Iswa
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 Henry Shelor District of the Indian Waters Council covers the western border of the Pee Dee region in Lee, Sumter, and Clarendon counties. The district’s namesake, Henry Harby Shelor (1905-1990), was a resident of Clarendon county and a strong promoter of the BSA. In 1950, Mr. Shelor’s donation to the Pee Dee Area Council provided for the creation of Camp Henry Shelor, a lakefront Scouting camp on Lake Marion.
Chapter Name Etymology
The Catawba Native American tribe originally inhabited land on the banks of the Catawba River, just within the northern border of present day South Carolina. They were among the largest, most significant of the tribes to the east of the Cherokee territory, numbering as many as 7,000 individuals[1]. The Catawba referred to themselves as ye iswa (“ye” people + “iswa” river), which translates to “people of the river” in the Catawban language.[2] The people of the river lend their name to the Catawba River[3], which continues as the Wateree River, eventually emptying into Lake Marion, marking the inland border of South Carolina’s Pee Dee region and the Henry Shelor District.
1Mooney, James. “Myths of the Cherokee: Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology .” Washington Government Printing Office, 1902.
2Brammer, John Paul. “Native American Two Spirit Fights to Keep Tribe’s Language Alive.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 8 May 2017, https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/native-american-two-spirit-fights-keep-tribe-s-language-alive-n755471.
3Scaife, Hazel Lewis. “History and Condition of the Catawba Indians of South Carolina,” Office of Indian Rights Association, Philadelphia, PA, 1896.
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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Muscogee Lodge #116 proudly serves the Indian Waters Council, BSA, across