Customer Reviews

Where Courage Is Like a Wild Horse: The World of an Indian Orphanage

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As wards of the state of Oklahoma, Linda Lakoe (Okee-Chee) and her sister Jackie arrive at the predominately indian Murrow orphanage. As Apaches, they are met with suspicion, fear, and aggression from the other children. Linda struggles to become respected by the others, while Jackie, the younger of the two focuses on finding the adoptive family she has never known.

The book depicts their year together at the orphanage, and the challenges that they endure as orphans, and as sisters with different goals. Linda finds comfort and meaning as an aspiring artist, while her younger sister can only find such comfort with the prospect of having a mother.

This is one of the most tear-jerking, thought provoking books I have read in recent years. It depicts a journey of self realization and discovery. Linda's self discovery, brought on by her prospective adoptive mother, is thrilling and uplifting - provoking anyone who reads it to believe that no matter what, there is always a mother figure in life who can make right, teach, nurture and provide a basis to understand one's own culture.

The entire book consists of chapters that begin with dream like narrations - An excellent method of recalling what should be, and probably are shady memories of a past that is understandably blurry.

Still, this is one of the best books I've read so far... I would highly recommend it to anyone - especially those who have interest in learning about native american identity in the 20th century.

This book helped bring back my inner child and rediscover the relationship I had with the earth as a child. Remarkable insight was present in the author when she described her past.

In this book, Sharon Skolnick,an Apache woman, tells the story of how she and her sister were taken from their family as children (sadly this was not uncommon) and put in a residential school/orphanage for Native American children in 1953. Her recollection of life there was both informative and appalling. The one fact that I learned that I had not been aware of is that the Native Americans were treated much the way the African Americans were treated during segregation, i.e. different water fountains, etc. I was saddened that I had never known this about the original "Americans". Though hard to read, I was glad for this opportunity to learn more. Their story should be told.

I wish to thank Sharon for writing her story. It is a great example of the forced cultural assimilation for many Native Americans around the 1950's. It also brings along many light-hearted, funny, passionate, solemn, difficult, and challenging stories and tests of the soul. I highly recommend this touching and quick read.