Young Leaders Explore the History of Camps in WNC
Nestled inside a mountain cove, Gwynn Valley Camp has been a place for development, connection and exploration for children for over 90 years. Our history connects us regionally, culturally and societally to the greater movement of summer camps dating back to the 1800’s. This summer, Gwynn Valley was a representative of that movement through a museum exhibit at the Cashiers Historical Society; Campfires & The Embers of Youth: The History of Summer Camps In Western North Carolina. Filing through our historical documents, we were able to contribute relics and photographs that speak to our storied camp culture. Our oldest camper program, Young Leaders, were able to visit, tour and learn about the rich history they are a part of today. The Young Leader program is geared towards developing leadership skills, bridging the camper to staff experience and child-focused development as they grow towards young adults. The parallels of camper growth at Gwynn Valley and the growth of summer camps resonated with our Young Leaders and their involvement in the continued history of camp.
One of our biggest contributions to the exhibit was the legend and lore of the Tajar who lives in the tallest tree at camp through photos and literature. The Tajar looks a little something like a tiger and something like a jaguar and something like a badger, but he is different from all those animals. The Tajar instills folly and whimsy around many camps in Western North Carolina. At Gwynn Valley, he’s celebrated at the Tajar Ball where campers dress up so as not to reveal his identity and so his folly can continue, like placing all of the sleeping SIT’s on kayaks around camp the morning of his birthday. The utilization of the Tajar provides a sliver of what camp culture instills in children; creativity, connection to animals, and the idea of being a part of something bigger than themselves. Tajar Ball comes at the end of the session where strong bonds have been formed, Mountainside and Riverside return from their adventures, and the sense of play is strong within the community. Our very local and seasonal newspaper, The Tajar Times, is also an outlet for creative expression through writing, poetry, drawings, interviews and more. Campers are able to take home a ‘published’ copy of their creation!
One of the earliest brochures from our archives, Gay Valley Camp for Girls and Boys (1938) states, “A Co-Educational Project in Camping and Character Building – An opportunity to live simply in the out-of-doors; to drink deep of the beauty of the mountains; to develop new skills and appreciations and creative tastes; to learn to work and play and live happily together in a world where they have the chance to make their own choices with children their own age level under wise adult guidance.” The Young Leaders who attended the exhibit reflected on similar experiences they had at camp while discussing after the tour. They swapped stories of their Riverside adventures, making best friends in their cabin on Brookside and how they want to contribute to the camp community as they look forward to returning as staff.
One thing that makes the camping experience and that at Gwynn Valley so special is the traditions and stories passed down. The spoken culture that’s quite hard to document but that keeps you at the edge of your seat in friendship circle or in the Lodge during skits. The grounding experiences that camp provides to children weaves them into the timeline of summer camps that will continue for years to come, just as it weaves into the fabric of their being. To be a part of a cultural and natural movement is very resounding when we look towards the future of children, their character and what will be their world.
The exhibit will be open through October at the Cashiers Historical Society, I highly recommend stopping in!
