Summer Camp Memories: A Flashback to the Adirondacks

This old photograph takes me waaaay back to my teenage years, when I worked as a riding instructor at Pok-O-MacCready Camp in the Adirondacks. I was probably about 17 years old here, (rear center) sitting up straight bareback on that beautiful chestnut horse.

I spent five summers at Pok-O-MacCready, and those years gave me so many wonderful memories of horses, friendships, camp traditions, and riding through the mountains.

The Adirondack region has deep connections to the Haudenosaunee, historically known as the Iroquois Confederacy. At the time, the camp set aside several days for an event called “Indian Days.” That was the term used by the camp then, although it is not language we would choose today.

The campers were divided into five groups named for the original five nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. In this photograph, I am dressed in black to represent and honor the Onondaga Nation.

Looking back with greater awareness, we understand that these activities borrowed names, imagery, and traditions from living Indigenous cultures without the guidance, context, or permission they deserved. The Haudenosaunee nations, including the Onondaga Nation, are living and sovereign communities with rich histories and cultures. They should be approached with genuine respect rather than treated as camp themes or costumes.

At the same time, I can still remember the horses, friendships, and experiences of those summers with great affection.

The games began and ended with a council fire. One of the traditions I remember most vividly involved the five members of the riding staff sitting silently on our horses as the campers proceeded quietly toward the fire.

Once the drumming stopped, we would turn our horses, gallop past the campfire entrance, and race down the long path through the woods all the way back to the barn.

We rode bareback and in our bare feet. I loved the feeling of my toes resting against and holding onto the soft belly of the horse beneath me. We were also riding without helmets, which also certainly makes me say “eek” today!

Still, the freedom and excitement of that ride were something I loved and looked forward to during each of the five summers I spent at Pok-O-MacCready. They were such fun and memorable days.

My dear friend Lucy recently sent me this photograph. She was behind the camera, so unfortunately we do not get to see her! Thank you, Lucy, for bringing back so many special memories.

Lucy still works with horses today in England, which makes this photograph and our shared history with horses feel even more meaningful.

I am grateful for all five of my summers at Pok-O-MacCready… the horses, the friendships, the adventures, and the lessons… as well as the opportunity to look back on those experiences with greater knowledge, sensitivity, and respect.