Broken Arrow- Cochise

                      Nino Cochise

When I had the underdeveloped brain of a 20 year old, I was inspired by Kerouac’s “On the Road”, Peter Fonda’s “Easy Rider” and general suburban ennui. I had a 60’s respect for Native Americans (still do) so when  I was on my idealistic cross country hitch hiking adventures, I hooked up with my brother and we went to the Cochise Stronghold in Arizona near the Mexican border.  We both read “Broken Arrow” and fantasized about being Tom Jeffords, the cool pale faced Gringo that was friends with the tribe. The Stronghold is this amazing oasis valley surrounded by cliffs of red, back, and ochre stripes that empty into long stretches of deserts; an absolutely perfect fortress.

When we eventually left, we saw a gift shop-museum by the highway so, obviously, we had to go in. There was no one around save an Indian manikin in a roped-off center platform and all kinds of arrow heads and souvenirs. As we wandered around checking out the cool weapons and artifacts of the Indian Wars, the manikin says “Hello. You like what you see?” Obviously stunned, we soon learned that this was a real person dressed in a traditional manner. After a surreal conversation, this finely attired gent identifies himself as the grandson of Cochise, Nino. There was a little sign that had his name printed on it. Nino was about 80 years old. He went on to tell us that he is also the nephew of Geronimo and that he played his Grandfather on the TV show "High Chaparral”. We became increasingly embarrassed that here was this living legend and he’s on display on a roped-off platform. It was one of the coolest celebrity encounters I ever had but one of the most depressing at the same time. Nino Cochise was a very nice guy. I can only assume his grandfather was too.

wes