Minisino is the highest honor that may be bestowed upon a Firecrafter. The word Minisino is a Miami Indian word meaning tried and proven. Minisino is a rank that can be earned. While one cannot set out to candidate for this rank. Candidates are "tapped out" after selection by a committee. A candidacy is for two scout camps weeks and the requirements are secret "known only to Minisinos and Minisino candidates." However, one can fail (and "fail" is the word used) a candidacy and many Minisinos have endured more than one candidacy before passing and being "crowned."

A Youth is eligible to be tapped out for Minisino the summer following his becoming a Firecrafter. To be tapped out, a Firecrafter must demonstrate outstanding qualities of friendship, leadership, and service. After a Firecrafter is tapped out, he must successfully complete a two-week candidacy at one of the council camps to become a Minisino. Minisino's requirements are known only to Minisinos and Mininsino candidates.

An adult's Minisino candidacy begins the minute he becomes a Firecrafter. He too must demonstrate the outstanding qualities of a Firecrafter. After being a Firecrafter for at least four years, he can be crowned a Minisino. The youth Minisinos can be crowned at any time during the summer camping season, while the adults are crowned only at the Rituals.

The Minisino shirt is a white tank top with a five and one quarter inch Minisino chest patch. The shirt is worn over a dark green t-shirt and with scout pants and belt. The shirt is to be worn at Rituals, Firecrafter meetings, campfires, and any other time when it is appropriate to be recognized as a Firecrafter. The Minisino shirt is to be worn without the green undershirt during the Minisino ceremony and after 6:00 Saturday evening at the Firecrafter Rituals.

Kent Holdern told the story of how the green Minisino undershirt came about. He was the fashion model for the show. The Minisinos wore their fire shirts for ceremonies only. In the dinning hall it was considered uncouth to have hairy arm pits showing as the story goes. The Minisinos would have to wear a T-shirt. No, not the white one. Too plain and after all the Firecrafters wore that shirt! So the older Minisinos went into J.C. Penny and bought sample t-shirts in the colors of blue, red, green, and yellow. The adults and the Minisinos held a "Fashion Show" in the K-Hut out at Belzer (this was in the 1950's). The Minisino shirt was put on over the colored T-shirts and either it was the fact that it matched the green "M" or that it did not show dirt or both caused the green shirt to win hands down. The shirt was quickly dubbed the "work shirt" and the Minisinos could still do service and not get their white ceremonial shirts dirty. If the need arose they could still be identified as Minisino. This true story came right from the original Minisino who first wore the green shirt by way of John Pratt.

Webmaster Note: This information provided courtesy of Matt Baldwin XXX.