You’ve heard of the American Dream, but what about the American Nightmare? Tatanga Hōksheen: A Failed Attempt to Kill the Indian unfolds the gripping tale of an Assiniboine boy named Tatanga Hōksheen, born along the serene banks of Montana’s Milk River, only to be thrust into a soul-crushing institution designed to strip away his cultural identity.

At the tender age of 10, Tatanga Hōksheen’s idyllic life takes a dark turn. Ripped from his family and the world he knew, he’s forced into the Pierre Indian School in South Dakota— a government-established institution that aims to “kill the Indian, save the man.” With no word from home and subjected to unthinkable hardships, Tatanga Hōksheen navigates years of forced assimilation, physical abuse, and spiritual erosion.

But this is not just a story of despair. It’s a tale of resilience, a narrative of a young boy who battles against a system intending to dissolve his heritage, spirituality, and very self. Will Tatanga Hōksheen ever escape the shackles of Pierre Indian School? Can he rediscover the spirit he lost? Embark on this heartrending journey and witness one boy’s struggle to reclaim his identity and find a place in a world that has tried to erase him.

Donovan Archambault