Neither Wolf Nor Dog

Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder is a memoir by American author Kent Nerburn. The book describes a road trip Nerburn took with two Lakota men, weaving Nerburn’s personal experiences with lengthy speeches from the men on indigenous history and culture. Major themes in the book include The Role of Language in Oppression, The Lasting Trauma of America’s Violence Against Indigenous Communities at the hands of white colonizers, and The Power of the Western Landscape. At various points in the book, Nerburn repeats outdated and offensive stereotypes about indigenous communities. He uses the terms “Indian” and “native” to describe indigenous people from a variety of American and Canadian nations. This study guide reproduces those terms only in quoted material; elsewhere, it uses “indigenous” or, where possible, identifies speakers’ specific tribal affiliations.

This summary is based on the 2019 New World Library eBook edition.

Content Warning: This guide includes references to rape, physical and sexual abuse of children, infant death, and violence against indigenous communities.

Summary

In the memoir’s introduction, Nerburn reflects on his position as a white storyteller and advocate for indigenous communities.