Ancient Hunter

The Ancient Hunter theme in our logos and ceremonies is based on some recent deep thinking about the Ordeal.

It was established truth 50 years ago that the four tests of the Ordeal are not specifically American Indian based, are universal in character, are primitive, and exist in the modern world as well as ancient history and even pre-history.

In the modern world, spending time alone in nature remains important to many, particularly to prepare for or accept change.  Parents help even young children to experience being helpful.  Fasting and silence have spiritual value in current culture.  But the four do not usually appear together, except in the Ordeal.

In late 2023 we pondered:  Did the four ever exist together in ancient times?  Our answer is the story we call an Ancient Hunter.

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We thought some of you might like to see the picture of the ancient rock art from which our Ancient Hunter logo was derived. We flipped it left to right, removed the (rather distracting) background, and moved the figures closer together so they would be larger in the circle. But you can see that our logo was lifted from the work of an actual ancient human drawing of a hunter, painted in ocher on rock.

Story of an Ancient Hunter

Long ago an ancient hunter
with his family fled from danger
fleeing to a place they’d heard of
many hard days walk in peril.

SOLITUDE

Days they walked with small children who
scared the game they might of eaten.
To feed them he must hunt alone;
spent that night alone in darkness.

SERVICE

So alone that ancient hunter
woke at first light, met the challenge.
Labored long to feed this family.
Followed game paths through the thickets.
Did not falter as he tired.

FASTING

That ancient hunter did not gripe.
Cheerfully he ate but little.
Hunger did not blunt his purpose;
it focused him on his hunting.
Fasted as he helped his family.

SILENCE

As the ancient hunter traveled,
moved silently, spoke not a word.
Listened to the sounds of nature
for his guidance as he hunted.

CELEBRATION

The ancient hunter brought them food.
Great their feast to life and future.
Great their fire in the evening
celebrating ties together.

This story is the foundation of our Pre-Ordeal Ceremony.  The candidates are told that they must learn the Ways of that hunter and undertake the same Quest.  The above story ends in celebration yet is actually unfinished.   It leaves the hunter and his family still traveling toward a hoped-for place to live.  The story is concluded toward the end of our Membership Ceremony.  It introduces the final act of Brotherhood that elevates members to Fletcher.