Our Books

Our Books… Dog Soldier Press was founded to facilitate the publishing of one book, Santana: War Chief of the Mescalero Apache, the previously unpublished story of a remarkable leader who had the foresight to recognize that continued armed resistance to the Anglo horde engulfing his homeland would lead to the Mescaleros' annihilation as a people, and had the skill to not only negotiate for a prime tract of New Mexico mountain real estate for a reservation, but also to discipline his own people to give up their warring ways and learn to live as treaty terms demanded. This inspiring story and the descriptions of certain aspects of Mescalero life before Anglo encounter deserved being preserved for posterity.

The second book, Sharing the Gift of Lakota Song, is more than a how-to book for "singing Indian." A close reading will illuminate the function and importance of secular music in contemporary Lakota society. You’ll discover narratives of two well-known Lakota singers describing how they came by their singing gifts. These charming narratives and examples of each of 12 categories of secular song are included on the accompanying CD. In the opinion of the publisher, this knowledge, these traditions should be preserved and made available to succeeding generations.

Native American Healing: A Lakota Ritual, our third book, is a first-person account of how a contemporary, conventionally western-educated, Lakota ceremonial leader (a "medicine man" in plain English), developed the perspective that allows him to conduct each part of the ceremonies he performs. The perspective that emerges from the pages of the book is, perhaps surprisingly to some, universally well adapted to contented, peaceful living in contemporary times. The Dog Soldier Press edition of this unique book changed only the cover art, interior page design and appropriate changes on the title pages from the original 2001 McGraw-Hill publication.

Two CDs of the Lakota sacred music featured in Native American Healing, known individually as Songs To Learn By and Sung As In Ceremony are also available from Dog Soldier Press.