The Degree of Pocahontas are the

female auxiliary Fraternal orders often have "side degrees", auxiliaries or appendant (as opposed to primary). Some of these are created as female "sister organizations", youth organizations or side degrees proper which are organizations associated with or within t ...

of the

Improved Order of Red Men The Improved Order of Red Men is a List of civic, fraternal, service, and professional organizations, fraternal organization established in North America in 1834. It claims direct descent from the colonial era Sons of Liberty. Their rituals and ...

, an American fraternal order.Schmidt, Alvin J. ''Fraternal Organizations'' Westport, CT; Greenwood Press p.260 Despite using names based on common non-Native ideas about Native Americans, it was formed solely by and for white women. Membership is now open to patriotic American women of every race.

History

The Degree was founded in

Elmira, New York Elmira () is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in and the county seat of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses Chemung County. ...

. The idea of creating a female Degree was first broached in the early 1850s, however it wasn't until the IORMs "Great Council" of 1885 that Degree was approved. The first local chapter was the Wenonah Council, #1 of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, whose "Council Fire was lighted on the 28th Sleep of Cold Moon, G. S. D. 396 (February 28, 1887) at the 828 Red Men's Wigwam Race Street in that city."

Organization

Local units are called "Councils" and meeting places " Tepees". The president of a local Council is called "

Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...

" and is assisted by a "

Powatan Powhatan people () are Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands who belong to member tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy, or Tsenacommacah. They are Algonquian peoples whose historic territories were in eastern Virginia. Their Powhata ...

", a male counselor. The immediate past president is called a "Prophetess".Schmidt p.261 Other officials of a local Council include the "Wenonah", the "Keeper of

Wampum Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. It includes white shell beads hand-fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell and white and purple beads made from the quahog or Western ...

" and the "Keeper of Records".Preuss p.110 The state level of the organization is similar to the local level. Statewide organizations are called "Great Councils"National Officers Degree of Pocahontas
/ref> and their presidents are called "Great Pocahontases". The National Degree of Pocahontases is made up of Past Great Pocahontases and elects a Board of Great Chiefs from its number. The Board of Great Chiefs consists of seven officers: "National Pocahontas", "National Wenonah", "National

Minnehaha Minnehaha is a Native American woman documented in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1855 epic poem ''The Song of Hiawatha''. She is the lover of the titular protagonist Hiawatha and comes to a tragic end. The name, often said to mean "laughing wat ...

", " National Prophetess", "National Keeper of Records", "National Keeper of Wampum" and "National Collector of Wampum". This board operates under the supervision and authority of the Great Council of the United States of the IORM. A youth auxiliary was founded in 1952, the Degree of Anona. This degree was not very popular, however, mustering only 90 local Councils and less than 5,000 members in 1979, principally in

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

Membership

In 1907 the Degree had 26,000 members. As of January 1, 1921, the Degree claimed 120,000 members, averaging approximately 70 per each Council. In 1977 there were 22,827 members which represented a drop of 1,731 from the previous "two Great Suns", or two years. In the early 1920s, membership was open only to white women over 18, who were of good moral character and "a firm belief evidenced by life and act, and not mere declaration alone in the existence in the

Great Spirit The Great Spirit is an omnipresent supreme life force, generally conceptualized as a supreme being or god, in the traditional religious beliefs of many, but not all, indigenous cultures in Canada and the United States. Interpretations of it v ...

– God – in whose hands all power is, and to whom all are accountable."

Ritual

The order has a secret ritual, signs and passwords. New members are required to attend an initiation ceremony. The Degree's sign of recognition was a right hand raised to face level with the two fore fingers extended, the last two fingers closed, and the thumb on the third finger, signifying "Who are you?" The correct answer was the same gesture with the left hand meaning "A friend".Preuss pp.109-10

Political activity

They have provided financial support to fight communism.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Organizations established in 1887 Improved Order of Red Men Women's organizations based in the United States 1887 establishments in New York (state) Elmira, New York