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by Kelvin Purdy (Author)
A Collection of Drumming and Prayer Songs is a powerful gathering of Lakota, Cree, and Ojibway ceremonial songs shared for healing, prayer, and unity. These songs are sacred gifts from the ancestors - songs that rise from the heart of the drum, carrying the voices of generations who prayed for balance, courage, and light. Compiled, translated, and preserved by Kelvin "Beaver" Kingsbury Purdy (AsineAmisk, meaning "Star Beaver"), this book brings together over thirty traditional and contemporary songs that continue to be sung across Turtle Island.
Each song in this collection carries a spirit and a purpose. Some are sung before prayer or during pipe ceremonies; others honour the buffalo, the bear, the eagle, the cedar, and the grandmothers and grandfathers who still guide us. Every rhythm, phrase, and breath reconnects the singer and the listener to the Sacred Circle - to the Six Directions, to the Earth, and to the Creator.
These songs are written phonetically to help both new learners and experienced singers find their voice on the drum. Each section offers both original-language lyrics and English meaning, helping readers understand not only the sounds, but also the prayers within them. From "Wakantanka - Walking with the Light" to "The Bear Honor Song," "Victory Song," "Calling the Grandfathers," and the "Ancestor Star Prayer," each page carries medicine for the spirit.
Kelvin Purdy, also known by his traditional name AsineAmisk (Star Beaver), is a Métis-Cree author, drummer, and survivor of the Sixties Scoop. Through his publishing house, Kingsbury Press, he is devoted to preserving and reviving Indigenous songs, languages, and teachings for future generations. These songs were collected and refined in collaboration with community elders, singers, and drummers, including contributions and phonetic guidance from Dominic Cor-neau, Travis Vadar, and Earl Waskawitch.
This collection is intended as both a teaching tool and a living prayer book - for drummers, singers, spiritual leaders, and families who wish to walk again in balance with the sacred sound of the drum. Whether sung in ceremony, at gatherings, or in quiet reflection, each song reminds us that we are never alone: the heartbeat of the drum is the heartbeat of Mother Earth herself.
"From the stars we are from, to the stars we will go. These are the songs that carry us home."
Inside you will find:
Over 30 songs in Lakota, Cree, and Ojibway with phonetic spellings.
English translations and ceremonial meanings.
Prayer songs for the Four Directions, the Pipe, and the Morning.
Honor songs for the Bear, the Eagle, and the Grandfathers.
Contemporary pieces such as Transforming Warrior and Freedom Song - Call the Warriors.
Teachings of balance, gratitude, and healing through rhythm and voice.
A Collection of Drumming and Prayer Songs stands as a bridge between the old world and the new - between oral tradition and written preservation. It is a sacred call to remember who we are, where we come from, and how we pray together in one voice.
