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Oo Yum Buli Lodge 468 (1952 - 1993)

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Twenty years after the Mt Diablo Council was organized, the Order of the Arrow in Berkeley was officially established on January 9-10, 1952.

 

The Order of the Arrow started in 1915 but was slow to start in the Mt Diablo Council. The Wolfeboro Pioneers as a service group were active in our council and in serving this council’s needs. But our Council grew with mergers and expansions and there was a need for both.  In late 1951, Oo Yum Buli Lodge 468 was organized by a committee of three arrowmen who lived within the boundaries of the Mt. Diablo Council, but who had been inducted into other lodges. They were Frank Harris, Gil Talmadge (Unami Lodge #1, “The Founders Finder”) and Arthur Meyer (Royaneh Lodge #282 as well as California’s first Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster of SF Troop 17).  Having received approval to form a new lodge, the three founders, along with 37 candidates, met at San Francisco’s Camp Lilienthal (in the town of Fairfax) on the weekend of January 9-10, 1952 where the installation ceremony was conducted by members of Royaneh Lodge.  The first Lodge officers were: Alan Lindsey (Lodge Chief), Jim Wakeman (Scribe), Rusty Bowers (Treasurer).  The first event as a lodge was the Area Conclave at Camp Lilienthal on April 19-20 where Oo Yum Buli had the responsibility of the fellowship committee.

 

In 1952 when Oo Yum Buli received our first charter from the National Council, it was for Lodge #467.  This remained true for the next year, but the National Council discovered an error and changed our number from 467 to 468.  The lodge totem is the Golden Eagle. Each of our patches has this totem as well as four colored rays. These four rays originally represented the four original villages of our lodge: Moluk (Red), Wek-Wek (Green), Sika (Yellow) and Sumi (Blue).  With the addition of the Ole Li-Li village in the early 1960’s, its’ color was the white background.  In 1987, this was changed. The border was changed to red to represent the lodge and the rays were changed to represent the current four villages.  Our flap has the Golden Eagle sitting in front of an arrowhead and Mt. Diablo.

 

Oo Yum Buli uses the Costanoan language for all of its Vigil Honor names.  Oo Yo Buli, in the Costanoan language, means “Spirit of the Mountain”.  Spirit peak is a synonym for Mt. Diablo. Diablo is from the Spanish meaning devil. The mountain has always been known to have evil spirits. The Indians called the mountain PUY, which means “Evil Spirits”.  Later they called it KAH WOO KOOM, which means laughing mountain.

Our newsletter, “The Kap-Itu”, also gets its name from the Costanoan language meaning “Arrow Chips”.  In 1973 our lodge opened up a new historic trail . The trail leads you through the hills above Berkeley and El Cerrito and represents the expedition of white men through this area.  Through the efforts of member Ralph Fox he created the Fages trail and made it a big success.  The lodge has been honored with many awards. We have received the “Most Indian Lodge Award” four times -in 1969, 1972, 1976, and in 1984. The Section Conclave award was received in 1983. The Lodge ceremonial team has also brought home some very prestigious awards.  At the 1986 NOAC, the team received top awards for the portrayal of Kichkinet, Meteu, and Allowat Sakima.  At the 1988 NOAC, the team received first in the Nation for the Brotherhood Ceremony, and presented the first Brotherhood Ceremony for their brothers at a NOAC. That year they also received top honors for the individual portrayals of the four principals.

 

In September 1992, the Silverado Area Council and Mt. Diablo Council merged and became the MT. DIABLO SILVERADO AREA COUNCIL. We now had Two Lodges and one Council! In the Spring 1993, the executive committees of Swegedaigea Lodge #263 and Oo Yum Buli Lodge #468 met and agreed to recommend to their respective memberships that the two Lodges become ONE!

 

Forty-one years after it was formed in 1952, the last official business of Oo Yum Buli Lodge took place in July 1993. Oo Yum Buli would merge with Swegedaigea Lodge 263 to form Ut-in Selica Lodge 58 of the Mt Diablo Silverado Council in August 1993.

Venturing

Sea Scouts

Exploring

International

Highlander

Shooting Sport

STEM

Scouting for Food

Order of the Arrow

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