More Scouts

Still working on this new body of images. I've been interested in the way scouting, among many other organizations, take in the native american culture and manipulate it to serve their needs.

Comments

[Blake Praytor]

Would you be so kind as to clarify your statement, " take in the native american culture and manipulate it to serve their needs".

[Rod]

Hi Blake,

The work looks at the way the Boy Scouts have adopted Native Culture, specifically the way the Order of the Arrow uses imagery and myths that are taken directly from the Delaware Indians, and adapt them to instill values of service and brotherhood to its participants. I don't want this body of work to be taken as an outside criticism of the Boy Scouts, in fact I have a great fondness of the organization, and as a young adult spent a lot of time and energy dressed up in the same regalia. The work is still in-progress, but I think it should be examined and thought about by the organization and my goal is to perhaps point out some of the irony and strangeness.