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The Legend of the Ungawa Princess

To be named Ungawa Princess Warrior is the highest honor any Safarian can hold. The honor started in 1986, when, after a tournament our Captain, Pav, awarded a teammate with a simple beaded necklace as an MVP award. The necklace contained one charm, which was a symbol of Pav's high regard for her teammate. Our first official Ungawa Princess then presented the same beaded necklace to another Safarian after the next tournament. Before passing the necklace on, however, she had attached another symbolic charm to the necklace. Today, the tradition continues. After each tournament, an Ungawa Princess Warrior is named and awarded with the official Ungawa Princess Warrior Necklace. The Necklace has grown into a treasure of symbols, charms, and keepsakes from Ungawas past. While the Necklace has actually broken several times from the weight and its fragility, each time it is re-strung, it becomes stronger and stronger, both physically and symbolically.

The Ungawa Princess Warrior Ceremony

The Ungawa Princess Warrior Ceremony takes place after the last game of a tournament, and consists of two distinct phases. First, the reigning Princess presents the team with her contribution to the necklace. After all of the "ohhs" and "ahhs" have subsided, she explains the symbolism behind the charm.

Realizing her reign is quickly coming to an end, the Princess starts the second phase of the ceremony, announcing the new Princess. She describes to the team the attributes which she values in a Princess, and those she was looking for to award the necklace. She then announces the name of the new Princess, and describes how she had earned the honor. All other members of the team immediately fall to their knees and bow to the new Princess, chanting "We're not worthy, we're not worthy."

The new Princess then takes the necklace with her, until the next tournament, when she awards it to a Princess protege.

While there is no record of who contributed what, we've tried to re-create a list to match the charms with their Princesses. In no particular order. . .

Certainly not a complete list. If you know of any Princess/charm combos that are not on this list, please email the webmistress below. Ungawas past have made us what we are today, and we don't want to forget them!