Neither Wolf Nor Dog

Description

The Vermillion Public Library is partnering with University of South Dakota Native Student Services and the Vermillion Cultural Association to show this free film at the Coyote Twin Theatre! Adapted from the acclaimed novel ‘Neither Wolf Nor Dog’ by Kent Nerburn the story follows a white author who gets sucked into the heart of contemporary Native American life in the sparse lands of the Dakota’s by a 95 year old Lakota elder and his side-kick. First published in 1994 and winner of the Minnesota Book award in 1996, no other novel is seen to so successfully bridge the gap between white America and the Native American world. Kent Nerburn draws the reader deep into the world of an Indian elder known only as Dan. It’s a world of Indian towns, white roadside cafes, and abandoned roads that swirl with the memories of the Ghost Dance and Sitting Bull. Readers meet vivid characters like Jumbo, a 400-pound mechanic, and Annie, an 80-year-old Lakota woman living in a log cabin. Threading through the book is the story of two men struggling to find a common voice. Neither Wolf nor Dog takes readers to the heart of the Native American experience. As the story unfolds, Dan speaks eloquently on the difference between land and property, the power of silence, and the selling of sacred ceremonies.