of the ritual of Rope Day, with initiates required to "duck-walk" across the campus and up the seven-story tower to the "wigwam." (This ritual was photographed for a Life magazine feature on Rope Day in 1954.) Later the room would fuel contention, since the "tribe" enjoyed exclusive, rent-free access and because it housed Native American artifacts. Michigamua's longevity also was supported by an alumni body, the "Old Braves Council," which was founded shortly after World War II. With so many male students in the armed forces, the group's wartime rosters dwindled. Then the campus was swamped with military veterans, older on average than students of pre-war years and less interested in undergraduate traditions. So Frederick C. Matthaei, a member of the university's governing board and an honorary sachem, worked with his son, Frederick C. Matthaei Jr., a member of the "tribe," to recruit a full complement of "fighting braves" for 1946-47 and to start a board of alumni to advise new members on traditions, plan alumni gatherings and raise money for upkeep of the "wigwam." (Michigamua began to hold some of its activities on Matthaei property a few miles from the university's campus. A totem pole dedicated to Michigamua was erected on the property. In 1957 and 1961, Matthaei donated the acreage to the university; it became the site of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and the Radrick Farm golf course.) Finally, Michigamua thrived because it offered members the key benefit of any fraternal association — camaraderie with friends of the same gender — plus the satisfactions of recognition for distinction; shared affection for the university; and a sense of identity derived from rituals and a revered tradition. The recollections of Gordon "Red" Berenson, a member of the "tribe" of 1961-62 who became Michigan's longtime varsity ice hockey coach, were typical: "I got to know other people on campus who were successful that made me feel like I was more than just another good athlete, and some are my best friends today." Challenges and responses, 1970s-1999 In the 1970s, critics began to challenge Michigamua's privileged status. Women argued that the university's support violated federal rules against sex discrimination. Native Americans cited state and federal protections against racial bias. The complaints prompted Michigamua to make concessions that changed elements of the organization but preserved its recognition as a sanctioned student body through the 1990s. The earliest legal complaint came in 1972 from