At age 65, many decide to put work on the back burner and focus more on finally settling into a beach and golf-infused retirement.

But for British mayonnaise factory manager, Les Atkins, turning 65 indicated that it was time for him to quit his job and finally follow his dream. And this new dream has nothing to do with mayonnaise.

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While his dream may have a lot to do with traditions, it is definitely not at all traditional: Atkins dreams of becoming a Native American.

Yes, there's the whole being-from-England thing. No, Atkins does not have any relatives who are Native American.

However, Atkins does have a passion for Native American cultures. For the past 44 years, Atkins immersed himself in studies of various Native American tribes.

Several of these studies included taking many trips to Native American reservations and experiencing the culture firsthand. Many of these planned expeditions brought Atkins to the southwestern--most parts of the United States--including reservations in Arizona and Utah.

But these trips were not just for Atkins to see the culture of Native Americans. Atkins often looked for a full, hands-on involvement to help him further understand traditional Native American customs.

In some scenarios, Atkins was allowed to join in the ceremonial dances when visiting the reservations.

Yet his fascination was not a cheap one. Despite overseeing the labor force at the mayonnaise factory for fifteen years, Atkins was not especially frugal when it came to his indulgence.

In the house he shares with his wife, Atkins has managed to create an impressive collection of Native American artifacts, headdresses, and costumes that he designed himself.

Atkins believes that he has spent well over $6,000 on costumes. His most prized headdress alone cost him roughly $7,500.  

Part of the plans Atkins has for his full-time Native American conversion includes speaking in schools and museums to educate British children about Native American culture. Through his teaching, Atkins hopes to diminish any misconceptions students may have about the Native American history, customs, traditions, or ceremonies.

To prepare himself for his new educational role, Atkins has been adopting a Native American identity part-time--namely, on the weekends. Even in his mayonnaise factory days, Atkins never let the workweek exhaust him to the point where he was unable to practice traditional Native American sign language or perform his ceremonial dances in his own backyard.

Despite his expensive hobby, the Atkins family remains supportive of Atkins's new endeavor and is excited that he is achieving his dream.

And, let's be honest, it is a bit more exciting than another rousing round of shuffleboard.

TagsLes Atkins, Native American, England, Arizona, Utah, retirement, Tribe, education, Teaching, museum