They have so many fond memories together. He picks her up after work and they leave for the weekend, eager to spend quality time camping, canoeing and building stronger bonds. He’s shown her how to build a fire so many times that she can do it herself now. She’s grown so fast and learned so much, that this change is bittersweet for him at times…but that has been the purpose of this exercise: To raise his daughter to be a strong, self-sufficient woman who will break her own arrow, throw it in the fire and move on with confidence, grace and an understanding of her place in the world.
The slogan of the Indian Princess program sponsored by the YMCA is “Friends Always,” which means that father and daughter have a close, enduring relationship with communication, understanding, and companionship. The program provides a way for fathers and daughters from five to twelve years old to share unique experiences and have fun together.
Parkland’s local Chippewa tribe embodies the Indian Princess principles of service to each other, their family and their community. Individual tribes are the building blocks of the Nation. Each tribe is a unit that plans events based on the interests of the members and meets several times a month. We meet the Chippewa at a craft night, where each girl decorates a sash to wear at campouts and assemblies. Each daughter and father has an “Indian” name, which they’ve chosen for themselves, and the girls giggle as they write it in pipe cleaners, glue or glitter…typical little ladies. The dads socialize, interact with their daughters offering an idea or two, but mostly they are happy to be involved in something away from the monotony of financial planning, surgery or courtroom drama. You can tell that each man in the room is relaxed and enjoying quality time with his little girl.
Flash Lightning (Dr. Bruce Fletcher) says, “We do community service so the girls can appreciate helping others. We’ve done blood drives, meals on wheels, helped homeless shelters and the Salvation Army. And we also go on campouts.” His oldest daughter, Sweet Princess (Melanie), finished two years ago, so now the tribe activities are between Flash and his youngest, Darling Dove (Alyssa), 12. When he has no more girls in the program, Flash Lightning says, “I’ve made some good friends. I love that we get to bond with our daughters, and for us dads, it’s like a big fraternity.”
Alli “Snow Angel” Fleisher, 13, tells us, “It’s really fun to spend time with my dad and my sisters! We love the wilderness; having fun and being in competitions at the campouts, where we have canoe races and roast s’mores. I love us being one tribe and being together!” Her father, Big Snow (Steve) agrees and says that with his younger daughter Snow Flake (Carli), 8, alongside, “My favorite part is taking the girls on camping trips. Without this tribe, they would probably never go camping. We love it!”
Beautiful Flower (Sarah Solomon), 14, is preparing to break her arrow in a drum and fire ceremony where she will talk about her Indian princess experience and end the journey. “I’ll miss the campouts on the weekends with my dad,” she says brightly, “but it’s brought us a lot closer.”
