Spring Break '06: Hoch, True Lakota Warrior

Hoch: True Lakota Warrior Originally uploaded by bgilmor.

This is Hoch - director of the FLC, fun-loving guy, and our personal tour guide and adventure-seeker throughout the week. Hoch is the shortened form of his Lakota name, which is something much too long for me to even attempt to sound out. Hoch was a wonderful friend to have. Archery isn't the only thing that he's a straight-shooter in. He'd be just as likely to bluuntly point out the negatives of a situation--be it with housing, neighborhoods, economics, health care, schools, (the list goes on and on...)--as he was to point out the successes and beauty of something. He'd lay it all out on the line in a way that was as close to objective as possible. He just wanted us to know what they were dealing with. Like I said, he also knows how to have fun. At the start of the week, he casually asked if I was left-handed. Slightly taken by the randomness of his question, I said that in most things, no, but in certain things, like basketball, I am. He said how he remembered that I "lucked out" and hit a goofy-looking left-handed shot to beat his team in a pickup game of basketball that we played last time. The rest of the group got a good laugh out of that. His laid back, yet quietly demanding and in control, personality seemed to mesh well with the kids. One story about him and the kids sticks out in my mind. On the final day, we went with the kids on a field trip across the state. At one point, we stopped at a look-out spot in the Badlands, and some of us climbed down and through them. Hoch was the one leading the charge, barking out orders for the kids who were following behind him. Though they probably wouldn't admit it, some of the kids were having trouble (hell, let's include me in that group) finding success climbing up the precipitous, rocky formation (Looking back, this was actually quite a dangerous situation, as one misstep could have spelled a serious injury). Hoch didn't appear worried though. He was directing everyone how to get up, imploring them along like it wasn't a big deal at all. Through simple encouragement to the kids ("You're a Lakota warrior! You can do it!"), he empowered them to find what it took within themselves to get over the hump, so to speak. Don't get me wrong, finding the inner strength needed to overcome fears is a big accomplishment for anyone, but for these kids, it seemed to be something extra special. For as dedicated as he is to the kids and the program at the FLC (he also teaches a pyschology class at the university one night a week, as well as raising a three and ten year old), Hoch did show signs of wear, admitting to me that he would entertain other options with prevention work should they develop. However, it was also obvious how he holds his tribe and town dear to his heart, saying he could never live in a city like Chicago ("Whoa, people live on top of each other! I'm a Plains Indian, man.") He speaks passionately about his people, openly wondering why others would found success didn't come back and try to pull the rest of the community out with them. He speaks with the candor and perspective of someone who will surely find success in whatever he does.