Original Beads

For Scouters like me, it has been a lifetime curiosity what the original beads Baden-Powell got from Chief Dinizulu.  This necklace was the surrender token of Chief Dinizulu when Baden-Powell conquered his tribe during the war.

After the conduct of the first Woodbadge course (Training Course for Scoutmasters), Baden-Powell did not know what to give to these leaders as a token of accomplishment.  And he came across the necklace of Chief Dinizulu who have worn this necklace as a sign of authority, leadership and the priceless possession of their tribe.  Baden-Powell took a bootlace and made it into a necklace with a bead from Dinizulu necklace in each end of the thongs that becomes the symbol of Woodbadge.  This becomes the first badge that is a necklace and not a patch.

I happen to come across an original bead being worn by the National Training Commissioner of Australia Paul Parkinson.  According to Paul, the four beads he is wearing is being passed on from one National Training Commissioner to the next and it includes one of the original beads from the Dinizulu necklace.  And there are still four pieces of such original beads in Australia.

Surprisingly, the original beads were much much smaller than expected.