George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...
's ''A Clergyman's Daughter
''A Clergyman's Daughter'' is a 1935 novel by English author George Orwell. It tells the story of Dorothy Hare, the clergyman's daughter of the title, whose life is turned upside down when she suffers an attack of amnesia. It is Orwell's most f ...
''.
See also
* Campfire ash ceremony
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Instructional video of the Grand Howl by The Scout Association (United Kingdom)
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233143/https://members.scouts.org.uk/startup/videos/Cub-Ceremony.wmv , date=3 March 2016
Scouting events
Squatting position