Scout Salute and Handshake
| Category: | Respect |
|---|---|
| Notes: | Traces the salute and left-handed handshake in a clear historical arc-medieval visors → Continental Army etiquette → Baden-Powell and the Ashanti-to show one continuous tradition of respect and bravery. |
Our Scout salute and handshake are part of a long, steady tradition. In the age of armor, a knight approaching another raised his visor with his right hand-showing his face and, just as important, showing that his sword hand was empty. It was a simple act that declared, "I come in peace," and it earned respect.
Centuries later, soldiers still signaled peace with the right hand. In General George Washington's Continental Army, a touch to the hat or forehead became a formal salute-an open display of courtesy where a hidden weapon might otherwise have been suspected.
When Scouting began, we inherited that same right-hand salute as our sign of honor. And we gained something uniquely our own: the left-handed Scout handshake. Baden-Powell learned it from Ashanti warriors in Africa. Their chieftains offered the left hand and explained, "Only the bravest greet this way, because you must drop your shield to do it." They knew of Baden-Powell's courage and counted him a friend worthy of that trust.
So when a Scout salutes, we remember knights who lifted visors and soldiers who chose courtesy over fear. When a Scout offers the left hand, we remember warriors who laid down their shields to show trust. Together, the salute and the handshake remind us that real bravery is respectful, open, and unafraid.