Tschitanek Woakus
The lodge is comprised of 7 local chapters, each covering a designated service area within the boundaries of the Indian Waters Council. An Arrowman’s chapter is determined based on the district (of the council) in which their unit is chartered, and much of the lodge program and administration are organized around chapter membership (e.g., competitions at the Fellowships, Unit Election Team visits). When a chapter is initially established, the members choose a fitting name, which is both distinctive and provides some level of identity for the chapter members.
Service Area
The Chinquapin District of the Indian Waters Council, covering Lexington and Saluda counties (Lexington School Districts 1, 2, 3 & 4). The district is home to Camp Barstow, just outside Saluda on the Little Saluda River, a tributary of Lake Murray. A chinquapin is the edible nut of the Chinquapin tree[1], a relative of the American chestnut and a native of the Southeast[2].
Chapter Name Etymology
The founding members of the chapter used a bit of linguistic license in combining the literal words from the Lenapi language, “tschitanek” and “woakus”, to form a calque meaning “fast gray fox”[1][2]. Of course, the Lenapi word for "fox" was chosen by the chapter as an homage to the Muscogee Lodge #221 totem, the red fox.
The unofficial story of the name's origin suggests the chapter assembled in front of the fireplace at Camp Barstow (Gaston), where they elected their first chapter chief, who was also an accomplished high school cross-country runner. So the story goes, the chapter chose "fast fox" out of respect for their chapter chief - and as a bit of an inside joke.
1“Chinquapin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chinquapin. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.
2Phelps, Emma. “Have You Ever Heard of a Chinquapin?” Southern Living, 20 July 2021, www.southernliving.com/food/nuts/chinquapin-nut.
3“Lenni Lenape Word List”. oa-bsa.org, Boy Scouts of America, 9/29/2015, https://oa-bsa.org/uploads/publications/LenniLenapeWordList.pdf.
4Chamberlain, Alexander F. “Significations of Certain Algonquian Animal-Names.” JSTOR.org, American Anthropologist, Oct. – Dec., 1901, New Series, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Oct. – Dec., 1901), p. 672, https://www.jstor.org/stable/659087.
Contact Leadership
Each chapter has an elected Chapter Chief, Vice Chief, and Secretary, with guidance provided by their selected adviser. Chapter members should contact their Chapter Chief with any questions or to schedule a unit election visit.
Chapter Chief
Chapter Vice Chief
Chapter Secretary
Chapter Adviser
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