Two strong attempts at forming a Council honor and service society in Los Angeles were forerunners of Siwinis Lodge. The earliest was Polaris Lodge, a self-sustaining membership organization, which operated widely during the mid-1930’s. A second organization was an “Order of the Arrow” which functioned in Centinela Valley District in 1936-37.

Our lodge came about because of a need to recognize that (by mid-1943) many Los Angeles units had members inducted into the Order of the Arrow by Tamet Lodge 225 at Crescent Bay Council’s Camp Josepho. In September 1943, a movement began to form a lodge, which came to fruition in the Centinela Valley District. The Mishe Mokwa Chapter formed in October of 1943 after the ordeal. In February 1944, the Rio Hondo District conducted their first ordeal at camp Rio Hondo and formed Wiyot Chapter.

In December 1943, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Council made application for a charter from the National Lodge. In April 1944, Lodge No. 252 obtained its charter. In that same month the first Lodge meeting was held. The name “Siwinis” meaning big pine, was adopted from the name of the council’s summer camp. Mishe Mokwa Chapter’s Lee Mosher became the first Lodge Chief.

The following May (1944), Wiyot chapter held a call out and ordeal in George Washington and San Antonio Districts. These Districts formed Wakanda and Hukna Chapters respectively. July 1944 was the beginning of the development of a lodge organization under a standard set of rules. The first set of rules were adopted in September 1945. By January 1946 Shoshone, Hollywood-Wilshire District; He’He, Northwestern District; Aztec, Eastern District; Wichappi, Midland District; Gabrielino, Harbor District; Ota-Ka-Yai, Foothill District; Cheyene, Mt. Vernon District; Tsungani, Southwest District; and Wyandot, South Bay District had been added as chapters to the Lodge.

The first Annual Lodge Dinner was held at Camp Arthur Letts in December 1947. The second Dinner was held following the first annual Pow Wow in December 1948. This was also held at Arthur Letts. This plan was continued until 1950 when the dinner and Pow Wow were held at different times. The only other time this was attempted was at the Pow Wow at Camp Arthur Letts in December 1954.

Representatives of the Siwinis Lodge attended the August 1947 National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC). The conference, held at the University of Indiana, was attended by Floyd Nicholson (Lodge Chief at that time), Clark Cross (first Lay Advisor), George Unger (first Professional Advisor), and two others. Siwinis Lodge has been represented at all NOACs since.

In 1954, two major changes took place in Siwinis Lodge. Prior to this time 15 chapters had operated with a minimum of Lodge direction. First, the Council reorganization reduced the number of Districts to thirteen functioning chapters. Second, the Lodge executive committee took the position of authority delegated to it for the first time. The trend started at that time has continued until the goal is in sight where each chapter will function as a unit but under the rules and coordination of the Lodge. From the Lodge founding to 1972 Chapters issued flaps worn on the uniform. Beginning in 1973 the Lodge issued flaps. On August 1, 2015, Siwinis merged with Ta Tanka 488 to form Tuku’ut 33.