Our Cabaña is an international Guias Scout centre of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout...

 (WAGGGS) located in Cuernavaca

Cuernavaca

Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...

, Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. It opened in July 1957 as a Baden-Powell centennial memorial

Memorial

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....

. The centre can house up to ninety guests.

It is one of four World Centres of WAGGGS; the others being Our Chalet

Our Chalet

Our Chalet is an international Girl Guide/Girl Scout centre and one of four World Centres of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts . The others are Our Cabaña, Sangam, and Pax Lodge. Our Chalet is just outside of Adelboden, in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. Located in the...

 in Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, Sangam in India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, and Pax Lodge

Pax Lodge

Pax Lodge is the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts World Centre in London, England. It was opened in 1990 but was not the first World Centre in England. It was preceded by Olave House , named after Olave Baden-Powell which was preceded by Our Ark .Pax Lodge is located in historic...

 in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. Each centre is staffed by people from around the world, giving them an international feeling, but each also draws from the local culture. Our Cabaña has been visited by over 70,000 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world since it opened.

History

The idea of a Western Hemisphere world centre started in 1946 at a training session in Cuba. Serious planning began six years later with the approval of the Western Hemisphere Committee and the World Committee. Cuba, Panama, and the USA were considered before a plot of land in Mexico was selected to house the new world centre chosen.

Our Cabaña was officially opened in July 1957. The first participants attended a Juliette Low Session (international meeting of girls). It was during this session that the "Our Cabaña Song" was written using a traditional Mexican tune sung at birthdays (Feliz Cumpleaños).

The Our Cabaña site was expanded in 1969 by adding two more dormitories and a hall for evening programs and other indoor activities. Modifications have been made over the years to keep abreast of technological advancements and new methods of site maintenance. Computers are now an indispensable part of the working day, as are dishwashers and power tools.

Today, it can accommodate ninety participants, making it the largest of the four world centres.

Symbols and mascots

Our Cabana's mascot is a donkey, Amigo.http://www.ourcabana.org/en/about/Mascot
The logo is a stylized three branched tree (symbolizing the Scout Promise

Scout Promise

Since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Guides around the world have taken a Scout promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law. The wording of the Scout Promise and Scout Law have varied slightly over time and from country to...

) with roots (symbolizing friendship growing deeper) and a drop of water (an Aztec symbol of life).http://www.ourcabana.org/en/about/Logo

Facilities and accommodations

The centre is made up of two main buildings:

• Xochicalli-"house of flowers"-Dining Hall
• Mixcoacalli-"meeting house"-Great Hall

set amidst a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) tropical garden.

Eight large dorm rooms and several double guest rooms can house 90
visitors. Each dorm room is named after a flower found on the
grounds, such as "Tulipanes" (tulips), "Rosas" (roses), etc.

The centre also has a swimming pool, tennis court, fire circle, and craft house.

The centre also organizes trips to elsewhere in Mexico for visiting Girl Scouts and Girl Guides.