The Friendship Knot

I was introduced to the Friendship Knot by a scouter friend (which is is redundant as all scouts are friends) and he had this knot tied in the tails of his neckerchief.


The knot itself is a unique thing in itself as the legend is that the knot must be tied by someone else and cannot be untied as it breaks the friendship that was created at the time it was tied.


Friendship knots are a constant reminder that we are all tied together within the brotherhood of scouting and that friendship knows no borders, no politics, and no personal agendas that place a strain on how we interact in today's society.


I re-discovered that within the scouting movement that friendships are easily made and a lasting bond occurs because of what the program stands for.


I have lost count of the exact number or scout friends that I have throughout the world but the number doesn't matter to me as that number increases through my interactions with new scouts and scouters but I do have scout friends in Denmark, England, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Aruba, Australia, China, New Zealand, Tasmania, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, Korea, and in the United States.
I have been lucky enough to personally meet scouts from Australia, England, and Israel and what strikes me is that once you put on the uniform you are automatically accepted into their "scouting family" without question or reservation....no other program can claim that distinction.
So the next time you meet a new scout friend, look for a friendship knot and if they don't have one tie one on the neckerchief. You will be glad that you did.

The Friendship Knot
This knot is often used by Scouts to secure the neckerchiefs, instead of a woggle - either because they've lost it - or because they're worried they might. It can also be tied in the points of a neck erchief (very small) if a woggle is being worn.
The linking of the two sides of the neckerchief represent the bond of friendship - both sides of the knot collapse to nothing if they are disentangled.

(1) First cross the two ends of the neckerchief
(2) Then make a bight with the end that went over, and tuck it back under the other end
(3) Now pass the other end behind the bight

(4) Finally tuck the end down the bight